To the Manor Born
Page 53
“Rebecca! What a lovely surprise. How did you know I was here?”
“Where’s Ralph?”
“In Rhodesia. He’s learning to become a tobacco farmer though for some reason they call it a tobacco grower. On Elephant Walk. Come in. Come in: with Harry dead and Jim Bowman off on his own, Harry’s grandfather offered Ralph a job. In five years he’s going to apply for his own Crown land farm whatever that may be. Rhodesia is vast and thinly populated… Doesn’t he write?”
“Not since he went to Africa with Keppel Howland. He said it hurt too much. That time and distance would leave us with wonderful memories. The only thing we had left… Oh, my God. I don’t have enough money to get to Rhodesia. I had an allowance but not very much. Father wasn’t stupid… Your poor family. Forcing you to sell him your business.”
“He did us a favour, Rebecca. Rather ironic. Now Ralph and I don’t have to think about our family obligations. Poor Ralph paid the price. He hated working in the City.”
“He was loving New York. Then Uncle Wallace pulled the rug from under him. We all believe in the same God. Everyone forgets that.”
“Where are you staying?”
“I just arrived on the boat train.”
“Who told you to come here?”
“Rosie Prescott.”
“Poor Rosie Prescott. She’s loved Ralph since he joined the firm.”
“I never knew.”
“Neither did Ralph… My brother is a lucky man… When do you wish to go to Rhodesia?”
“As soon as I can.”
“I’ll phone Colonial Shipping and book you a passage to Beira. It’s only a day to Salisbury from Beira on the train. From Cape Town, it’s three days on the train.”
“Isn’t Cape Town quicker? How am I going to pay?”
“I think I owe that much to my brother. As the elder brother, it was my job to join the family firm and run the business… Brett’s taking a nap. She likes to sleep a lot with the baby on the way. Says it is good for him.”
“She’s pregnant?”
“Five months. You can stay here until you go. Robert’s only coming up from Dorset next month. For the launch of a book. An American by the name of Hank Curley. Max Pearl launched The American Patriot in America. Robert’s British publishers are doing the honours in London. You’ll be long gone on the way out to Ralph. You should get to know Brett. You’re going to be sisters-in-law if I know that look of determination.”
Rebecca, looking at Christopher’s kind face burst into tears.
“Who’s here?” called Brett from the main bedroom.
“Rebecca. She’s come over from America to marry Ralph.”
“Good for her.”
* * *
While Christopher Marlowe was arranging passage for Rebecca to Cape Town, Percy Grainger was sitting at his desk feeling pleased with himself. The sale of Mrs Brigandshaw’s assets was over including the Berkeley Square house. The figures were in front of him, the sum total enough to pay the British government what was their due with a few thousand pounds left over for the widow. A woman who at one time had thought she was going to be telling him what to do. The Brigandshaw family were finally out of Colonial Shipping, a company he had been running for so many years, without due respect.
With a carefully chosen syndicate of investors including top management he was now in control of Colonial Shipping. In a deal with the tax inspector, the syndicate had bought Harry Brigandshaw’s shares. The Rolls-Royce and driver were at his command. The executive dining room his to entertain. Power, real power was right there in his hands.
* * *
Percy Grainger had never felt better in his life… A whole new world was in front of him. New clubs who would now let him join. New friends who before would not deign to talk to him. New respect… For the first time, people who mattered were going to look at him as an equal. He was now a society man.
As was his duty, Percy Grainger cabled the figures to the widow in Rhodesia signing his name with the deepest respect for the last time.
Only when the cable was sent, did he catch a glimpse of a smiling face in the small picture frame on his desk. Instead of the photograph of his daughter, Percy Grainger saw the face of Harry Brigandshaw.
With shaking hands, the new chairman of Colonial Shipping went to his cocktail cabinet. The drink was partly to lay the ghost. Partly to celebrate.
“To life,” he said, holding the empty glass up to the ceiling. Only then did he shiver. As though someone had walked over his grave.
* * *
Merlin St Clair had finished the exact same breakfast he had eaten for ten years in the alcove of his flat overlooking Hyde Park. The weather outside had changed from a brief shower to warm sunshine. At the age of forty-six, life was good. He still smiled at keeping his money in three per cent government bonds while everyone was telling him to buy stock. For Merlin, the secret of life was not to have to think about money. The chequebook, an instrument that paid the merchants without worrying how much money was left in the bank.
