‘We had a visit from the King a few days ago. Sat where you are now.’
‘Good lord!’ It was the only response I could think of.
‘Yes. In the west country tidying up loose ends regarding the Duchy, saying his last goodbyes, dropped by for an hour or so.’ Uncle was displaying his usual nervous tick of standing warming himself with his back to a non-existent fire. ‘Talked a lot about organics and the eastern European connection, doesn’t think he’ll be able to get out there again. Curious to know how we were getting on. Complementary about the wine.’
‘Really.’
‘Asked about progress on restoring the Park. Said the Prince had given him a favourable report.’
‘Well, that’s good.’
‘Asked my opinion of you, somewhat took me aback.’
‘My word.’
‘Hadn’t quite grasped that the couple he’d heard the Prince speak of, were the same people he’d met at Mackintosh’s place. Naturally I reminded him Charlotte had been honoured by the late Queen.’
‘I see.’
‘Fact is, he wanted an insider’s view, been hearing about your railway plans. Some sit down chat after a Privy Council meeting or some such. Wasn’t too sure what he was driving at to be honest. Said he didn’t want anything in the past to mess up the new stewardship of the Duchy. Quite a steam enthusiast it turns out. Anyway, some talk of an order in council, idea of that chum of yours, the one with the specs. So, I did the decent thing.’
‘The decent thing?’
‘Gave you a clean bill of health, said your Trust was altogether Green and that you were quite paternalistic towards the Park.’
‘Er, thank you.’
‘And er, he quite appreciates the inheritance problem, sands of time and all that. Well, better join the ladies I suppose.’
‘I've been telling Tony about our visit from the King.’
‘You might have waited so dear Charlotte could hear it!’
‘Boy’s talk.’
‘Do we accept that kind of thing anymore?’ Julia addressed the four of us reinstalled in the big kitchen.
‘When it’s a “need to know” thing, I’ve learned I’m often better off, well out of it.’ Offered Charlie.
‘I take the point, but consider it a reprimand Reggie.’
‘Very well, my dear. You still perusing your print edition?’
‘Just showing, the spread about the railway plans. I’m sure our readers are loving the pictures, but may find the plans alarming.’
‘Still, an exclusive, exclusive. Good for sales.’ I asserted.
‘You’ve got Gregson confused Tony. He sees you as the heir apparent, worried you’ll be distracted from country affairs by the railway. Not that it’s any of his business, he’ll be retiring in a few years.’ She continued.
‘Got to watch yourself with Gregson, never sure he’s on board with organics, more concerned with commercial farming, which is ironic really, more your grab whatever subsidies are going type.’ Added Uncle.
‘Well, I’m sure I’ll catch-up whilst we’re here.’
About twenty minutes later something truly alarming occurred. Julia placed before us what can only be described as a large bowl of assorted fruits.
‘Fruit! Just fruit? No pudding?’ I exclaimed.
‘We must all be mindful of our health.’ She said by way of explanation.
‘Charlotte’s opening our minds to sensible eating.’ Mused Uncle. ‘I’d have thought you’d be used to it. It’s what you get at home isn’t it?’
‘But I’m on holiday. Checkley is holidays. Sponge puddings, crumbles, it’s my reason for being here!’
‘Oh, grow up. Stupid boy!’ Declared Julia.
It was a few days before I got around to Gregson, I found him sat at his desk in the estate office watching YouTube! ‘Haven’t you got work to go to?’
‘Oh, hello, sir. I’m rather afraid it is work. Take a look at this. This, would you believe is a driverless tractor towing the latest laser sprayer. It, spraying from about a foot away, only sprays what actually needs spraying. The reduction in spray is colossal, and given the tractor is on cruise control for maximum fuel efficiency... I’m gobsmacked, sir.’
‘Wouldn’t work for wheat or barley I should think, too densely packed and variable even for that machine.’
‘You may be right, sir.’
