Stay with Me (7 page)

‘I expect she would,' replied James, surprised at his sister's observation but deciding that if this was her attitude, he would go along with it. It would be for the best and would enable her to come to terms all the sooner with the devastating loss they had just suffered. ‘I'm glad to find you so reconciled to your new condition. I hope it won't be a setback to have to sit through the reading of the Will tomorrow? I received a note from old Mr Witherspoon, Father's solicitor. He would like to come here tomorrow morning at ten to read the Will. I sent word back that it would be acceptable. I hope you agree?'

Lena nodded. ‘Yes, I do. How were things at the office?'

‘Ralph had looked after everything, but of course he couldn't make any major decisions.'

‘Have there been any to make?'

‘No. It has been a quiet time, though the growth of the Empire generally suggests there may well be chances for expansion for the more far-sighted.'

She nodded. ‘Father did mention that possibility to me two months ago.'

James started. ‘He never said anything of it to me.' The sudden harshness in his voice with was not lost on Lena.

She was quick to come to her father's defence. ‘It was just a casual remark he made one day when I visited the office. I don't know where you were - possibly at the
Wanderer.
She had just docked with a cargo from the West Indies. Her arrival may have prompted him to suggest there were further opportunities to be had in that direction.'

James felt a pang of jealousy that Lena had been taken into their father's confidence and that this possible development had not been mentioned to him personally. He tried to persuade himself that it had been merely an oversight on Father's part or that such an advance was not an immediate proposition. Nevertheless, it did raise a query in his mind - had John left any provision in his Will to involve Lena in the future running of the firm?

Similar thoughts entertained her mind as she settled into bed for the night. Lena admitted to herself that she had experienced a touch of delight to discover that her father had confided something in her and not in James. Did this signify she would be permitted, by a clause in his Will, to have a say in the future management of the family firm?

She felt secretly sure that it would be so. After all, her father had always encouraged her interest in the business and how it was run. Tomorrow would reveal all.

 

Walter Witherspoon arrived at precisely ten o'clock. The maid who answered the door had been instructed about his arrival. After taking his hat and coat she escorted him to the drawing-room where Lena and James were awaiting him.

The solicitor was nervous and it showed in the way his narrow shoulders, set on a thin frame, seemed to stoop more, giving him a hunched appearance and the impression that he was peering at whomever he addressed. In spite of forty years spent in the profession he had entered at the age of twenty-five, he had never grown easy about reading Wills to bereaved relations, for he had never mastered the art of expressing commiserations and sympathy.

‘Mr Witherspoon.' A friendly tone in his voice, James rose from his chair and extended a hand in welcome.

The solicitor felt his own bony hand crushed in its firm grip. He gulped a little but managed to splutter, ‘Mr James . . . er . . . Mr Carnforth. I'm sorry for your loss.' He turned quickly to Lena who sat in a chair, hands primly placed together on her lap. ‘Miss Carnforth, my commis—er . . . commiserations.' He bowed to her. ‘A terrible loss.'

Lena inclined her head. ‘Indeed, Mr Witherspoon.' Then she added quickly, to relieve his nervous embarrassment, ‘You'll take some chocolate?'

‘Very kind, Miss Carnforth. Very kind indeed.'

She glanced at her brother who was already on his way to the bell-pull beside the fireplace, to send the prearranged signal to the servants' quarters for chocolate to be served, with the result that two maids appeared with the necessary items almost before the solicitor was seated in the chair James had placed for him.

When the cup of chocolate was put beside him and the maids had left the room, Mr Witherspoon cleared his throat.

‘It is a simple Will. Would you like me to read it in its entirety or would you prefer me to summarise it and leave a copy for you to peruse at your leisure?' he asked, his eyes darting from one to the other of them.

‘Summary?' queried James, glancing at his sister.

‘If that is satisfactory?' she agreed, addressing the solicitor.

He nodded, relieved that this meeting need not be prolonged. ‘Very well.' He took a drink of chocolate as if to draw strength from it. ‘Your father made this Will two years ago. Obviously your mother was provided for in the case of his death, but under the present circumstances those provisions no longer apply and so the whole of your father's estate is directed as per the other clauses in the will.

‘There are bequests to members of your staff, according to their rank and length of service. You will be able to read these for yourself, but I assure you while your father has been generous they are amply taken care of by the return from his investments. To you, Miss Carnforth, he has left this house and all its contents, with a request that you give your brother a home here until such time as he marries. He has also made you a very generous regular allowance, which again is financed by his investments. I must say, your father was very shrewd in where he placed his money. I have consulted with Mr Chapman at the bank and he assures me that the investments are sound. However, if the bank deems it wise to cash them, the capital will come to you, Miss Carnforth, and in the case of the servants the capital linked to them will be divided proportionately, according to the terms of the Will.

‘Now we come to the business. The first item here concerns your manager and two clerks. They are each given a lump sum, to do with as they wish. That money will be taken directly from the business. The rest, and all other assets connected with it, go to Mr James.'

Lena gave a little gasp but stifled it quickly. Though her mind whirled at this news and she sensed the delight in James, she forced herself to concentrate on what Mr Witherspoon was saying.

‘However, Mr James, your father has made certain provisos. He wants to see the name of the firm, “John Carnforth and Children”, as he set it up many years ago, remain the same so that Miss Carnforth still feels she is connected to the business. He says in the Will that he hopes you,' his eyes fixed on James, ‘will continue to expand the firm. With this in mind, he has set up various funds, the details of which are in the hands of the bank - Mr Chapman will enlighten you.'

