Sorry, I got some of my names mixed up and had to amend Chapter Six. I now have a crib sheet to try and stop it happening again. Did I mention I'm new to this lark?
Thank you so much to those who have left reviews: it really means a lot J
Chapter Seven
Breakfast the next morning was a quiet affair. Dickie looked tired and not a little worried. Isobel, always one to face things head on, decided to take the bull by the horns.
"You said you're off to the bank this morning?"
"Yes, I need to make sure that Stevens can get the repairs underway as soon as possible. Also, the sooner Mrs Pearce can pay the staff, the sooner the majority of them can be dismissed" Dickie replied a little absently, pretending to be perusing the newspaper. Isobel wasn't fooled.
"Would you like me to come with you?"
"Don't you have to be at the hospital this morning?" Dickie asked, looking up warily.
"Well, yes" Isobel admitted "But there's nothing that couldn't wait until this afternoon. If you'd like me to be there, I'm willing to come"
Dickie sighed "No, it should just be a routine visit. I won't be doing any shopping, just going into the bank and coming home. Inspector Money is coming with me: he wants to talk to the bank manager before he catches the train back to London." Dickie took another bite of his toast.
Isobel hesitated slightly "I know we've never really had an in-depth discussion about money - partly because I was never interested in how much you had and I knew we would be able to manage on mine if necessary - but how are you going to arrange things at Cavenham if the accounts are empty?"
Dickie placed his teacup back on the saucer. "I don't want you worrying about money. We will be fine."
"Dickie" Isobel said quietly "Please. It is 'we' and not just 'you'. I would like to share this with you. All of it. I can only imagine how upsetting it must be."
Dickie looked at her in admiration as well as a little frustration "I don't want you worrying too much about a Grey problem. I don't want it getting in the way of how you live your life. I just want you to be able to be you."
"This is me." Isobel said "I love you and I want to help you fix this. I'm a woman of action. I can't sit at home twiddling my thumbs while you handle all this on your own. Besides, I'm a Grey now too. And there's another Grey up in the nursery at Downton that is our responsibility until we find out where on earth his parents have disappeared to."
Dickie realised this was not an argument he was going to win. "My Father was always very clear about separating personal wealth from the wealth of the estate. As a young man he had friends who had either inherited massive debts run up by their forebears or ran their estate into the ground themselves. He was always very careful to live within the means of the estate. That's why we could look at the estate account and the household account yesterday. There's also a capital account that holds the longer term profits from the estate, so that annual variances can be absorbed or compensated for without affecting the tenants. Then there is a further account that is my personal wealth: in my case made up of a legacy left by a Great Aunt, my Mother's dowry, a few other bits and bobs." Dickie paused "I fully expect to find that the capital account has also been drawn down, but my personal account will be untouched. Larry wasn't able to get to that. I will transfer what is needed today, and we'll see where we go from there."
"What about the house in London? Was that run the same way?" Isobel asked.
"Yes, but those accounts are held in a local London bank. My Grandfather got too fed up with transferring money orders and decided to run it locally from a chunk of capital. But when I handed Cavenham to Larry, I signed over all the London holdings. Unlike Cavenham, I have no right of access or responsibility there." Dickie looked wistfully out of the window "You know from conversations around the dinner table at the Abbey that estates are getting harder and harder to maintain. My resources are not infinite. If Stevens can't turn a profit on the estate then we may need to look at what happens to it in the future."
"We can cross that bridge when we have time to consider the options. We don't need to think about that now." Isobel swallowed "I hope you don't mind me saying so, but I really don't want to live there. All our life is here now, John is settled with the other children and he will need their friendship if Larry and Amelia don't return."
"Honestly? I don't want to go back there either" Admitted Dickie "That period of my life is over and being there yesterday only brought back bad memories. No, the future is here in Downton, but I will need to spend some time there getting things straight." He stood "Now, I want to be at the bank when it opens at nine, so I'd better get a move on. I hope you get everything done at the hospital".
Dickie came round the table to kiss Isobel goodbye, then she sat finishing her tea as she heard him move through the house, get ready and leave. She sighed as she looked out the window, before stirring herself to go to the hospital. She wanted to get everything done so that she could be home when Dickie returned.
-TW- -TW- -TW-
"I'll make sure the funds are transferred immediately m'lord." Said Mr Michaels of the York & North Riding Bank.
"Thank you Mr Michaels" Dickie said "We are taking steps to ensure the accounts are solvent from now on. Apart from the dishonoured cheques, is there anything else that you have noticed about the accounts?"
Mr Michaels cast a glance at the Inspector Lord Merton had brought in with him. "I'm not sure I should mention it…."
"Come, Mr Michaels, I asked did I not. Anything unusual at all that you remember?" pressed Dickie.
"Seeing as you insist. Mr Grey did attempt to raise a mortgage on the property around 18 months ago, but of course we insisted that you were both consulted. He didn't raise the matter again. But apart from that, it's just been the dwindling amounts." Mr Michaels informed them.
"Well, thank you for your time, Mr Michaels" Dickie stood to shake his hand and left the office with the Inspector following behind.
Once on the street, the Inspector said "Well, I'm for the next London train then m'lord. I think I might do a bit of digging, then maybe try and gain entry to Merton House again. Otherwise I'll need to gain a search warrant, and I'd rather not do that if I don't have to."
Dickie looked thoughtful for a moment. "I could come to London this afternoon and visit Merton House for you, if you like?" Dickie offered "I can help you review the documents at Rayner's while I'm down, rather than having you traipse backwards and forwards. Besides, I want to make sure the household in London hasn't been left in the same state as Cavenham."
"I'd be grateful m'lord" Inspector Money looked pleased "It would make things easier and keep things quieter. When do you think you'll be down?"
"I'll need to let Isobel know of my plans and then I'll get an afternoon train. Shall I get in touch with you once I'm there?" Dickie asked.
The Inspector was nodding "If you wouldn't mind. I'll go straight to the office and ask my Chief for any updates. If you call this number" the Inspector handed Dickie his card "ask the desk Sergeant for me. I'll wait to hear from you before I arrange anything further." With a tip of his hat, he walked away and round the corner to catch his train.
"Well Stokes, we'd better be on our way home. When we get in, if you could pack an overnight bag and then be ready to run me to the station" Dickie said as he got into the car.
"Would you like me to accompany you m'lord?" Stokes asked as the car started to move.
"No, I should be alright for a night or so. The staff at Merton House can look after me perfectly well. You enjoy some rare time off with your family" Dickie smiled at his valet-cum-butler-cum-chauffer through the rearview mirror.
-TW- -TW- -TW-
"Are you sure you want to go to London on your own?" Isobel asked. "It will be the first time we've been apart"
"I know. And a part of me would love you to come." Dickie said, taking Isobel in his arms "But I know you have that committee meeting in the morning, and Violet has asked you for lunch after so she can extract all the details" Isobel chuckled "And I don't want to disrupt our routine too much. There's still John to visit and you wanted to plan that lunch with Mrs Field for when Edith is down next week. I'll be back before you know it."
"There is quite a lot to discuss tomorrow" Isobel huffed "This really isn't great timing." She looked at him sternly "You call me when you get there, and promise me you'll be home tomorrow."
Dickie laughed "Yes my Lady! I promise. I want to try and find out what Tim is up to while I'm in Town as well. His secondment should be nearly over. I may be able to get some information from him. Now, I must be off or it will be getting too late. Take care my love"
And with a brief kiss, he was gone. Isobel felt empty. She shook herself: this was ridiculous! She would walk up to the Abbey to spend the afternoon with John and the rest of the children. That would take her mind off things.