Cast Upon The Waters by Wareham Andrew

Author:Wareham, Andrew
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: PublishNation
Published: 2022-08-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Aurelius mopped his fevered brow, horrified by the letter in his hand. He perused it a third time, hoping he might have made a mistake, have somehow misread it.

From the Diocese of Peterborough, boldly proclaimed on the outside of the sheet and why Aurelius had been so fortunate as to open the missive, assuming it to be for himself. The writer, a secretary to the Bishop, welcomed Mr Fairfield’s intent to gift one thousand acres to the diocese, suggested it might be bequeathed in the Will, such still not being entirely uncommon where there was no entail. An extra one thousand pounds in rents would be welcome indeed and would enable the Bishop to much expand his charitable works. Heaven would look kindly on the gentleman who made such an offering.

The Reverend Fairfield would look most unkindly upon any man who was so damned stupid, as would his lady wife-to-be! It was beyond belief. Literally incredible.

How could his father commit such an act of wanton vandalism? It could be described as nothing else – the wilful destruction of the newly reconstituted estate was an act of sheer criminality. He paced quickly to the library, placed the offending sheet on the desk in front of his father.

“May I enquire, sir, what this nonsense might be? Are you out of your senses? Had you intended to inform me of this act of mediaeval idiocy? It is fortunate indeed that I assumed a letter from the Bishopric to be subscribed to me, otherwise I might have known nothing of this crass stupidity!”

“Aurelius! You will not address me in such terms! I have disinherited one son, can pay out a second in the same way! It seems to me right and proper that one half, thereabouts, of the windfall that has come to us should go to the benefit of all. As well, the gates to the Kingdom of Heaven will surely open wide even to a sinner who has made such an oblation.”

Aurelius raised his eyes heavenwards, impatient with such foolishness. The old man’s couplings with the housekeeper should not cost them a thousand acres, foolish old fellow that he was. He was so unwise as to utter those exact words.

An hour of argument produced nothing. His father was owner of the acres and was determined to make the donation. He had the right and it was a proper act and on becoming known it might well encourage other landowners to consider their duty to the Church. Being ordained, he could not see why his son did not wholeheartedly support him. He would not change his mind. He would call his attorney next day to change his Will. He might well also consider the disposition of his remaining acres, his second son behaving in so intolerant a fashion. He reminded Aurelius that poverty was good for the soul.

Aurelius gave up the hopeless cause, stamped off to his own rooms to sit and gloomily accustom himself to the loss of a thousand and more a year.

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