would spend a good part of his life here from now on.
The smells of rubbish, dung, smoke and fumes assailed his nostrils. He had to watch his footing for horse droppings even as he sidestepped little pickpockets darting around and through crowds of pedestrians and carriages like schools of fish.
The city was not as dirty and impoverished as some he had visited on his travels, but it was nothing to boast about, either. It gave him a renewed appreciation for the cleanliness of ships at sea, despite the well-known inconveniences that must be endured onboard.
He passed some of the shops he had visited the day before and thought of the expensive articles he had purchased. Spending wealth he had not earned himself did not sit well with Jack.
When he had been flush, before losing his own small fortune, he’d had little time or opportunity to spend freely of it before reinvesting.
A brisk walk back to Mayfair helped clear his mind and restore some equanimity. Less than half an hour after handing his hat to Echols and retiring to the library, he heard the butler announce Mr. Hobson.
“You should have sent for me!” Hobson exclaimed immediately after Jack greeted him. “I regret I missed your visit at the office. How...how did things go in Spain?”
Jack smiled at the man’s eagerness. “I brought her home. We were married aboard ship and she’s upstairs resting as we speak.”
Hobson closed his eyes and released an audible sigh of satisfaction. “Thank goodness. How is she? Is she well?”
“Quite well. We docked in Plymouth and traveled by coach, arriving here the day before yesterday.” Jack offered Hobson a seat and got down to business.
Jack began asking questions about the financial matters concerning both the town house staff and upkeep and the main estate. “We are leaving for the country tomorrow or the next day, so we should settle these things as well as the bills Laurel and I have incurred when we purchased our wardrobes yesterday,” he told the solicitor.
“Not to worry, I will take care of everything,” Hobson said. “If you would give me leave to disperse funds now, I could go with you to Elderidge House and deal with the estate manager.”
“What of your other clients here in London?” Jack asked.
“Oh, I thought you understood, sir,” Hobson said with a proud smile. “Elderidge has always been my one-and-only responsibility. I was schooled as a solicitor so that I might handle all legal matters and documents as well as issues dealing with the earl’s finances.”
“You don’t say!”
“I do. His lordship, as well as his father before him, regarded the discussion of anything to do with banking, investments or dispersing of funds with any other than his solicitor quite beneath him.”
“He trusted you with all of it?” Jack asked, amazed at the former earl’s naïveté.
Hobson laughed softly. “Not so much. In fact, he kept excellent track of every penny he ever owned or earned, believe me. But he refused to deal directly in business with anyone other than his emissary. That was my role, family solicitor, man of all business and funds manager.”
“I see.” Jack was not completely comfortable continuing in that particular vein. The man could steal him blind. Just because he presumably hadn’t done so with the former earl did not mean he held the same loyalty to the new one. Still, Jack was at a loss as to how to deal with the estate, so he would have to exhibit a modicum of trust.
“Very well, you may come with us. Judging by Echols’s reaction when we showed up here unannounced, perhaps it would be best if you could at least validate who I am once we get there.” He added, “And bring the account books. I will need to evaluate precisely where we stand at the outset.”
“Of course.” Hobson cleared his throat. “Do you think I might see Lady Laurel this evening before I leave?”
Jack frowned. “Why? Do you not trust my word she’s well and was agreeable to the
The smells of rubbish, dung, smoke and fumes assailed his nostrils. He had to watch his footing for horse droppings even as he sidestepped little pickpockets darting around and through crowds of pedestrians and carriages like schools of fish.
The city was not as dirty and impoverished as some he had visited on his travels, but it was nothing to boast about, either. It gave him a renewed appreciation for the cleanliness of ships at sea, despite the well-known inconveniences that must be endured onboard.
He passed some of the shops he had visited the day before and thought of the expensive articles he had purchased. Spending wealth he had not earned himself did not sit well with Jack.
When he had been flush, before losing his own small fortune, he’d had little time or opportunity to spend freely of it before reinvesting.
A brisk walk back to Mayfair helped clear his mind and restore some equanimity. Less than half an hour after handing his hat to Echols and retiring to the library, he heard the butler announce Mr. Hobson.
“You should have sent for me!” Hobson exclaimed immediately after Jack greeted him. “I regret I missed your visit at the office. How...how did things go in Spain?”
Jack smiled at the man’s eagerness. “I brought her home. We were married aboard ship and she’s upstairs resting as we speak.”
Hobson closed his eyes and released an audible sigh of satisfaction. “Thank goodness. How is she? Is she well?”
“Quite well. We docked in Plymouth and traveled by coach, arriving here the day before yesterday.” Jack offered Hobson a seat and got down to business.
Jack began asking questions about the financial matters concerning both the town house staff and upkeep and the main estate. “We are leaving for the country tomorrow or the next day, so we should settle these things as well as the bills Laurel and I have incurred when we purchased our wardrobes yesterday,” he told the solicitor.
“Not to worry, I will take care of everything,” Hobson said. “If you would give me leave to disperse funds now, I could go with you to Elderidge House and deal with the estate manager.”
“What of your other clients here in London?” Jack asked.
“Oh, I thought you understood, sir,” Hobson said with a proud smile. “Elderidge has always been my one-and-only responsibility. I was schooled as a solicitor so that I might handle all legal matters and documents as well as issues dealing with the earl’s finances.”
“You don’t say!”
“I do. His lordship, as well as his father before him, regarded the discussion of anything to do with banking, investments or dispersing of funds with any other than his solicitor quite beneath him.”
“He trusted you with all of it?” Jack asked, amazed at the former earl’s naïveté.
Hobson laughed softly. “Not so much. In fact, he kept excellent track of every penny he ever owned or earned, believe me. But he refused to deal directly in business with anyone other than his emissary. That was my role, family solicitor, man of all business and funds manager.”
“I see.” Jack was not completely comfortable continuing in that particular vein. The man could steal him blind. Just because he presumably hadn’t done so with the former earl did not mean he held the same loyalty to the new one. Still, Jack was at a loss as to how to deal with the estate, so he would have to exhibit a modicum of trust.
“Very well, you may come with us. Judging by Echols’s reaction when we showed up here unannounced, perhaps it would be best if you could at least validate who I am once we get there.” He added, “And bring the account books. I will need to evaluate precisely where we stand at the outset.”
“Of course.” Hobson cleared his throat. “Do you think I might see Lady Laurel this evening before I leave?”
Jack frowned. “Why? Do you not trust my word she’s well and was agreeable to the
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