The Earl's Kitten

Chapter XXXVIII { Unedited }

January 13th 1888, 11:30 AM

I signed off the last documents to push forward with the changes to the shop in London. My store manager had suggested that we repaint the storefront, have a new sign, and some new glass panels since a rowdy crowd had broken a couple of the panels in our current window. I was happily agreeing with her ideas, knowing I could trust her and that she wasn't trying to swindle me out of money - I had asked Jackson to give her a thorough background check before we even considered hiring her.

I sat back, visualising the pastel pink storefront, the shiny new glass panes, the cursive logo over the top, and a smile came to my face.

With a content hum, I stacked all those papers together and put them to my left. Noticing that my ink pot was running low, I leaned down to open the bottom drawer of my desk to fetch the bottle of ink that I kept spare. I unscrewed the cap, filling up my ink pot a little, before closing the cap and putting the bottle back a little more carelessly than I had picked it up. I was about to close the drawer when something caught my eye - the top edge of a document, with 'DEEDS' in large lettering.

I raised an eyebrow, knowing that the deeds to my mother's floristry company were safely filed away, as were the deeds to the Manor, so what were these? Gingerly, I pulled the papers out of the desk - now that I could see them properly in the light of day, they looked old. The parchment was thoroughly wrinkled and yellowed, some of the edges torn with age and carelessness. I unfolded the paper warily and found myself shocked.

"M'Lady?" I looked up, mouth agape, to find Jackson stood with a tea trolley. "Is everything quite alright?"
"Jackson, look at this!" I cast my gaze back down to the fragile paper, "They're deeds! Registered to... to George Wells, 1800! He must be related to me somehow!"
"He is the third great grandfather of the wife of your uncle, Lady Rose." My head snapped up, watching my butler hesitantly.

"Of... course. You've been with my Aunt's family line for generations, correct?" I sat back in my chair, thanking him when he brought a cup of tea over, along with a pastry he had freshly baked.

"You are correct. I have been in and out of her family line since the early 1700s, it has been... intriguing to watch the family go through hardships, M'Lady. Now, married into the Wells family, for the first time in one hundred and eighty years, you are the only surviving family member. Three families; your aunts line, your father and uncles line, and your mothers line - and you are the only one alive."

My eyes widened, shock overcoming me at the words. Although I had been alone since Uncle died, it had never dawned on me that I was the only surviving member of the family - of three intermarried families. I had no siblings, no cousins, no parents. Although astonished, I found I was not upset.

"That'll..." I shook my head, gathering myself and frowning at my butler. "That will be enough of your cheek. Have these checked out, make sure they are genuine and that the property is still in our family. If it is, have it moved into my name and plan a vacation for our household." I spotted Jackson's dubiously raised eyebrow and frowned at him once more. "Yes, Jackson, the entire household. It has been a while since I gave the servants a vacation. They are due one and it shall be good for them to explore. Besides, if this place is any good we can send them there on their own in future should we so require some peace and quiet."

Just as carefully as before, I folded the deed back up and held it out to him, watching him expectantly. With a heavy sigh, he moved forward to take the deeds from my hand.

"Very well, M'Lady. I shall return before dinner this evening."

With a nod from me, he turned on his heel and left the room - leaving me the tea trolley should I want another cup of tea.