Bench Wells 5

Harold - July 1

I waited impatiently during the next month for responses from any of my neighbours to my plans, as outlined at my party in late May. There were a few angry refusals - the most vitriolic one from John
Donaldson, who accused me of skull-duggery and of being an upstart incomer - trying to take over their part of the world. He suggested in very clear terms how he wished I would take myself and my la-de-da family back where we came from. He informs me that he already owns his house, which has been in the family for over fifty years.

Another rather negative response came from Mr. James Sayer, the publican at Travellers' Call. He wasn’t there, of course, but he said he had heard about it and felt there was much more to the
suggestion than was implied at the meeting, and he hoped that I knew what I was doing. He certainly was not interested in being a party to the plan. That was a pity, as I had hoped we could use his pub for future meetings of those interested.

Almost the full month had gone by when two letters came through our door. The first, and in very plain writing and using few words was from Squire Higgenbottom who is a local farmer. He implied that he might be interested and that he would like to know more about it.

The next, I was pleased to see, was from Mrs. Helen Morrison, widow with certain funds available, and she also suggested that she might be interested, and wished to meet me to find out more. I smiled when I thought of seeing Helen again, as she is very comely, and might be interested in more than just a business meeting. My wife, for all her beauty and breeding is not a warm woman - and feels that sexual relations are to be had as quickly and as infrequently as possible. But Helen looked ripe for the picking, and no doubt is a lonely woman. And being the widow of Benjamin Morrison, who had an enormous farm for these parts of 80 acres, well, she certainly must have money to invest.

I decided to call a meeting of all the interested parties at my house on Friday evening in a week’s time which would make it July 10th. I will also invite the various business partners that I think might be willing to put up capital for my lending association. And we need to have legal representation too, and those with financial understanding, so I will invite Robert Taylor, who has already indicated that he is willing to be part of the scheme, and his son Robert, who is his clerk. Then there is Herbert Hoole, whom I often have a drink with in the evenings. Herbert is a banker’s clerk, but he has a good business head on him. Joel Wainwright, somewhat of a local hero with the success of his published book about Marple, is a chartered accountant, and would prove invaluable as part of the team.

I thought I would also invite the Calico Print Manager, John Edward Cochrane, and James Arden, as the manager of the Co-operative Society in Marple Bridge. They would give a reassurance to the others, who know them as honest men. Then I thought of my work colleagues and friends I meet through the men’s clubs I belong to. Henry Almond, for instance, from Manchester, has expressed an interest in the undertaking, as has James Massey, who works as an engineer in Romiley. John Froggart who has his own business, might come, and his wife Sarah, so that Helen won’t be the only woman present. Arthur Pass, a friend whose head is full of ideas - as he is an inventor -
but also likes a firm business proposition should be interested. I will send out the invitations straight away, and then hopefully, the local people will realise that I am serious in my purpose, and will
perhaps influence their more timid neighbours to consider the scheme again.

As far as the other part of my project went, I now wished I had never bothered mentioning it. There was a constant stream of grubby children coming to my door the first week after the meeting with bits of bent metal, nails and broken pots. Nothing of any interest or any value and they acted surprised and not at all pleased when I turned them away without a penny.

To further my cause I have sent out a letter of introduction to Lord Howard of Glossop, asking if I was right in assuming that the property would be available for purchase. I had a reply very quickly
from his business man agreeing that the land is for sale, and that specific details would be forthcoming, when I made it clear what exactly we wished to purchase. He confirmed that the reason for the selling of the land was partly because Lord Howard is involved in building the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Norwich, a project he started twenty years ago, which has run into difficulties - and he needs extra funds to keep up the rather ornate ideas that his architects have put forward and are busy implementing.

I had rather hoped I would have a personal letter back from Lord Howard, but I understand that he is a busy man, and that I will have to make do with his representative, in the form of his man of
business, Mr. Charles Arthur Abraham. But I won’t involve the Howard officials just yet. I need to see how many I can interest, and although I am disappointed that so few locals have come forward, at
least there is hope that more will follow in time when they see what an excellent scheme is on offer.

Louisa informed me today that she and her mother and Alice, the French maid, will all be going back to Prestwich for the month of August. I am expected to meet up with them there on weekends, but I
might well have other fish to fry in the meantime. Belinda will still be coming here regularly to tidy the house and make my meals, and who knows what else might come of that
 

Helen

I was pleased when I received Harold’s next invitation to meet at his house regarding buying our property. I am not sure I am reallyinterested, but it won’t hurt to find out more about it. I invited
Mary and Alice over for coffee one day, and as we sat there, with their children playing happily by their sides, I put the question to them.

“Are neither of you at all interested in buying your houses, then? I know Mary, that you said you didn’t think you could afford it, but can’t you see that in the long run, you will save money?”

Alice said, “We don’t know whether we will be in this area much longer. Thomas is not really happy with being a publican, and it would be silly to be tied to this area because of purchasing a
property just now.”

“Where are you likely to go?”

“Oh, anywhere if it means more money. I would like the children to be somewhere closer to a main town, where jobs would be easier to find and there might be some provision for blind children like
Stanley. I hate the damp house, and the wind that blows me over each time I need to walk for groceries.”

“We are also still of the same mind, Helen, and have no wish to get involved in this purchasing malarkey. But it sounds to me like you are interested. Is that the case?”

“Well, I have been invited to the next meeting to see what is going on, but I would feel happier about it if I wasn’t the only one, and especially with me being a woman on my own. I would appreciate having a man’s opinion as to how all these things will work.”

“Joseph heard that Squire Higgenbottom is planning on getting involved. Maybe you can have a word to his wife.”

“I know Margaret only slightly, but I can easily call on her one day, en route from the shops.”

“I think their daughter is much of an age with your Rosie, so that would be a good reason for calling in. And they have another child as well, Belinda, who is the same age as my Jane. And of course, they have their very attractive single nephew, John, living with them.”

“Attractive he might be, but I think he is too young to be interested in me.”

“Well, you can never tell about these things. Fred is younger than you too, but I have seen the way he looks at you.”

“Why don’t you ask Fred to accompany you to the meeting? Then he can advise you if there are aspects of the discussion that you don’t understand, or feel that you are being pressured into.”

“Oh, but he might think that I was asking him for an ulterior motive. I really am not that taken with Mr. Fredrick Hodges, for all that he seems very friendly.”

“Beggers can’t be choosers, Helen. You aren’t getting any younger, and if a man wants to have a child with you, he will have to move quite quickly on it.”

“What a way to talk. What worries me mainly is that it is well known that Benjamin left me with a good income, and if I remarry, that money will be under the care of my new husband. That’s what
they might be wanting, rather than another child.”

“Well, you go to the meeting love, and keep your eyes open for some man who will have his own financial resources so that you will know that if he fancies you, it will be for yourself. I did hear that
there were outsiders who are coming to the meeting. That worries me, as I prefer the devil I know - when it comes to landlords.”

The children were starting to show signs that their meal times were imminent, so my friends left shortly after. I thought that perhaps the idea of inviting Fred to go with me might not be such a bad one after all, and I decided I would stop over at Ivy Cottage after he was back from work tonight and see how he feels about it.