The solicitor paused, cleared his throat and then said, ‘I have covered the main items but there is one other clause I think I had better mention verbally. Your father expresses the hope that Miss Carnforth should continue to show an interest in the firm, as she has done all her life. He does stress, however, that it must be without interference, though she is entitled to look at the accounts because a small proportion of the profit from the business goes into the investments that provide for and increase her income as the years pass. These provisions for Miss Carnforth continue in force even if she marries. You can read the details in the copies of the Will I will leave with you. Another will be deposited in my office and a copy will go to the bank.' He tapped the table in front of him as if to indicate that was the end of the matter.

There was a moment's silence and then James, looking at his sister, asked, ‘Have you any questions?'

She shook her head, unable to speak as the disappointment about the business churned in her mind.

‘Nor have I, Mr Witherspoon,' said James, drawing the matter to a close. ‘Thank you for coming and for offering us the explanation so clearly.' He rose from his chair.

The solicitor did likewise. Relieved that this was over, he made a hasty goodbye to Lena and followed James from the room.

 

With the closing of the door Lena felt as if part of life had been closed to her. It seemed as if her father had ignored all the interest she had shown in the firm. Surely he had realised that she wanted to participate in it; to be involved in its day-to-day running? She realised he had never given her any responsibility within the firm to date, but she had hoped that would come. She slapped her thigh in frustration. Why hadn't she spoken to him about it, asked to be trusted in this way? Had she misjudged her own father? Was he like others who thought that the worlds of the ship-owner and merchant were the exclusive domain of men, barred to women? He had never voiced that opinion so she had thought he held more liberal views. Now she chided herself for her own shortsightedness. Her lips tightened. There was nothing she could do about it - oh she could show an interest as her father had indicated, but that was all; she could go no further. Why had he laid down such rules? After all, she was his blood child while James was not, and yet
he
was the one who was going to get what she most desired. Lena stamped her foot. Why hadn't she been born a boy?

The door opened then and her brother came into the room. ‘Well, Father has left you comfortably off,' he commented as he went to pour a glass of Madeira.

A retort sprang to Lena's lips then but, as hurt as her feelings were, she held the words back. She did not want to alienate her brother or show dissatisfaction at their father's Will. She would abide by it. There were other ways to enter the world where her heart lay, even though she was a woman. Oh, why had Alistair become a doctor? Why hadn't he been interested in his father's business, then she could have . . .

James stepped into the building in Grape Lane occupied by the long-established banking firm of Simpson, Chapman & Co. Friendly and local, it had handled Carnforth affairs from the moment John Carnforth's father first sought capital to finance the boat, on which he'd established himself as an exceptional herring fisher, until his tragic death at sea. John then took over and went on to expand into the company that was now in James's hands, as a consequence of a second tragic death.

He was thankful to be inside; it had been a cold walk from New Buildings and he had felt the sting of the wind blowing in from the sea as he crossed the bridge to the east side of the river before turning into Grape Lane.

‘Good day, sir.' With a smile the young clerk slipped from his high stool when James walked into the outer office. ‘You are expected, sir, please follow me.'

James followed him down the corridor to a door on the right. The clerk knocked and hesitated a moment, his head inclined as if listening. He gave a tiny nod of satisfaction, opened the door and announced, ‘Mr Carnforth, sir.'

James strode into the room to see a man in his late-fifties rising from his chair behind a sturdy oak desk.

‘Mr Carnforth.'

‘Mr Chapman.'

Their handshake was firm.

‘Let me take your coat.'

James slipped out of his redingote and handed it, along with his hat and cane, to Mr Chapman who placed them on a coat stand near the door.

‘Do sit down.' He indicated a chair to James. ‘Thank you for your note of yesterday,' he added as he returned to his seat.

‘Thank you for seeing me so soon. I hope it has not upset any of your prior arrangements?'

‘Nothing that couldn't be rescheduled. Because you indicated it was a business matter regarding your father's firm, I realised it was something you would like to deal with as soon as possible.'

James was conscious of coming under scrutiny from a pair of shrewd eyes. Chapman held himself firmly upright yet betrayed a benevolent demeanour, emphasised by his open, friendly face.

‘That is true, Mr Chapman. I mean no disrespect at this time, but as you will no doubt appreciate a business cannot afford to stand still.'

‘Indeed.' He acknowledged James's point genially.

‘I had better say at the outset that my father's firm has been left in its entirety to me. No other person is involved. If you require confirmation then Mr Witherspoon is sending you a copy of the Will.'

‘Proof, Mr Carnforth? Your word, like your father's, is good enough for me. I hope that you will continue to bank with us?'

‘I see no reason to change the arrangment.'

‘Anticipating that you would wish to know the financial standing of the firm, I have prepared the relevant documents. ' He tapped the two piles of papers on his desk.

‘All those, Mr Chapman?'

The banker smiled. ‘There are more but these are the ones to which we may have to refer, depending on how deeply you want to go into the situation now.'

‘Mr Chapman, I am sure you can apprise me of the financial situation with a summary of the current state of affairs.'

‘Indeed I can. That is probably the best way to proceed. If you want more detail, we have it all here.'

‘That sounds splendid.'

Chapman nodded. ‘Good. Then let us do this in a civilised manner over a glass of Madeira.' He rose from his chair as he was speaking and went to a cabinet where he poured them two glasses. He gave one to James, raised the other and said, ‘To a successful relationship.'

James acknowledged this with a smile.

Once he was seated again Mr Chapman came straight to the point. ‘Your father was a very shrewd businessman. After inheriting his father's ship, he continued in the herring trade then widened his horizon by trading with the Continent and eventually beyond. But you know all this. I seek only to remind you how your inheritance came about. Your father has left three working ships, the
Mary Jane, Wanderer
and
Suzanna
. I always split the profits he made from them into five bank accounts which, according to the documents drawn up, signed by him and witnessed by me, must always be kept separate and be supplemented proportionately in the way he laid down, from the profits made by each ship and any subsequent ship added to the fleet.'