Merlin had heard the front doorbell ring. Something he ignored. The financial pages of the paper were full of bad news which had nothing to do with him. Flipping to the sport’s page Merlin read the cricket scores with more satisfaction. Middlesex had beaten Surrey by an innings and six runs.
Smithers’s cough made Merlin turn round and look at the door.
“The Honourable Barnaby St Clair, sir,” announced Smithers as if he did not know his own brother who was standing in the door to the lounge.
“Thank you, Smithers. What do you want, Barnaby?”
“A cup of coffee.”
“Tea, I’m afraid. Bring my brother a cup, Smithers. There’s enough in the pot… Do you want breakfast?”
“That would be nice.”
“You’d better sit down… What’s it about, Barnaby?”
“Is it always about something?”
“Always.”
“Freya has written a play. Fleming showed it to me. Wants me to back a production. Funnily enough, there’s a young girl in the play.”
“She doesn’t know enough yet!”
“It’s said some learn faster on the job. Genevieve looks much older than she is. Loves the part.”
“You showed her?”
“She wants to talk to daddy… Did I tell you I saw Frank?”
“Don’t even mention that sordid story.”
“For brothers who both have illegitimate children, you are a prig, Merlin.”
“Esther wasn’t married.”
“Tina was mine first.”
“Harry was your friend.”
“Don’t worry. Tina and her children have gone to Rhodesia. I’ll just keep a long-distance eye on the boy. It’s nice to be a daddy… Are you going to pour the tea…? Thank you, Smithers. I’m hungry. Lots of toast.”
“Two eggs underdone. One sausage. Tomato. Bacon.”
“Perfect, Smithers… What a lovely day out there in the park now the rain has finished. London is such a civilised place. Poor Tina. She hates Africa. It must be terrible not to have money… Who won the cricket?”
“Middlesex. By an innings and six runs.”
“Lord’s in July. Gentleman playing county cricket. What can be more perfect…? Can you pass me the sugar?”
On the Brink of Tears the fifth in the Brigandshaw Chronicles, releasing early 2019.
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Publisher’s Note
Peter Rimmer completed writing his To the Manor Born on the 13 July 2004. We at Kamba Publishing began the process of typing up the manuscript and editing the novel in late 2017. We had anticipated releasing the book a lot soon than November 2018 but a number of other things prevented us from doing so, including the very sad loss of Peter who died in July 2018, very suddenly. This was a setback for us but determined to release this new book, we got back to working on it as soon as we could.
We hope you enjoy To the Manor Born, and we are now busily working on On the Brink of Tears, which we intend releasing a lot quicker.
As Peter would often say, “I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoyed writing them.”
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Heather Stretch (Peter Rimmer’s daughter)
Kamba Publishing
Principal Characters
The Brigandshaws
Harry — Central character, Harry is the son of Sebastian and Emily
Tina — Harry’s wife and Barnaby St Clair’s one-time girlfriend
Anthony, Beth, Dorian and Kim — Harry and Tina’s children
Frank — Tina and Barnaby’s love child
Sir Henry Manderville — Emily’s father and Harry’s grandfather
Emily — Harry’s mother
Sebastian — Central character of Echoes from the Past (deceased)
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The St Clairs
Barnaby — The youngest brother of the St Clair children and Tina Pringle’s love interest
Merlin — Brother to Barnaby and Robert, a confirmed bachelor
Robert — Harry’s university friend and author
Genevieve — Merlin’s bastard daughter
Ethelbert, Seventeenth Baron St Clair — Robert, Merlin and Barnaby’s father
Lady St Clair (Bess) — Robert, Merlin and Barnaby’s mother
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The Pringles
Mr and Mrs Pringle — Tina’s parents
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The Oosthuizens
Tinus — Harry’s nephew
Paula and Doris — Tinus’s sisters
Madge — Harry’s sister
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The Madgwicks
Ralph — Youngest son of Clive
Barrington — A Bohemian. Eldest son of Clive who also goes by the stage name of Christopher Marlowe
Uncle Wallace — Uncle to Barrington and Ralph
Clive Madgwick — Barrington and Ralph's dictatorial father
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The Rosenzweigs
Sir Jacob Rosenzweig — A Jewish bank owner providing services to Madgwick and Madgwick
Rebecca Rosenzweig — Sir Jacob's youngest daughter and Ralph Madgwick's love interest
Hannah Rosenzweig — Sir Jacob's estranged wife
