Runs In The Family: Part Twelve

~ beetleypete

This is the twelfth part of a fiction serial, in 810 words.

Justin was always keen to expand the business, and began to travel to nearby counties, buying up smaller businesses that had trades related to his company. Saddle and harness-makers were among his preferred purchases, along with various small hat-makers as far afield as Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Once he had control of all those, he started to centralise production by opening larger workshops in his home county, and employing and training many new workers as he did so. In no time he had a sizeable share of the market for such goods, and was in a position to dictate supply and prices over a large part of southern England.

Percival did his part too, suggesting that military contracts be given to the family firm, and using his position in the army to make the bribes and arrangements that delivered them. By the end of the year, Justin had been approached to stand for parliament, an offer he rejected out of hand. He knew all too well that association with one of the prominent political parties might well upset some of his customers, and was determined to keep the Dakin family neutral.

At the riverside house, Agatha busied herself with being in charge. Hope was happy to care for Oscar alongside her own children, and he would soon be leaving for school anyway. Arabella helped too of course, relishing her role as the grandmother figure to all. Young James was still insistent that he wanted a career in the military, and he was told that could be discussed once he had finished his schooling. Rather than employ tutors, it was agreed that both boys would attend the same boarding school, starting next term.

The presence of the genial new coachman had caused a stir with the household staff. Fionn flirted openly with the younger housemaids, and the scullery-girl was obsessed with him. But he avoided any real entanglements, as he did not want to lose the easy job as coachman to the Dakin family. In truth, he was little used. Master Justin travelled mostly by mail-coach, and Fionn’s duties were limited to taking the ladies of the house around the county to socialise with other wealthy families. And with her husband away most of the time in London, Agatha used the coach more than most.

It had not gone unnoticed that Agatha also used the family coach for pleasure trips in fine weather. That started with family picnics at the estuary coast, and later became rides on her own which she delighted in, saying the afternoon air was invigorating. Town gossips lapped up the sight of the mistress being driven around by the dark-haired, green-eyed coachman, and rumours were soon spreading that he was more than just a servant to Mistress Agatha.

They could not know that their suspicions were unfounded. Her move from being a lawyer’s daughter to mistress of a fine house, married to a very rich man, was not something she intended to jeopardise. She saw Fionn as nothing more than a servant, someone employed to do his duties as instructed. Against expectations, it was actually Hope that found herself tingling and blushing whenever the young Irishman helped her into the coach.

Once the older boys were away at school, young Henry received all the attention, becoming rather pampered and spoilt as a consequence. Without a son to visit, and a wife who was becoming bossy and above herself, Percival spent more and more time in London, eventually taking a mistress. She was given fine rooms in the city, and all of her expenses were paid by him too. By the end of that summer, they were seen around together at social functions, with all pretence abandoned. Lack of attention from her husband also guaranteed that Agatha had no more children, something else noticed by both the family, and the gossiping staff.

A letter was received from the school, regretting that they wished James to be removed from their charge. It seemed he was disruptive, badly-behaved, and a bully. That came as something of a shock to his parents, and it was decided that he should be allowed to go to military school in the south instead. By contrast, Oscar proved to be a dedicated scholar. He was fast to learn, and skilled in all subjects, especially mathematics.

Then Hope had her own news. With young Henry not yet five years old, she was expecting another baby. Justin was too busy to even think about the fact that he had not been around a great deal, and that his business trips now kept him away from home longer than ever before.

But Arabella was wiser, though she did not approach Hope on the matter. No good would come of accusations or suspicions. And an admission would only serve to shatter the peace of the family.

So she kept quiet, and gave Hope her congratulations.

32 thoughts on “Runs In The Family: Part Twelve”

    1. Diaries and journals were kept by many members of the Dakin family, but not discovered until much later. Hence how we know their history for this story.
      You are about fifteen more episodes ahead now, Theo. 🙂
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Like

      Reply

  10. (1) So while Justin is traveling around buying up saddle makers, Hope is busy saddling the coachman.
    (2) Percival is using his position to strong-arm the military into awarding lucrative contracts to the family firm. Imagine what he could do with two arms!
    (3) Since the scullery-girl is obsessed with “the dark-haired, green-eyed coachman,” she is bound to be intensely jealous of Fionn’s “entanglement” with Hope. And since hell hath no fury like a scullery-girl scorned…
    (4) Hope found herself tingling and blushing whenever Fionn rubbed her down in the shower with a fresh bar of Irish Spring. However, she was beginning to lose track of reality, and suspected that she and the other members of the Dakin family were no more than actors in a particularly tragic soap opera.
    (5) While Hope is cheating on Justin, Percival is cheating on Agatha. How long before Justin and Agatha console each other in bed?
    (6) Oscar is a gentleman and a scholar. James is a bully at boarding school. And Henry is a “pampered and spoilt” child who has yet to insist on a private tutor. Two rotten apples in a barrel of three. And yet the adult members of the Dakin family see all three boys in a positive light: Oscar performs well; James is a real peach; and Henry is a true star (“Everyone’s fonda Henry!”).
    (7) Arabella very wisely did not approach Hope on the matter of her pregnancy. She wanted to avoid shattering the family peace. However, she failed to consult with Sir Johnson of Norfolk. It’s easy to picture the Great Shatterbug squashing the Dakin family with nefarious plot developments.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a reply to beetleypete Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.