Читать книгу Grand Deceptions - G. S. Willmott - Страница 7

November 1, 1855

The horseman was riding his stallion through the Kent countryside. The land belonged to his family’s estate. He had been newly appointed as The Master of Foxhounds, and the objective of his ride was to determine suitable ground to conduct a foxhunt. The hunt was to be the first in over a century at Abernethy Manor, and the young man was committed to making his first hunt as Master of the Foxhounds a success.

Mathew Abernethy was born in 1833 to wealthy parents named Julia and Samuel; the family had been the custodian of Abernethy Manor for over three hundred years. Henry VIII had gifted the estate, including 2,000 acres, to Lord Abernethy in 1532 as a reward for the support given to the Tudor king during his fight with the Vatican.

Mathew was twenty-one, a tall, blond young man with blue eyes and an engaging manner. He was liked by all, especially the young women of the village.

Mathew never tired of riding over the green hills of his family’s property. There were patches of oak forest and winding streams dotted throughout the estate. Stone walls bordering the paddocks would make for excellent jumping.

The primary source of income for the estate was sheep. The Abernethy fleece was known for its fine wool, which was not only prized by the English mills but also by mills in France and Italy. The purpose of the foxhunt was not only sport. The foxes killed lambs on a regular basis, and therefore, eradicating them was sound farm management.

Satisfied with the course, Mathew returned to the manor. He was to join his family for dinner and his elder brother Joseph, his younger sister Rosie, and his parents were waiting for him in the conservatory.

The young man entered the beautiful greenhouse where everyone was enjoying a sherry and discussing their day’s activities.

‘Hello Mathew. Were you successful in plotting a route for the hunt?’ asked his father.

‘Yes sir, I think we’ll have a very successful day.’

‘Excellent. Where on the estate will you be leading the hunters?’

‘We’ll follow the river to the stone bridge then cross over and enter the forest area. With luck, we’ll flush the little blighters out onto the moors where the dogs should be able to run them down.’

‘Well, that sounds like a good plan, in theory anyway.’

‘You sound a little sceptical, Father.’

‘Do I? I don’t mean to, but we all know how difficult it is to catch these cunning foxes.’

‘Yes, I understand, and I’ve organised some of the workers to go out in the early morning to stop up the holes of their dens. That should force the wily creatures to find shelter above ground during the day. That will make it easier for the hounds to track them.’

‘Clever thinking, Mathew.’

‘What time do we start out?’ asked Joseph.

‘We will all meet here at the manor ready to begin the hunt at eleven.’

Joseph nodded and turned to their sister. ‘I assume you’ll be joining us, Rosie?’

‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world.’

‘What about you, Mother? Will you be joining Father in the hunt?

‘I’m afraid not, son. My fox hunting days are well over.’

November 16, 1855

At 11 a.m. a hundred and fifty riders assembled, with over fifty hounds.

Mathew, being Master of Hounds, was in charge of the hunt; supervising the field, the hounds, and staff. The huntsmen, who had bred the hounds and worked with them, took charge of the pack during the hunt.

When Mathew was satisfied that all was in order, he instructed the huntsmen to lead the pack of hounds out over the estate’s meadows, hoping to flush out a fox. When the fox was flushed out into the open, the group would pursue their quarry with the huntsman and the hunting party. The field would follow at a gallop and watch the hounds chase down the fox. When the animal was cornered, the hounds took over.

In this particular case the fox eluded the hunters, the riders and hounds returned to the manor house without the trophy they sought. Waiting for the group was a banquet of food and drink on the lawns of Abernethy Manor. Mathew was congratulated by the former Master of Hounds, his father Lord Abernethy, for the excellent hunt despite the lack of success.

June 23, 1856

Lord Abernethy was sitting in his office, which was adjacent to the manor’s extensive library.

He was waiting for his son to meet with him as arranged the previous day.

Mathew entered the office, wondering what the purpose of the meeting was. It was unusual to receive a summons from his father. They usually talked at dinner or when working around the estate.

‘Ah, Mathew, please take a seat. Can I pour you a whisky?’

‘Yes thank you, sir.’

Lord Abernethy poured two generous malt whiskies from a 16^th century decanter, and added, ‘I suppose you’re wondering why I asked you here.’

‘Well, yes, I don’t believe I’ve done anything wrong.’

‘Of course you haven’t! I just thought it was time to discuss your future.’

‘My future?’

‘As you are aware, Joseph as the eldest son will inherit my title and the entire estate. Your mother and I want to make sure that you are in a position to build your personal wealth.’

‘Thank you, sir. What are you proposing?’

‘What do you know about Australia?’

‘Well, I know it’s on the other side of the world.’

‘True, it is certainly a long way from here. However, it offers great promise of prosperity. It is rich in resources, including gold, and boasts the highest standard of living of anywhere on the globe.’

‘Father, are you proposing I immigrate to Australia?’

‘I am suggesting it; there is no pressure whatsoever. I will bequeath you £25,000 (Equivalent to $3,500,000 in 2016) to establish yourself.’

‘That’s a significant amount of money.’

‘Yes, it is, more than enough to create a very comfortable life in the colonies.’

‘Do I have a choice, Father?’

‘Yes, you do, but the money will not be available to you if you decide to stay. Understand, Mathew, it’s not that we want to get rid of you. Your mother and I love you. It’s just that we think this would give you an enormous opportunity to create your personal wealth.’

‘May I think about it?’

‘Certainly, take your time.’

Mathew decided he had no other choice, so he accepted his parent’s offer and made preparations to sail to Australia.