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The Fitzgeralds
Stella Fitzgerald — A wealthy Irish heiress
Patrick Fitzgerald — Stella's wealthy trade-union father from Boston, USA
Seamus Fitzgerald — Minor US politician and Stella's brother
Wesley Fitzgerald — Stella's younger brother
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The Ramsbottoms
Portia — The youngest of three sisters whose mother is looking for a husband for each of her daughters
Mr & Mrs Ramsbottom — Coal mine owners from Yorkshire
Hermione and Clarissa — Mr & Mrs Rambsbottoms’ eldest daughters
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Other Principal Characters
Keppel Hosie — Ralph's friend from the army
Alfred— Ralph and Keppel's African guide
Brett Kentrich — Harry’s one-time girlfriend, an actress
C E Porter — A devious stockbroker in the City of London
Gert van Heerden —Barrington’s South African friend
Esther — Merlin’s ex-mistress from the Running Horses, Mickleham, and mother of Genevieve
Millie Scott — A chorus girl and Merlin's current girlfriend
Rosie Prescott — Wallace Madgwick's secretary who is in love with Ralph
Oscar Fleming — Theatre Impresario
Clara — Owner of Clara's supper club
Harvey Lyttleton, Danny Hill, William Blake — Band members at Clara’s
Glen Hamilton — Colorado Telegraph editor and friend of Harry and Robert
Freya Taylor — Glenn's personal assistant and writer of the column 'Juliet'
Max Pearl — Robert’s American publisher
Percy Grainger — A senior manager at Colonial Shipping
Prudence (Cuddles) Morton-Sayner — A lady who sells social favours to make a living
John Lacey —The impoverished 16th Marquess of Ravenhurst
Douglas Hayter — Business friend of Barnaby’s who is wheelchair bound
Ignatius (Iggy) Bowes-Lyon — Harry's chief pilot and cousin to the Duchess of York, Elizabeth
Postlethwaite — Uncle Wallace's business assistant
Smithers — Merlin St Clair’s manservant
Tembo — Harry’s boyhood friend and servant on Elephant Walk
About Peter Rimmer
Peter Rimmer was born in London, England, and grew up in the south of the city where he went to school. After the Second World War, and aged eighteen, he joined the Royal Air Force, reaching the rank of Pilot Officer before he was nineteen. At the end of his National Service, he sailed for Africa to grow tobacco in what was then Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.
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The years went by and Peter found himself in Johannesburg where he established an insurance brokering company. Over 2% of the companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange were clients of Rimmer Associates. He opened branches in the United States of America, Australia and Hong Kong and travelled extensively between them.
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Having lived a reclusive life on his beloved smallholding in Knysna, South Africa, for over 25 years, Peter passed away in July 2018. He has left an enormous legacy of unpublished work for his family to release over the coming years, and not only them but also his readers from around the world will sorely miss him. Peter Rimmer was 81 years old.
Also by Peter Rimmer
“Cry of the Fish Eagle”
“Vultures in the Wind”
“Bend with the Wind”
“Just the Memory of Love”
“Second Beach”
The African Trilogy Box Set (3 Standalones - Cry of the Fish Eagle, Vultures in the Wind, Just the Memory of Love)
The Brigandshaw Chronicles
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“Echoes from the Past” (Book 1)
"Elephant Walk" (Book 2)
“Mad Dogs and Englishmen” (Book 3)
“To the Manor Born” (Book 4)
The Brigandshaw Chronicles Box Set (Books 1-3)
Acknowledgements
With grateful thanks to our VIP First Readers for reading To the Manor Born prior to it’s official launch date. They have been fabulous in picking up errors and typos helping us to ensure that your own reading experience of To the Manor Born has been the best possible. Their time and commitment is particularly appreciated.
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Alan McConnochie (South Africa)
Felicity Barker (South Africa)
Hilary Jenkins (South Africa)
Thank you
Kamba Publishing
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TO THE MANOR BORN
Copyright © Peter Rimmer 2018
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. Names, characters, long-standing establishments, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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First published in Great Britain in November 2018 by
KAMBA PUBLISHING, United Kingdom