A Daughter's Love - Book 2 The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Twenty-three

The Chatelain children all had very definite, individual plans for the profit they had made from their projects.

LJ invested in seed, grain, and the building of three storage barns within the Chanoine district. With his next profits, he would build cottages for his workers; part of their wages would consist of rent. Louis Junior was fast becoming the proud land-lord. His father delegated him several hundred acres and helped his son hire a number of young men to be on LJ's pay-roll. As word circulated around the kingdom, that there was work and good prospects in Chanoine, people moved to the district.

Marcus desired to save as much as he could. In a few years time, he planned to buy land from his father and build another manor house, one for himself, hoping one day that he would marry and raise his children there. Marcus hoped to be a baron in his own right and have his own district to rule. He had already chosen the land he wanted; to the south-west of Chanoine village; a large valley where the land would have to be broken in as it was wild and inhabited only by wild creatures. The boy was thrilled with the encouragement he received from his father and sobered with the admonition to bring his plans before the Lord, to gain God's blessing.

Ellie was happy to save her profit, thinking ahead of the time she would marry. She would give it to her husband and they would use it together for their future. Their father had decreed that the children could have a say in choosing their own spouses.

Jobyna and Ellie would receive a share of the profits from the new businesses, started in Chanoine, the outgrowth of their wool projects. The baron had appointed overseers and the businesses were growing fast, attracting workers from other districts.

Many who believed in the Gospel Book packed up their possessions and moved to Chanoine, wanting to be near the king's cousin who was now known all over the kingdom as a fervent Christian.

Louis Chatelain did something in Chanoine that had never been done before in Frencolia; he opened a school of learning for boys aged between six and ten. Such schools were in existence in other countries in Europe but this was a first for Frencolia. Most parents didn't know how to read or write so they couldn't teach their children.

The baron believed if children were taught to read and write and to follow the Bible then they in turn would be able to teach their children. He hoped as funds came in, to be able to employ extra tutors so that girls could also learn to speak and read other languages.

He told his wife, "The mother is the first and best teacher for the children; therefore she needs not only to have a living faith in God for herself but also to be able read and write enough to teach her children. If girls are not taught reading and writing, how can they pass it on to their children?"

Luke liked the thought of possessing money, for the sake of feeling rich. He didn't want to spend his profit of one hundred and forty frencs; his thoughts were on how he could increase this amount. So Luke continued to hoard his profits, at the same time, employing someone to manage his implement and tool business. He counted every frenc and kept a close watch on every purchase. Not one piece of steel or one bowstring was allowed to be lost.

He paid children a few coppers when they brought in used or broken arrows as the steel could be melted and used again. He hadn't told his father yet, but Luke had thoughts of becoming a skilled sword-smith.

Although this was a time of relative peace, every man of any consequence in Frencolia owned at least one sword. Besides his horse, a sword was a man's next most important possession. The baron perused his youngest son's business and realized Luke needed lessons in generosity. As the parents discussed Luke's thriftiness, they perceived he was very much like his second cousin, the king, in this hoarding aspect.