descendent, was not the heir to Wealdhant. It would send Algernon back to London, where he belonged, and return Wealdhant to Jasper’s authority—at least until the railway came up with some new scheme.
No matter the outcome, the marriage records revealed the truth. Algernon was not the heir, and could not stay.
His mind lingered on Algernon and the brief few days they had spent in harmony. He knew that Algernon laughed easily and slept late, that Algernon could never resist exploration or adventure, that Algernon was ticklish from head to toe, and that when they kissed sometimes Algernon was sweetness and mirth and sometimes Algernon was heat and ferocity.
And yet there was so much about Algernon that he didn’t know, and would never get the chance to know.
There was still some hope. If Jasper tried again, if he controlled his temper, Algernon might listen. If Algernon had a decent heart in his breast, he might at least try to save Wilston from the fate of Cairkby. And if he didn’t, Jasper and Wilston would be best rid of him.
He thought of the playful way that Algernon smiled before he leaned in to steal a kiss. Algernon could be generous with affection, and never seem to run out of energy.
Jasper shook his head to clear it, but everything he thought of—Wilston, Wealdhant, the railway—always led back to Algernon.
As he came around a bend in the lane from Cairkby, he saw men ahead of him on a crest of a hill—a hill that was within Wealdhant lands.
More workmen for renovations under Algernon’s approval, he supposed. Quickening his pace, he left the road and headed up the low hill to meet them.
There were four men, roughly dressed, and carrying surveyor’s tools.
“Here now,” Jasper demanded, advancing upon them. “What’s your business?”
One of them stood out as somewhat more sharply dressed than the others, and held himself straighter at being challenged. He puffed out his chest, being not so tall as Jasper, and lifted his chin enough that he could look down his nose. “Railway business. On your way, sir.”
“I most certainly will not,” Jasper said, squaring his shoulders and glaring at the man, who quailed visibly. “You are on Wealdhant property, and your damned railway has no claim upon it.”
“Will soon enough,” the man said, hunching his shoulders. “You can’t stop an Act of Parliament! Railway goes through, or we’ll have the law upon you for it!”
“Bring the law!” Jasper roared. “I will meet it. The Wealdhant land has not been sold, and will not be sold if I have anything to do with it. To the devil with your railway.”
“There’s no use fighting progress!” the man huffed at him, though he had begun a sideways retreat from Jasper’s scowling. “The railway will bring prosperity and trade to the district, don’t you know, and—”
“Get off my land before I have the law upon you for trespassing,” Jasper spat.
“We’re going,” the man said, starting to retreat more quickly with his companions.
“Now!”
Picking up their heels, the little band scurried away down the road and back toward the visible railroad tracks waiting just the other side of the next hill. They were so certain of their course that they were prepared to bring the railway up to the edge of the estate—or perhaps onto it.
He could feel the weight of the marriage records like iron in his breast pocket. Whether Algernon stayed or went, Jasper needed a permanent solution to the threat of the railway.
If Algernon went, at least the legal and bureaucratic paperwork that entailed would buy him time.
If Algernon stayed...
Algernon could not stay. His claim was a lie, and Jasper could not abide being party to a lie. Particularly not with the fate of Wilston at stake.
Algernon
A ll of the maps in the study were out of date.
Algernon spread them out on the floor, resting his chin in his hand as he studied them. He had first made an effort to put them in some sort of chronological
No matter the outcome, the marriage records revealed the truth. Algernon was not the heir, and could not stay.
His mind lingered on Algernon and the brief few days they had spent in harmony. He knew that Algernon laughed easily and slept late, that Algernon could never resist exploration or adventure, that Algernon was ticklish from head to toe, and that when they kissed sometimes Algernon was sweetness and mirth and sometimes Algernon was heat and ferocity.
And yet there was so much about Algernon that he didn’t know, and would never get the chance to know.
There was still some hope. If Jasper tried again, if he controlled his temper, Algernon might listen. If Algernon had a decent heart in his breast, he might at least try to save Wilston from the fate of Cairkby. And if he didn’t, Jasper and Wilston would be best rid of him.
He thought of the playful way that Algernon smiled before he leaned in to steal a kiss. Algernon could be generous with affection, and never seem to run out of energy.
Jasper shook his head to clear it, but everything he thought of—Wilston, Wealdhant, the railway—always led back to Algernon.
As he came around a bend in the lane from Cairkby, he saw men ahead of him on a crest of a hill—a hill that was within Wealdhant lands.
More workmen for renovations under Algernon’s approval, he supposed. Quickening his pace, he left the road and headed up the low hill to meet them.
There were four men, roughly dressed, and carrying surveyor’s tools.
“Here now,” Jasper demanded, advancing upon them. “What’s your business?”
One of them stood out as somewhat more sharply dressed than the others, and held himself straighter at being challenged. He puffed out his chest, being not so tall as Jasper, and lifted his chin enough that he could look down his nose. “Railway business. On your way, sir.”
“I most certainly will not,” Jasper said, squaring his shoulders and glaring at the man, who quailed visibly. “You are on Wealdhant property, and your damned railway has no claim upon it.”
“Will soon enough,” the man said, hunching his shoulders. “You can’t stop an Act of Parliament! Railway goes through, or we’ll have the law upon you for it!”
“Bring the law!” Jasper roared. “I will meet it. The Wealdhant land has not been sold, and will not be sold if I have anything to do with it. To the devil with your railway.”
“There’s no use fighting progress!” the man huffed at him, though he had begun a sideways retreat from Jasper’s scowling. “The railway will bring prosperity and trade to the district, don’t you know, and—”
“Get off my land before I have the law upon you for trespassing,” Jasper spat.
“We’re going,” the man said, starting to retreat more quickly with his companions.
“Now!”
Picking up their heels, the little band scurried away down the road and back toward the visible railroad tracks waiting just the other side of the next hill. They were so certain of their course that they were prepared to bring the railway up to the edge of the estate—or perhaps onto it.
He could feel the weight of the marriage records like iron in his breast pocket. Whether Algernon stayed or went, Jasper needed a permanent solution to the threat of the railway.
If Algernon went, at least the legal and bureaucratic paperwork that entailed would buy him time.
If Algernon stayed...
Algernon could not stay. His claim was a lie, and Jasper could not abide being party to a lie. Particularly not with the fate of Wilston at stake.
Algernon
A ll of the maps in the study were out of date.
Algernon spread them out on the floor, resting his chin in his hand as he studied them. He had first made an effort to put them in some sort of chronological
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