her to pay back what she owed by taking the land off her hands as quickly as possible.’
Parsons’s face when he came out with this was expressionless, passing no verdict on what he was saying.
‘Have you any notion of how much he paid her?’
‘None, sir. She seemed happy with it, but…’ He paused and fell silent.
‘But?’ prompted Jess, eyebrows raised.
‘But, begging your pardon, sir, she was weak in the head by this time, and I am not sure that she quite understood what was what.’
‘You were present?’
‘When Banker Bowlby visited her here. Yes.’
‘Was no sum mentioned then? Or any account given of her debts?’
‘None. I understood that these matters had been raised in a meeting at the bank and this meeting was for her to sign the documents which he had prepared for her. The butler and I were simply there as witnesses.’
‘You did not read the documents, then?’
‘No, sir. I asked—but Mr Bowlby and Miss Jesmond both assured me that they had gone over them together and that they were both satisfied with their contents.’
‘But you said that Miss Jesmond was weak in the head.’
‘Aye, sir, but when I tried again Miss Jesmond grew petulant and sent me away. She said that I was trying to ruin her. One of the footmen signed the documents instead. Soon after that she dismissed me. I think Banker Bowlby recommended her to do so—although he took me on to do piece-work for him, saying he was sorry for me.’
‘And did you believe him?’
‘No, sir, but I needed the work, so I said nothing. I have a family to keep.’
‘And would you work for me, in your old capacity?’
‘But you have little land, sir, and so have little use for an agent.’
Jess smiled coldly. ‘You must allow me to be the best judge of that.’
Parsons stared across at Kite, busy taking notes.
‘Begging your pardon, sir, but what is that man doing?’
‘Mr Kite is keeping a record of our meeting in case my memory fails me. He will now write down that I have offered you your post back at slightly more than Miss Jesmond paid you. He will also note down your answer—which is?’
‘That I accept, sir, except that I am a little troubled about what my duties might be.’
Jess said over his shoulder, ‘You have that, Kite?’
‘So noted, sir.’
‘Good, and you, Parsons, have no need to be troubled. You will start work tomorrow, and we shall then have a brief discussion about your future. Is there anything further you wish to know?’
Parsons stared at Jess now, fascinated. ‘No, sir, but you will forgive me for saying that this is a regular rum do.’
Was that a smile on Mr Kite’s impassive face? Parsons wasn’t sure. If he had feared that his answer might ruffle Mr Jesmond Fitzroy, he was quite mistaken.
‘You are not the first person to make such a remark to me, Mr Parsons, and I doubt that you will be the last. You will report to me in this room at eight of the clock on Monday morning. I am sure that I need not say that I expect punctuality at all times. Good day, Mr Parsons. The butler will show you to the door.’
A rum do, said Parsons to himself as he left Jesmond House, and a regular rum gent. Is he the clever one or does that man of his, Kite, do his thinking for him? But I’ve my old post back so I shan’t complain.
‘Well, Kite, are you thinking what I’m thinking?’ asked Jess when the door had closed behind Parsons.
‘That Banker Bowlby will bear investigating? Certainly.’
‘And soon.’ Jess was a trifle abstracted. ‘I had not thought that the country would prove so lively.’
‘Begging your pardon, sir, but in my experience liveliness may be found anywhere. Best to be ready for it.’
‘So noted,’ replied Jess, in a slight mockery of a clerk’s formal answer. ‘I shall remember your advice when I next meet Banker Bowlby at his fête on Saturday. For the present I shall not ask you to make a formal investigation of him—I need a little more information first. I shall go through the papers you have discovered—there might be something interesting to be found in them.’
‘I fear that there are a sight more in the attic.’
Jess sighed. ‘I thought that I had done with investigating dubious ventures, Kite, but I ought to have known that I was wrong. Bring them down slowly. Who knows, the answers to some questions which I am beginning to ask myself may be found there.’
‘So noted, sir.’
From Kite’s tone it was impossible to discern whether he was mocking himself or Jess.
Jess decided to let sleeping birds lie!
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