‘And what will they cost to rent?’
‘Who knows! Hopefully I won’t be around to see it.’
‘You’re not unwell, are you?’
‘Oh no, sir. It’s just the wife and I have been trying to make our retirement plans.’
‘The tractor in this demo is not electric then?’
‘No, but it’s only a matter of time I suppose. I’m old enough to remember the start of it all. The wife and I used to enjoy Tomorrow’s World. Fifty years ago, that would be. They showed solar panels, wind turbines, oh and wave power, a barrage across the Severn to catch the tide. Of course, none of them has actually paid for themselves yet. And we’re all still waiting for our personal helicopters.’
‘Quite.’
‘Back then people just said the country, before townies invented the countryside.’
‘So, what are your retirement plans?’
‘Well, we were hoping to stay at the cottage, but I’ve not had the opportunity to discuss it with his lordship yet.’
‘I should try and get it all in writing as soon as possible, just in case either Julia or I suffer a blow to the head!’
‘It’s difficult sir, obviously my pension will be lower than my salary, and we pay a peppercorn rent as it is.’
‘What’s the state of the property?’
‘Well, that’s another thing, in need of urgent attention I’d say, I rather suspect your uncle is assuming we’d want to move on and would get all the work done when it was empty.’
‘There is other vacant property on the estate that could provide temporary accommodation, not to mention within here, for yourselves or the new manager when the time comes.’
‘We wouldn’t mind that for a few weeks. But if we were forced off the estate we’d be at the mercy of the local authorities.’
‘Anyway, I’m pretty sure you need to get everything tied down and watertight whilst you still have, not only your employee status but your official position as farm manager, I’ll say no more.’ He looked a little confused; ‘Think it through!’ I added, with a grin, as I moved away.
Sometime later, as we were coming to the end of our summer sojourn, I found myself taking an evening stroll with Uncle. ‘You’ll be back to help with the vines?’
‘Of course. The best will be ready earlier this year, keep a watchful eye. In fact, you might think of picking twice, two pressings.’
‘But surely with the warmth we’ll do well anyway?’
‘Yes, but the walled garden is so well protected, and drained, you could push it a bit, really go for it. Ride out any storms.’
‘We’ll see.’
We came back by the river and as we were passing the Gregson’s home I said; ‘When are you planning on doing the restoration work on the cottage?’
‘When they’re out and it’s empty.’
‘It might pay you to get started right away.’
‘How so?’
‘The Gregsons want to stay on at the cottage after retirement. And what’s more, be able to afford to live in reasonable comfort.’
‘Damn! I had plans. It’s so close on the river, I thought of a wooden patio out the back, leading down to a pontoon thingy for fishing.’
‘But no one is interested in fishing, the river isn’t clean enough, according to Charlie.’
‘I know, but I thought if I could acquire the land upstream, the old abandoned brickworks, one could clean-up the river. The place may look green now, but it is a brown field site.’
‘Well, that might stop the river getting worse, but you’d have to start dredging from wherever downstream, possibly all the way from the old naval port. It used to be navigable for quite substantial river barges as far as the works.’
‘Ah, well. Such is life. And now you tell me Gregson is going to be a pain about things.’
‘Not to you personally, not necessarily. You know, you can’t sack him because he is competent, you can’t make him redundant because his work is essential. He can hang around for almost another three years. Now, if the cottage is properly part of the farm business, necessary worker accommodation, then he, as head of it all, is legally responsible. If repairs have become say, urgent on health and safety grounds, well, I mean, easy enough to lose a hundred grand in the accounts, spread over a couple of years that is, as you say he’s the man for subsidies, grants, tax breaks...’
‘All the same, he’d be sticking his nose in our affairs till his dying day.’
‘Maybe. Who owns the brickworks now?’
‘Some shell company or whatever, subsidiary of a subsidiary, goes by the name of A & C Restorations.’
‘Oh, well, good luck with that then!’
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