Chapter Thirty-Two
Ecclesiastical matters forManchester belonged with the bishop of Chester, whose deanery lay near the ancient Cathedral of Christ in that city. Eli left his hotel early, Tommy Withers at his side, packed and ready to travel on to Ashmead as soon as he dealt with the matter of Fanny’s right to serve as administrator for her brother.
Just after noon, he was shown to the canon of the cathedral parish who handled such matters.
“The church believes a young boy requires a man’s judgment.” The canon, a bony, harsh-faced specimen, spoke through his nose—no small feat, Eli thought, with that nose lifted so high in the air.
Eli’s temper, already short after his interview with Holliday and another blasted day on horseback, stretched ominously tight and threatened to snap at the self-important cleric. Eli took a firm grip on it and challenged the canon. “You will see from his letter that the Earl of Clarion disagrees in this case. Miss Hancock is his sister, and he is well satisfied she can best handle the affairs of her younger brother. My employer demands that you see to it.”
The canon stiffened. His clerical paternalism slipped briefly, revealing his ugly underbelly, but he picked his role up, wrapping his expression and posture in the cloak of ecclesiastical authority. “My dear Mr. Benson, the church finds that young women, particularly those of questionable birth, are prone to reprehensible influences.” He sniffed. “The earl may well choose to delegate to hishalf-sister, but his oversight would be vital. We recommend he watch her affairs closely.”
I’m not your dear anything. Any oversight would fall to Eli should Clarion choose to exercise it, but the very concept insulted Fanny’s intelligence.
The canon sighed wearily and went on before Eli could respond, “The woman in question isn’t even of age.”
“As you see, the earl requests that she become administrator on the day she turns twenty-one, a matter of days now.”
The canon looked as if he had bitten into a lemon.
Eli glared at the man. “I demand to speak to the bishop.”
The canon’s startled expression gratified. Apparently, the dolt was unaccustomed to challenges.
The canon’s chin quivered in outrage. “You can appeal, certainly. I would be happy to carry—”
“Let me spell this out clearly. The Earl of Clarion demands an interview with the bishop. I am his steward and the legal representative who acts on his behalf.” Eli clamped his jaw shut and glared with unwavering determination. In the end, he bullied his way to an appointment the next day.
He found Tommy with the horses. “We’re staying over in Chester,” he muttered.
Tommy accepted that with equanimity but hinted that food might be their next goal, since they’d broken their fast in the wee hours, in the dark.
They found a café across the square, where Eli glowered at the massive cathedral as if it was somehow to blame for his dispute with the church. A fine meat pie later, his mood improved and a memory surfaced. Hadn’t it been built by a monastery in the eleventh century? Eight hundred years! The big stone pile had survived the dissolution of the monasteries and been promoted to cathedral. It had also survived the roundhead revolution and the Jacobite incursion that had bedeviled Manchester. His anger began to wane. The building was far finer than the men who staffed it. He ordered another pint of ale.
One small thought sparked to life and lightened his mood further, something the tavern keeper had suggested when Eli had asked where they might find dockage for undocumented private vessels.“Along the Irish Sea between Liverpool and the Dee.”Chester abutted the River Dee near the place where it widened into the estuary. A ride along the river to the sea would fill his afternoon and might soothe his ruffled feathers. It would probably be a fruitless exercise, but it might help him regain enough control to avoid punching a bishop.
*
Fanny stopped inthe nursery one afternoon to find Reverend Styles, who had come to tutor Wil, sitting on a rickety chair sized for children. The hall’s nursery needed some adult-sized chairs and more desks. She had also noticed that the large cloak closet could double for much-needed storage if they added shelves. She wandered below stairs and sought out Mrs. Harris. Surely the housekeeper knew what could be done about it.
She did. “Mr. Benson will see to it,” the housekeeper said with a confident nod of her head.” With that, the subject obviously closed.
Mr. Benson will see to it. The words grated on Fanny’s nerves, sending her pacing up and down the maze of corridors that was Clarion Hall.
Harris had said roughly the same thing over dinner when the earl had asked him about wine supplies. In fact, Eli’s name echoed through every day since their confrontation in his office, after which he’d left without a word.
She had been walking near the stable yard when Goodfellow had complained the stables needed attention due to the additional horses. The head groom had promised to write up a plan for Mr. Benson. Tenants had come looking for Mr. Benson; the project to drain the lower fields required his attention. Reassured that he would return within the week, they’d gone away satisfied. Mr. Benson handled wages. Mr. Benson oversaw supply orders. Mr. Benson hired staff, ordered repairs to tenant cottages, and oversaw planning for harvest. At twenty-four, he had become indispensable.
In short, Clarion Hall depended on the man entirely. So did Fanny.Wil’s inheritance depends on him. I’ll never see my cottage until Eli makes it happen.
She came to a stop at the door to the estate office, hardly realizing that had been her destination. His office radiated his presence, from the tidy workspace on his desk to the attractive watercolors. The faint hint of his scent, all balsam and pine, lingered in the air. She plopped herself in his chair with a dash of defiance and breathed deeply.
Indispensable.Her very well-being seemed to hinge on Eli’s presence. Her joy certainly did; she couldn’t deny it. She needed and wanted Eli Benson.
Where is the wretch? How long can it take to complete the legal business?
*
Sun blessed Eli’sdecision to explore the Dee and its estuary.
