Earl - 6. Earl Chapter 6

“Mrs Philips here has suggested your names when I put forward the idea of opening up the abbey on a regular basis, you may not know this, but a few minutes ago, Mr & Mrs Banks were dismissed and no longer have any say in what happens here.

I would like to ask the four of you if you would like to accept the position of co-caretakers of Welbeck Abbey and assist with the running of the Abbey, making sure that the cleaning staff and grounds staff keep it in good order and to co-ordinate the three times a week openings of the abbey to visitors,” Tyler announced.

“Sir, my Lord, we live nearby in an estate cottage, and we have been made aware that the former caretakers have sacked over half of the cleaning and grounds staff over the past few months, and it is rumoured that they were pocketing the wages of those former staff,” Thomas announced.

“Quick, Mrs Philips, call security and make sure that Mr Banks doesn’t remove or destroy anything from the estate office,” Charles said to his housekeeper, as he retrieved his mobile phone. “Hello, Police? I wish to report stealing and fraud that has taken place over the past few months, from their former place of employment. My name is Charles Finch… yes, that’s right, High Court Judge retired, I am at my cousin’s place at Welbeck Abbey, just out of Cresswell,” Charles said into the phone.

“Yes his name is Mr Linley Banks, I am fairly certain that his wife Anne is unaware of her husband’s illegal dealings, and they were recently dismissed from their jobs here at the Abbey by the new owner, his Lordship the Earl of Portland, and security is currently monitoring his movements while they pack up their belongings… very good thank you,” Charles said before hanging up, and all eyes were on him to find out what the police would be doing.

“They are on their way, a unit from Creswell is close by,” Charles informed everyone. “Good, now back to what I was saying, if you accept this position, you will be given a wage, if you live in estate property, you will no longer be paying rent, and it will be your home for as long as you wish. I will also arrange for Uncle Charles here, to make sure that health cover and a pension fund is set up for you as well,” Tyler announced.

“That is extremely generous of you My Lord, can we please take a few days to consider the offer,” Vernon asked, “yes, it is, just call your friend Mrs Philips and she will pass on a message to me. Now I prefer that it not be known that I am here on the estate, in case there are any media snooping around, trying to get a scoop story and a few photos of the new Earl of Portland.

We will slip out as quietly as possible, and Uncle Charles will keep in regular touch with you if you accept the positions. Now Uncle Charles, is there a back way to get off the estate?” Tyler asked, “Sparken Hill gate would be your best option my Lord, His honour will know the way,” Mrs Philips responded.

“I do indeed, thank you for that suggestion, that is around the back and over the bridge, if I remember correctly, then turn right out of the gate, onto Ollerton Road?” Charles replied, “That is correct sir, and if you are returning to your home in Hougham, you need to turn immediately left onto that road and turn right onto the A57, which will take you to the A1 highway,” Agatha suggested.

Charles, Tyler and Lucas were shown through to the back yard of the abbey, which looked even more spectacular, especially with the lake nearby, and Charles asked the lads to stay there while he went to retrieve the vehicle, to make it less obvious. A few minutes later, Charles’s car arrived, and Tyler and his best friend climbed in.

“I can’t believe that you own this huge place Tyler, it is just ridiculously over-sized,” Lucas commented, and Tyler laughed, I totally agree with you my friend, that is why I am arranging for it to be opened to visitors to look at, so that it remains in use,” Tyler replied.

“Just wait till you see Bothal Estate, it is not as big as the abbey but is it far more impressive,” Charles commented as they crossed over the bridge, and Charles stopped a short time later. “This is a great place to look at the Abbey from,” Charles commented, before stepping out of his car.

“Oh wow, that is incredible, it looks even bigger from here,” Lucas commented, “That it does,” Tyler replied, “Just wait till we get to the gates, then you will be impressed, they are known as Lion’s gates, and I think they are far more impressive than the gates of Buckingham Palace or Sandringham,” Charles said, as they climbed back into the car and set off.

About ten minutes later Charles’s phone rang, and he pressed a button on the steering wheel to answer it. “Sir, it is Doreen Philips here, there are media camped outside the Lions gates, we suggest that you take Castle farm lane, and exit at Mansfield Road or at the big roundabout,” the caller said, “Thanks for the warning Mrs Philips, I’m pretty sure I know the way, we will do that, see you back at home, bye,” Charles said, before ending the call, and stopping the car to consult a map.

Travelling through some farm tracks, we finally came to a farm gate at the big roundabout, and once the way was clear, Charles entered the roundabout and exited on the A57 heading east. About twenty minutes later, the phone rang once again, “Sir, they are camped outside the Manor as well, I suggest you go to the other place, I will arrange for it to be quickly cleaned and stocked up with food for you,” Mrs Philips said before hanging up.

“Wow that is one very efficient woman,” Tyler commented, and Charles chuckled as he nodded his head in agreement, “That she is, and extremely protective of her employer and family, you don’t want to mess with her one bit,” Charles said.

