Sky Pirates

Chapter 34

Cole slammed a variety of items, one after another, on the workbench. A metal can suffered multiple blows, mostly because it was empty and fit well in Cole's long-fingered hand. After the banging, he strode around the tight space kicking anything that wasn't nailed to the floor. The tantrum did little to assuage the anger he felt toward his sister. Who was she, the younger of the two, to question him, his abilities, or his decisions? He was eighteen after all. He was a man. If it weren't for his uncle's high position or his father's connections, he would be halfway through an apprenticeship, or already toiling each day in the fields somewhere or other, or laying bricks from sunup to sundown. He was the son of the Lord of Wickwillowshire and would one day become Lord of the Manor himself.

With their uncle frequently away, away more than home, he'd always been the master of the house. He'd simply never risen to the position, instead allowing Miss Canton to maintain the role of caretaker and decision maker.

He liked the idea of being in charge, but had to admit, at least to himself, that he had no idea what the job entailed. No one had ever instructed him how to handle the house or the properties. There was a manager his father had hired long ago, a Mr. Eastlake, who handled all manner of things, from collecting rents for the lands surrounding the house, to overseeing arguments and debates among the tenants. He was the one who also oversaw all the financial dealings for the house, including providing the monies for the servants' wages, the general maintenance of things, and the generous allowances that he and his sister received each month, but rarely had opportunity to spend.

For Mildred's part, she never actually handled any of the money. Miss Canton took care of getting any personal items, music, and whatnot that his sister might require. And, in similar fashion, the butler took care of most of Cole's needs. Although, he also made a point of leaving pennies and stray shillings for the boy in small dish on the desk in Cole's rooms. Cole rarely touched them, so there had grown a great heap of copper and metal in that bowl.

He trusted that in time, his uncle would write and offer him advice. But, that might take weeks, or even months, depending on where in the world the man currently was exploring.

Cole resolved, as he considered the situation, that he should spend some time with Mr. Eastlake. Make the rounds with him perhaps when he collected rent from the tenants. Or, peruse the man's account book to see what went on there.

He stomped on a spider scuttling across the roughhewn floor. It felt good to kill something, to take out the wrath he felt toward Miss Canton on something. He didn't know how best to handle his sister. He needed her help with the clock. He'd tried to piece things back together, but he didn't know where the gears, cogs, and springs belonged. Yet, he also wouldn't be managed by her, not when it came to being the man of the house.

Cole stopped for a moment and thought about Mildred, her sweet smile and bright eyes. Her intelligence and book knowledge overshadowed and overwhelmed him. Cole felt nothing but love toward her for these accomplishments. She was smarter not only than him, but everyone he'd ever met. Certainly all the other children he'd ever met. "How is that I can feel such love for her and such hatred?"

"Who do you love and hate?"

Cole spun to see who the intruder was. "Horatio, what are you doing here?"

"It's like a henhouse at our place between my mother and sister and now your sister as well. I was feeling terribly outnumbered and decided to get some air to clear my head. As I rode along, I decided to stop here and enquire about your clock. How goes your task?"

Cole considered his intruder, backlit as he was, looking all dark and shadowy dressed in black trousers, waist coat, jacket, and hat. Only his white shirt offered some break to the great amount of black the boy wore. His suit fabric shone with a similar quality as his great mane of hair and for a moment, just a moment, Cole wondered if his clothes weren't actually constructed from those locks. It was a silly notion, of course, and the time for childhood silliness was now done. It was time to become a more serious man about town.