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Chapter 13


The following morning, after bidding a good morning to his wife, family and Willow, Sir William partook his breakfast, he had some bread and cold sliced meat, and a dish of warmed milk.

Breakfast over he strode over to his half-brother’s apartment, where the footman dutifully unlocked the door for him. The maid knocked and came in with a jug of water to fill the washbasin.

“Please sir, the water is cold, is that right?”

“It is, pour it, then you may go!” Sir William said, looking disgustedly at his snoring, drunken half-brother…

The maid quickly complied with her master’s wishes, poured the water, curtseyed and left.

“Right, about time you woke up I think!”

Sir William grabbed his half-brother by the scalp, and doused his head in the cold water.

It didn’t take long, and after a few seconds Sir Jasper was trying to lift his face out of the cold water and he was struggling wildly, the water was slopping everywhere, until at last William yanked Jasper’s head up and put the basin down

“Good morning, dear half-brother – sleep well?”

“Why you – just you WAIT until I get my hands on you – I’ll KILL YOU!” Jasper roared, then he began coughing and spluttering – his head hurt like nothing else and he just about managed to stagger over to where he kept a bottle of brandy. Pulling the cork out with his teeth, he spat the cork out on the rug, and raised the bottle to his lips. The coughing had left his throat sore and the brandy burned its way down, causing yet more coughing and rawness………

“I just thought I’d let you know, that I’ve written to all your creditors, and told them any hopes they had on me cancelling your debts by paying them myself, and they could consider themselves even more stupid than you, and that’s saying something! I also advise you to get yourself a horse and find the quickest way out of the village – I’ve sent word to the queen how you and your cronies are plotting against her – I’ve sent letters as proof – the queen knows I have been away on a campaign – so all in all dear half-brother, I really rather wouldn’t be in your shoes, if I were you”

Jasper stood, fists clenched, anger raging through him, he thundered,

“This isn’t over between us – I’ll have what’s rightfully mine – you see if I don’t!”

“That’s right, you will, and the only thing I can see for you is the debtors prison – which is what you FULLY deserve – be gone by lunchtime, else I’ll have anything left of yours in the house burned, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”

Sir Jasper’s eyes flashed with seething anger, but he said nothing except a ‘yes, I’ve got it’…yanking open a closet door, he then felt under the bed to get the big trunk to pack away all his belongings…

*******************


“But, but uncle…I am with-child! You cannot throw me out!” Drusilla begged her uncle Ethan.

“Why not, that good-for-nothing gambling son of a whore felt fit to get rid of you!”

“But uncle – he – he doesn’t know I’m…”

“Then tell HIM! He’s responsible, I take it!”

“But of course he is!!” Drusilla wrung her hands

“Then go – tell HIM!” her Uncle Ethan looked from Drusilla to the coachman unloading her cases into the courtyard and added,

“And you can re-load those cases my good man, for she’s NOT staying here!”

“Sorry sir, orders is orders, my master told me to bring her and her things here, he didn’t say anything about bringing her back!” the coach driver dumped her last trunk on the path, climbed into his seat and took off. After watching the coach disappear down the path for a few seconds, Drusilla turned to her uncle and said,

“Uncle, I’m so sorry about this, but there’s obviously been a misunderstanding, and-“

“Have you any money?”

“I’m sorry?”

“I don’t want you to be sorry, I just want to know, if you have any money?” Ethan repeated.

A drunken flash went through Drusilla’s mind, and she imagined her Angel stuffing notes down her front.

Quickly fishing down her top, she pulled out two badly crumpled five pound notes. Ethan’s eyes nearly popped at this, and he quickly grabbed them and said,

“Yes, well, I suppose you can stay a week or two!” It was more money than he’d seen in a long while…

Drusilla didn’t know whether to be angry or sad, £10 was sure a hell of a lot of money………

Seeing she was going to get no help from her uncle in carrying her trunks, she sighed and began to drag the heaviest into the house.

********************


Sir Jasper, still half drunk, was reeling at the latest events. He desperately needed to talk to Wolfram, and he needed a place to stay. It was no good, the ONLY place he could go, was to Drusilla’s uncle’s………he didn’t want to stay there too long, the girl had already got idea’s that they were going to marry, and he wanted to nip THAT idea in the bud, but without appearing to be a cad………

*************



Looking at Drusilla, exhausted sleeping on the floor Ethan answered the door. He was surprised to see Sir Jasper there………

“YOU! You are the LAST person I expected to see here!” Angel frowned, but said nothing to jeopardise a roof over his head…

“Why is that sir, I KNEW that Drusilla would make for here, for you are her only living relative”

Thinking that Sir Jasper’s intentions towards his niece might be honourable after all, Ethan let Sir Jasper in.

“I’ll need to stay here a while, until I am sorted…”

“It takes money you know” Ethan said

“I’ve have already given you £10 pounds uncle, that should feed us well and keep us in comfort this next month at least!”

Sir Jasper gratefully looked past Ethan’s shoulder to Drusilla. She yawned, rubbing her eyes, She looked cold, tired and vulnerable.

“Aye, that it will…but only a month mind – I have obligations too”

Not entirely happy at this turn of events, suddenly having two lodgers sprung upon him, Ethan left the two others alone.

“My darling – you came for me – what is our plan?” Drusilla asked brightly, flinging er arms around ‘her angel’ as she called him.

Sir Jasper knew he’d have to be shrewd and careful, he didn’t want her to suspect as soon as he’d got himself a berth somewhere- preferably miles from here, he’d be off………

Kissing her forehead he said,

“Of COURSE I came for you, my love, what would you expect from me!”

Drusilla wondered whether to tell him now, or to wait until later, to tell him of the great news, that she was carrying his baby……………





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