“Do you have a spy in the village?” Lucas asked, “Yes we do, but my guess is that it is the village chief spy, who happens to be the local vicar of All Saints Church, which is situated behind the manor, with a clear view of the front driveway to the manor,” Charles replied.

“So, we are going to the hideaway place?” Tyler asked, “Yes nephew we are, and it isn’t that far away from my home, which we are just about to pass the turnoff to,” Charles replied, as they passed the turnoff to where he would go if he was heading home, and they headed the back way to get to Marston, and a short while later, Charles slowed down and turned off the road into a driveway, where a man was standing at the open gates, which he closed as soon as the car had passed through.

Charles swung the car around and drove into the double garage, where there is one other car, and the man at the gates approached. “Your Honour, welcome back sir, I believe you are having a few problems with the media,” the man said to Charles.

“Hello George, it is good to be back, and yes we are having a little bit of a problem with them, “George Daley, may I introduce to you, the Right Honourable Tyler Finch, 14th Earl of Portland, and his best friend Master Lucas Carrington,” Charles said making the introductions, “It is an honour to be in your service my Lord,” George said with a low bow.

“I think Mrs Philips has arranged for George and his wife Mary to take care of you, they are retired farmers, and they do the odd jobs for me at my manor,” Charles explained. “That is correct sir, we are available to assist you in any way, my Lord, please make your way into the house and I will bring in the luggage,” George replied.

“George, I don’t think we can hide the lads here for too long, I think we had better use the townhouse at St John’s Wood if you and Mary are ok to spend some time in town?” Charles said. “Yes, your honour, we are happy to do whatever is needed to be done to protect his Lordship, and that house his very nice to work in,” George replied.

“Townhouse uncle?” Tyler asked, and Charles gave a short laugh, “Yes, I also have a townhouse, down near the Capital for when I have to go down for a few days for business, which is not very often these days, it is about 6 kilometres north of Central London, in St John’s Wood, close to Lords if I want to walk down and watch a game of cricket,” Charles replied, as he turned to enter the back door of the house, leading into the utility room.

“Jolly good spot of cricket, eh what!” Lucas said and Charles and Tyler frowned at his antics. “Sorry, couldn’t help myself,” Lucas said when he saw their disapproval. “Right, let’s get inside and start planning for your trip to the townhouse shall we,” Charles said.

As Tyler looked around the house which was the late Earl’s hideaway home, he began to like it right away, even though it is right on the side of a road, in the small town of Marston. Tyler and Lucas took a room each on the first floor, to shower and have a short rest and have a meal before they make the journey south to London.

“Good luck lads, have a good time while you are in London, I will speak to you all in a few days time, oh and George, you will find a slight alteration has taken place on the lower level, to give you and Mary some added space, and be prepared to continue on to the holiday home if you find it unsafe to stay there. Goodbye,” Charles called out as we set off in Georges small car, with all of their luggage included, and headed south for London, while Charles headed for home in Hougham, hoping that there would be no media hanging around at that time of the night.

“What was this about a holiday house as well, this is getting very confusing?” Tyler said as they made their way out of Marston. “His Honour also has a summer holiday home on the Isle of Wight, and he has been talking about retiring to down there in the near future,” Mary replied.

By the time George drove into the driveway of the townhouse, it was well after 11 pm, and the lads had been sleeping for most of the 2 ½ hour-long trip. Once there, Mary showed the lads their bedrooms on the first floor, where they had a quick shower before collapsing onto their beds and falling asleep right away.

When Tyler woke up the following morning, the sun was well up in the sky, and he dressed before finding his way downstairs and hearing noises from near the back of the house Tyler soon found the kitchen, where Mary was preparing a late breakfast.

”Good morning my Lord, I hope that you slept well?” she asked when she saw Tyler arrive. ”Yes, thank you Mary, I did indeed, is Lucas up yet?” Tyler replied, ”No, my Lord, just yourself, I will just finish this and I will go and awaken him, ” Mary replied, as she stopped what she was doing, and walked to the table and placed a copy of the morning paper beside him.

Tyler looked at the paper and frowned when he saw the front headlines. ”Lord Portland visits his Welbeck Estate”, and Tyler picked up the paper to read the story. ”The 14th Earl of Portland made a surprise visit to Welbeck Abbey yesterday, to inspect his ancestral home. It is rumoured that one of his first duties there was to dismiss the caretakers of the Abbey, due to alleged fraud and stealing of Abbey property and funds.

Witnesses report that the Earl is just a teenager, aged around 18, and he was accompanied by a lad of similar age, plus an elderly gentleman, believed to be a retired judge, and one of his staff.

Somehow they managed to slip out of the estate without the media knowing, and there whereabouts is currently unknown, even with many of the likely places they have gone to remaining empty. It is not known if the Earl will remain in the UK, or if he will be returning to his home in Australia”.