Chapter 19: Home, Sweet Home

The Greys and their guest had very quiet holidays. The weather was cold but sunny, and the horses were exercised daily. Often, Theodore Grey joined them, in part to show Thomas where he had added lands to their possessions, by using his Caribbean prize monies. They had sizeable wood lands now, and two new tenants to work them. This meant additional revenues for them, and Theodore Grey was looking for other opportunities.

As was the custom for the Greys, gifts were exchanged on Christmas day, useful things mostly, but also a few luxury items for Margaret Grey which were received with grace. For Thomas, most gifts were larger-sized replacements for shirts and trousers and a new coat. His old coat was already with the tailor for the seams to be let out, to account for his continuing growth.

For Robert Bryce, the Greys had found matching neckcloths and hair ties, but also a small book with poems by Robert Burns, pleasing him immensely. He had also brought presents from home, such as bottle of fine Whisky for Theodore and a small Sterling silver broach for Margaret Grey, the latter bearing the Bryce family coat of arms.

After the exchange and a breakfast, the Greys attended Christmas service in the estate chapel. Thomas received a strong admonition to behave before they left, making Robert grin.

“Will that be the clergyman with whom you had words?”

“Yes, Mister Reverend Sourpuss,” Thomas answered lightly, making his mother draw a sharp breath and his father shake his head.

“Hold your peace, Thomas. If he makes a nuisance of himself, I shall answer him, understand?”

With a resigned sigh, Thomas answered with, “Aye-aye, Sir!”, to make it clear that he would only act out of obedience.

If Thomas felt annoyed, that feeling vanished as soon as he saw the look of suppressed fury in Caplan’s face when the Greys entered the chapel and took their customary places in the front pew. He debated with himself whether to give the man a mocking bow, but decided against it. Instead, he looked past the curate and sat down at his father’s side.

The service, a nominally joyful celebration of the Birth of Christ, was singularly uninspired. Thomas could feel the ill will of the curate whenever their eyes met, but at least, the service was short as Caplan rushed through his sermon and the blessing. He even cut short two of the hymns, and a bewildered congregation was dismissed ere a half hour was over.

“I shall have a word with Caplan. This is akin to shirking his duties,” Theodore Grey said, for most of the small congregation to hear.

“I thought it was fitting, seeing how poorly young Mister Grey thinks of me,” Caplan answered triumphantly when confronted by the elder Grey.

With an utmost effort, Thomas resisted the temptation to thank Caplan for the consideration, but the curate’s words did not sit well with the squire.

“Then you will understand, Mister Caplan, that a half-arsed service will only merit half the pay henceforth. Methinks, my father was too indulgent with you, but I shan’t have your insolence on my lands.”

A mixture of rage and fear showed on Caplan’s face.

“There is a concordat in place between the estate and the Winchester See...”

“Which you violated by depriving my tenants of a proper and dignified Christmas service, out of sheer spite I may add. This sort of conduct is unacceptable.”

“Your son...”

“Is not subject to your censure! You saw fit to berate him without grounds, and he responded as was his right.”

“He called me...”

“ ... a sourpuss, which I am sorry to say, you are. Your duty is to lift the spirits of those under your care, not to spy on bathing youngsters.”

“I ... I...”

“No more of this! Let me know, before this year ends, whether you will fulfil your duties properly again, but consider the consequences if you won’t.”

Without listening to Caplan’s protestations, Theodore Grey led his wife and son from the chapel. Robert Bryce stayed back.

“Ye’re a daft fool and lucky not to serve in my home parish. My father, the Laird of Kilmarnock, would have whipped you from the chapel had you given him such lip!”

Whilst Caplan stared disbelievingly at the youngster, Robert turned and followed the Greys.

Back at their manor house, Theodore Grey forbade all discussion of Caplan, insisting he would not allow the fool to ruin their holiday. They had a festive dinner after which they spent the afternoon at leisure. With a drizzling rain drenching the lands, Thomas and Robert eschewed horseback riding and instead engaged in the game of Draughts. Here, Thomas found his master in Robert who seemingly could predict his every move. He did not fare any better at Whist, which his father suggested next. Here, Margaret Grey was dominant, since she played regularly at the Paddingtons’ house. However, he took his failures in good grace, readily admitting to having no card or board game skills.

The next morning was Boxing Day, and the five servants received their gifts after the family breakfast, five, because a new scullery maid had been hired to help Cook. She was an orphan who had grown up in the parish orphanage in Guildford, was ten years of age, terribly thin and plain looking. Yet, when she received her gifts — two new dresses, a new pair of shoes, new shifts, a long, warm nightshirt, and her first own comb — she was beaming with a happiness that made her look pretty. When she, like the other servants, received a half-crown from Robert on top of all that bounty, her eyes became permanently saucer-sized, making the whole household laugh with delight.

