Since the end of May that year, the Department of the Environment had incorporated three government bodies at once: the Ministry of Public Building and Works, the Ministry of Transport, and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. The Department therefore administered a mixed portfolio covering housing and planning, local government, public buildings, environmental protection, and transport. In other words, the Secretary of State was effectively a minister, merely bearing a different title.
Richard made sure his appearance was impeccable: hair neatly arranged, an elegant suit, tie, and polished shoes. He looked every inch a true aristocrat. In the drawing room at 69 Grosvenor, the table had been laid for tea.
Before long, John escorted a stoutly built woman into the drawing room. Straight, vivid red hair framed her broad-cheekboned face with its pointed chin. Blue eyes swept attentively over Richard's adolescent figure.
The lady was fifty years old, though few would have put her above forty. She was dressed in a severe business style: a black trouser suit with white vertical stripes, the jacket's broad neckline revealing a generous but firm bust covered by a low-cut white blouse. Around her neck was a pearl necklace set with black diamonds, while expensive white-gold earrings bearing matching diamonds adorned her ears.
John announced the guest:
"Earl Grosvenor, Baroness Jowell has arrived—Lady Tessa Jane Helen Douglas Jowell."
"My Lady." Richard bowed politely according to every rule of etiquette and kissed the air above the lady's proffered hand. "I'm delighted to welcome you to my home. Please, make yourself comfortable. A charming necklace—it harmonises exquisitely with your beautiful eyes."
"Oh, Lord Grosvenor." Lady Jowell rolled her eyes theatrically. "Do spare me the verbal lacework. I get more than enough of that in the vipers' nest that, through some unfortunate misunderstanding, is called the Government."
"Tea?" Richie calmly invited the lady to take a seat at the table.
For some time afterwards, precisely that sort of verbal lacework continued: talk of the weather, the house, and the journey. In the end, their conversation on inconsequential matters lasted no less than half an hour.
The guest eventually decided that all the proper courtesies had been observed and that it might be a good idea to get down to business.
"My lord, Baron Deben mentioned that you had some important matter to discuss..."
"My Lady." Richard acknowledged this with the slightest dip of his chin. "Your opinion regarding one gentleman's land is important to me..."
"Is that so..." The Baroness raised her eyebrows questioningly.
Richard laid a map of the region on the table, with one particular estate outlined upon it.
"Malfoy Manor," he explained. "Baron Malfoy holds these lands by hereditary right and lives off the rents."
Tessa Jowell lowered her gaze to the map.
"Curious..." she drawled. "I've never heard of such a baron."
"A dangerous man. He prefers to keep out of sight."
Tessa looked closely at Richard, waiting for him to continue.
"Baron Malfoy's son attends the same exclusive private school as I do. Like any other boys, we've had our share of quarrels and fights."
The corners of the Baroness's lips began to rise.
"We had a scrap and that was that," Grosvenor continued. "Except Baron Malfoy... Hmm... Some time ago, he did something quite reprehensible. He decided to take revenge on me over a childish quarrel in a rather original fashion—by arranging an attempt on the life of the daughter of my company's director."
"An attempt on her life?!" The Baroness was no longer smiling. Her eyes had grown unnaturally wide.
"Regrettably, yes. An assassination attempt. That madman tried to kill an eleven-year-old girl by planting a poisoned diary on her, all for the sake of getting at me."
"A poisoned diary?!" The Baroness looked even more astonished. "What about Scotland Yard?"
"Impossible to prove. Besides, involving Scotland Yard in a dispute between aristocrats..."
"I understand, my lord. But this Malfoy—is he insane? Resorting to such filthy methods in this day and age..."
"According to Her Majesty's secret service, Lucius Malfoy was a member of a far-right terrorist organisation in his wild youth. Twelve years have passed since then, and the Baron has gone to great lengths to demonstrate that he has settled down. But dirty wool is hard to hide on a white coat."
"My lord, what about—"
Richard shook his head.
"My Lady, I would rather not involve Her Majesty in this matter. Such a course of action would undoubtedly cause a considerable public outcry, casting a stain upon the reputation of the aristocracy as a whole. Besides, this has become personal."
"My lord, speaking solely for myself, I am prepared to offer whatever assistance I can to punish such a scoundrel for bringing the entire aristocracy into disrepute. Just imagine—a poisoned diary in the twentieth century! If it were up to me, I'd strip such a villain of his barony!"
"Let's not be quite so drastic." The corners of Richard's lips turned upwards. He himself would have gladly stripped Malfoy of his title, but doing so was virtually impossible without serious grounds and the Queen's involvement. "For now, I merely want to give Baron Malfoy a hint about the short-sighted and reprehensible nature of his behaviour."
"A hint?" The Baroness raised her eyebrows theatrically, inviting him to elaborate.
Richie took the hint and continued:
"Deprive him of his income for a few years, so that Baron Malfoy remembers the lesson for a very long time."
Tessa fell silent in thought, tracing a finger over the map.
"The land is in a prestigious area. My lord, what sources of income does Baron Malfoy have?"
"My Lady, you may find this surprising, but he lives off the rent he collects from farmers."
The Baroness coughed. Or rather, she disguised a laugh as a cough.
"Land near Stonehenge, and he lives solely off rents from farmers?"
"Yes, Lady Jowell."
"Original!" Tessa didn't even bother hiding her broad smile. "In that case... Hmm... Something might be arranged."
"For example?"
"For instance"—a sly grin appeared on the red-haired woman's face—"it might suddenly be discovered that the radiation levels on the Malfoy Manor estate are unusually high. What a pity! People would have to be prohibited from living on the land for several years. Naturally"—she gave Richard a meaningful look—"the poor farmers would have to be compensated and relocated somewhere else."
(End of Chapter)
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