2. A place found and a plan hatched.
I suppose it was it was a Thursday that Eustace came though the Library door and announced they had obtained a place in Kettleridge our closest town, not eight miles from here. The kindergarten was pleased to accept young Figaro.
'I hope you did not tell them he comes from here.'
“Why on earth not?” Eustace a bit shocked.
'I presume someone mentioned the Castle?'
“That's the only way we could get him in.”
'Well that means little Fig will be put through all sorts of teasing, some of it spiteful no doubt, tell me why you had to say he came from here?'
“They had no more places for this term.”
'So presumably another child had to be moved out so that Fig could take their place, did you not consider that Eustace. Hard luck on the parents to find the child out of kindergarten.'
“I expect they fitted him in without moving anyone else.”
I shook my head, that was typical of my two younger siblings.
'I suggest you ring them and find out, it will be best for Fig so the children don't gang up on him, kids can be cruel. Imagine a popular girl or boy moved out, and how will the children react?'
“I'll ring them.”
So now I began to consider what my own boys wanted, their Uncles out. Well that's all well and good but Eustace and Gideon were in their own home that their parents had bought them into so I thought I might seek our half sisters advice. Sofia alas was out so I left a message with Finlay and Tom for her to see me upon her return. She was back within the hour so I sat her down in the Library and asked Edith to excuse us for a moment.
“Well Heir what's the problem.”
'I'm worried about our layabout siblings doing nothing to support themselves.'
“This came from your boys?” I nodded, she continued, “So what on earth can they do, lets face it its their old home. Am I not in the same position?”
'No you write articles for magazines and are self supporting, besides which you and Dulcie help out downstairs and with the visitors on weekends, whereas Eustace and Gideon make them selves absent on visitor weekends.'
“True, but they often help in getting the kids out the way, organising walks away from here and suchlike.”
'Children minders we do not need, I'd far prefer them here in the castle keeping a close eye on the furniture, pictures and those blasted bronzes that Dulcie has me wiping every few months. No Sofia we need to have a real good think and maybe we could offer them both a visitors guide instead of leaving it all to dear Edith, and with a child on the way!'
“There you are problem solved. If I know Gideon he has some rakish memories of Father and his fancies!”
'Good God no Sofia, that will give the visitors heat bumps, best stick to the history of the place. Hang about, one could do the gardens the other the house.'
“Perfect.” From Sofia, only I had to broach the matter with our siblings, I could see it in her smile as she left for her rooms. So I went to my desk and pulled a fresh piece of paper out of the draw and asked Edith to sit with me.
'A plan of action for my two brothers to encourage their help with the castle.'
“Nick and Robin have at last been facing up to you.”
'Yes so Aunt Sonia has suggested they help with your visitors, they perhaps could give a briefing on the history of the place, the estate and the family.'
“I don't get the impression they care much about any of that, Gideon s lost without his sheep farm and as for Eustace, well the mind boggles. Lemons swapped for a goddess as my Nick likes to express constantly!”
'So which is which for the house history?'
“Better to be Eustace he's lived here the longest. Best leave the family to Aunt Sonia she's been digging a lot up and has become quite versed in the subject. As you know she does not walk around a lot but stays in the library and gives her speech. Sitting down I might add!”
'So Gideon for the garden walks?'
“Well he's an outdoor person, we could even include the Home farm in summer visits, we could ask Robin's advice and the two of them could relate quite well together. Robin does love the farm and Uncle Gideon has that experience of the past when the farm was larger in your fathers time.”
'I do believe you've got it all covered and I have not written a thing down, perhaps you could type up a precis for me Edith and I will speak to Eustace, Gideon and Sofia all together. I do believe this is an excellent chance to get all of us back together. Naturally I will have to see what my guiding hand has to say first of all!'
“Nicolas Robin?”
'Robroy the very same, I realise Edith he takes after you in so many ways, thank goodness I have you both.'