In the week up to the New Year, the servants were very busy cleaning, pressing and brushing clothes for the Greys, for they were invited to a New Year’s Eve soiree at Sir Joseph Wipplethwaite’s manor, a neighbouring estate half again as large as the Greys’. Sir Joseph was a veteran Navy officer, too, one who had served with distinction at the Battle of the Saintes, much like William Grey. He was a kindly old man, a little dotty but generous, and as the largest landowner around Guildford, he felt it his solemn duty to bring the gentry together on New Year’s Eve, alternating with the Egertons. This year, Thomas and his friend Robert would accompany the elder Greys, something that excited and scared them at the same time.

As was the custom, they arrived at Thornhill, Wipplethwaite’s manor house, at 4 p.m., the start of the first dog watch in Navy parley, and they were greeted by their host. A young man stood by his side, introduced as Jedediah Thompson, Sir Joseph’s nephew and future heir. He was a Natural History teacher at a boys’ school in the Midlands. Learning that Thomas and Robert attended the Royal Naval Academy, under the astronomer William Bayly no less, he questioned them for some time about their subjects and the general methods of teaching.

Once they could break free, they found a table laden with hors d’oeuvres and helped themselves to some food. It was truly excellent. Cook at Grey Manor knew some very tasty recipes, but fancy cooking was not her strong suit.

A roving servant with a tray of filled glasses supplied them with a light wine from the River Moselle which had found its way to England during the short peace, and it complemented the food. That was how their host, Sir Joseph, found them.

“Welcome to my home, young Mister Grey, and you, too, Mister Bryce. How are you faring at the Academy?”

“Pretty well, Sir Joseph,” Thomas answered. “The subjects are interesting and most of the instructors are very gifted.”

“Thomas is already head boy, Sir Joseph,” Robert told the old man.

“Well, my felicitations, Mister Grey! This speaks well for you. Your father must be immensely proud.”

“It’s ... the regular head boy met with bad luck, Sir Joseph.” Thomas clarified.

“Yet, the headmaster picked you, and you’re only a second-year, right? Don’t let it go to your head, but be proud of the distinction nevertheless!”

“Yes, Sir Joseph.”

“The music will start presently. Enjoy yourselves!”

“Thank you, Sir Joseph,” they chorused.

“Shall we try to ask ladies for a dance?” Thomas asked with trepidation.

“I guess we shall have to. Come now, what’s the worst that can happen?”

“Me squashing some lady’s toes?”

They did not squash toes, but they did not dazzle the ladies either. Mister Oxfoam at the Academy had given them basic skills, but dancing with a real life woman was intimidating. Thomas did the bare minimum of what he was expected to do at first and danced with a Missus Crompton, and after that, with her daughter, Miss Evelyn Crompton. Both were worse dancers than even he, and as far as he knew, he was the only non-family member who danced with them. He thought he was done then.

Robert was more audacious, dancing with three young women, also on their first society function, and even led them back to their parents, introducing himself in the process. His confidence and rather good looks, but also his pedigree as a sprig of the lower Scots nobility, were noted and appreciated, and he came away with two invitations for tea in the next days. Not quite satisfied yet, be beckoned Thomas over and introduced him to the girls and their parents.

Word was spreading amongst the gentry that Theodore Grey had earned good prize monies in the Caribbean and that he was enlarging their estate, and this made his son and heir interesting enough to yield him a number of dance partners whom he would never have dared to ask on his own.

When the evening was finally winding down, the Greys collected their son and their guest for the coach ride home through the dark night. Patterson was a cautious driver and delivered them safely to their home, and when they arrived, Cook had hot chocolate for them to warm up again.

In spite of their late return, the Greys had to rise early, for New Year’s Day was the traditional reception for the tenants and their families. For Theodore Grey, this was the first reception as the squire of the lands, and the preparations had started immediately after Boxing Day. A yearling bullock had been sacrificed, and Patterson had started a large fire before sunrise. Thomas and Robert helped him to spit the bullock and then took turns turning the roast over the glowing logs and working the bellows, to keep the fire hot.

Meanwhile, potatoes and carrots were cooked and pies baked. Cook and her helpers could not prepare enough side dishes for the expected number of guests — roughly seventy five — and so the tenants’ wives would bring more as their contribution. Strong ale and mulled wine were also readied, and when the first farm wagons arrived, the makeshift tables in the great barn were bending under the load of foods, and the bullock was well roasted.