The Rightful Lord (The Saga Of Wolfbridge Manor Book 3) Sahara Kelly (free ebook reader TXT) 📖

“So after that,” continued Evan, “they will gather candles and come here, to the field just below Wolfbridge. The one you can see from the terrace. They will be building a bonfire there.”

“And they will…” Royce raised his hand, palm up, in a gesture of encouragement. “Throw the candles at us, perhaps?”

Gwyneth laughed. “I do hope not.”

“No,” Jeremy joined the laughter. “They will wait until you give them permission and then they will light their candles from the bonfire, maybe dance a bit if Old Rex brings his fiddle, and finally go home and re-light their fires from the candles.”

“Well.” Harry wrinkled his brow. “It sounds like fun, but…is there a point to it?”

“If there was, it’s been lost in the mists of time,” said Evan lyrically. “I believe that long ago, one of the Hallowmas days had something to do with begging. As in begging a light for a candle?” He looked around. “Truly, I have no idea where it all began, but it’s now going to be part of the Wolfbridge tradition, it seems.”

“So if I see people building a fire over there, I shouldn’t worry,” Royce’s eyebrow quirked.

“That’s correct,” Jeremy nodded. “If you see people building one anywhere else, you are quite free to worry.”

Gwyneth rolled her eyes. “So what about Guy Fawkes Day?”

“Those bonfires are built closer to their homes. Smaller, but many more of them.” Evan laid down his cutlery with a sigh. “And we don’t have to do anything at all, unless we want to. But all of this depends on the weather too. Rain is not terribly conducive to a nice roaring bonfire.”

The conversation roamed on for a little while, as Gwyneth’s mind turned over the information she’d just heard. Perhaps this would be a good time to introduce Harry to their tenants. They should know he was now part of Wolfbridge, and she knew Mrs Barnsley would be very upset if she was not informed in person. Then there was Trick, and his wife Jane, neither of whom had met him yet.

She moved her foot and rubbed Darcy, who had settled comfortably next to one of her shoes. What would be something she could do on behalf of Wolfbridge for her tenants?

“Royce,” she said slowly, “do you happen to know offhand how many tenants we have? Approximately?”

He blinked at her. “Uh…” He glanced at Harry. “I’d say maybe a hundred? That includes children of course...”

Harry nodded. “That would be close to my estimate as well, although I haven’t actually gone from house to farm to do a head count.”

“Are you including the littlest ones, my Lady?” Gabriel looked across the table at her. “Because I believe there are a couple due before the end of the year. Two, at least, that I know of…”

“If you must know, I’m trying to think of something we could do for them. Something unexpected. So that when they come to ask permission to light their candles, we could give them—a gift perhaps—in addition to the bonfire.”

“A lovely idea,” smiled Gabriel.

“Indeed, yes,” added Jeremy. “That would be wonderful.”

“I could bake…” Evan looked thoughtful.

“Better start now, then,” laughed Jeremy, poking his friend in the arm. “That’s a lot of pies. And let’s be honest, Evan, Mrs B knows more about pies than anyone in England.”

“Hmm.” Harry’s murmured caught everyone’s attention. “Perhaps…perhaps, my Lady, you might consider giving them something they’d never expect.”

Silence fell for a moment or two.

“Such as?” Gwyneth watched his face, his hazel eyes golden tonight in the light of the candles on the table.

“Well, what about a school?”

The silence following that question was even longer.

“I don’t…a school?” Gwyneth leaned toward him, curious now, her interest piqued.

Harry glanced at Royce, who remained quiet, but fixed the newcomer with one of his piercing gazes. Gwyneth saw it and found herself amused that it had no effect whatsoever on Harry.

“Yes, a school. As far as I can tell, there isn’t one. Which is not unusual, of course, but time is moving on and an education is becoming more desirable. Certainly sons will wish to carry on their fathers’ work. And my intent is not to send a generation of your tenants off to seek their fortune in London. But…”

“They need to learn more than how to raise pigs,” murmured Gwyneth.

“They need to learn to read,” finished Royce. “Yes. A very good idea, Harry.” He looked around the table. “How do you all feel about that?”

“Enthusiastic,” quickly replied Jeremy. “I’m all for education. My time at university taught me so much…”

“Me too,” Gabriel nodded firmly. “Reading, understanding, learning…it’s all going to become more important as the years pass.”

“And the world will change,” said Evan quietly. “It is already changing. We have to make sure Wolfbridge keeps up.”

Gwyneth smiled at him. “You couldn’t have said anything better. I’m convinced.” She turned to Harry. “So how are we going to build a school within a week?”

The laugh was general, rippling around the table like a twirl of sunlight, and Harry rolled his eyes dramatically.

“Were I a wizard, I would wave my hands and presto…there it would be.” He demonstrated his version of a magician’s magic spell and nearly knocked Royce’s wine glass over. “Oh, sorry.”

Royce merely sighed and moved his glass out of the way.

“However,” Harry continued, pausing to let the tension build. “There is, if my information is correct, a building that is currently unoccupied. And a little isolated from the rest of our tenant homes.”

Gwyneth narrowed her eyes. “You mean the old Carter house? I thought we were hoping to place a tenant there…”

“We were,” said Royce, “But as yet, nobody has applied.”

“It’s rather large, too, my Lady,” added Jeremy. “I went past it a couple of weeks ago and wondered if anyone would care