The Travels of Anadrasata Nearabhigan: Day 21 Extras
Of course things are still happening in the Caitus dh'Lhong space! Admittedly most of that is forensic accounting, including the type where you have to find the ledgers in the first place and the type where you have to work out what phrases in the ledgers are code for what exactly....
Anyway, for your delectation here are two fly-on-the wall snippets running to a total of 1,177 words. I hope that you enjoy them.
Index Page.
"I don't understand why young Fhyailain hasn't taken her children home to her parents," said the Marquess to his solicitor. The professional gentleman, dressed in a sober dark green coat over a brown and pewter waistcoat, had arrived at Lhong Hall to brief his noble client on recent developments. The ructions of Caitus dh'Lhong, a younger nephew, being caught at what he was doing were spreading as the extent of those doings was uncovered.
"That is down to me, my lord," the solicitor told him. "I advised Mrs dh'Khaigaign to on no account give up her residence in the marital home. The marital home that it is specified in her marriage settlements that her husband will provide for her. I have also advised her to sue her husband for separation of the funds settled on her and their children as part of the marriage settlements from his own funds."
"You advised her to sue her own husband?" The Marquess was genuinely shocked. "Is that even possible?"
"It is if the plaintiff has genuine cause to believe that the terms of the marriage settlement contract have not been honoured, my lord." The solicitor was grave. "It is a shocking thing, of course. However, one of the penalties for a conviction of corruption as an official, which is what Mr dh'Khaigaign has been charged with, is confiscation of the convicted official's assets. Mrs dh'Khaigaign's bringing suit on behalf of herself and their children establishes at least the possibility of a pre-existing claim to Mr dh'Khaigaign's assets - one that legal precedent says the Throne and Sceptre must respect, and which must be settled before any asset of Mr dh'Khaigaign's can be seized."
"But does she have genuine cause?" The Marquess remembered that the family's standard clauses for the protection of daughters' portions had been included in Fhyailain dh'Khaigaign's marriage settlements. "Her funds, and those set aside for her daughters, were specified to be held in consols."
"Mr dh'Khaigaign is the primary trustee," pointed out the solicitor, "and examination of his accounts suggests that he has invested a considerable sum with Caitus dh'Lhong. A sufficiently large sum that it cannot be accounted for by his salary from his position with the governor's office or the additional stipend he allegedly received from your nephew for unspecified services." He gave the Marquess a significant look.
"Then it is possible that he may have liquidated some or all of the consol holdings to invest in Caitus' enterprises." The Marquess briefly closed his eyes and then opened them again before he asked, "How much stock does he own and what return is he getting on it?"
"That's the next thing, my lord. It isn't clear what, exactly, he received in exchange for his investment. Normally, I would approach Caitus dh'Lhong's own legal representative to check the papers, but that gentleman had renounced your nephew as a client and no-one else has yet taken on that work. As your legal adviser, I would strongly recommend that any legal agreements you might have with Mr Caitus dh'Lhong, or his various companies, be reviewed so that your position is quite clear."
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Mr Rhaisail dh'Lhong, second cousin to Caitus dh'Lhong, was being interviewed by the Imperial Auditor who had spent a day and a half going through his accounts. Instead of talking in the estate office, Mr dh'Lhong had chosen to be interviewed in his favourite sitting room, the one that had been redecorated in an unfussy modern style with clean lines and soothing colours. The two men had a tea tray between them, and they were seated comfortably on self-coloured brocade seats that toned with but did not match the walls. "I am impressed by the state of your books, Mr dh'Lhong," the auditor began.
Rhaisail dh'Lhong poured him a cup of tea, he was using one of the good tea sets of near transparent Bhairial china, and replied, "Thank you. Do you take sugar, Mr Nairaingh?" He had made sure to learn the man's name.
"Half a teaspoon and a splash of milk, please." Mr Bhyrdain Nairaingh accepted the blue patterned cup and saucer from his host and waited for the man to prepare his own cup of tea before asking, "Given the overarching cause of these investigations and Mr Caitus dh'Lhong's local reputation for making money, I was interested to find that you haven't invested with him. Did he like to keep family and business separate?"
The Mr dh'Lhong sitting opposite him sipped his tea, then replied, "Oh, Cousin Caitus offered me several opportunities to invest in his ventures, but I was never completely comfortable with his offered terms, so I declined them."
Mr Nairaingh sipped his own tea while he thought for a moment, then he asked, "May I ask what about his terms wasn't comfortable?"
Rhaisail dh'Lhong flashed his auditor a smile and said, "You may. Firstly, Cousin Caitus is family and there was a substantial sum involved each time - money I didn't believe I could afford to lose. Those investments going sour would have had familial ramifications. Secondly, Cousin Caitus and I are the same age, and I remember very clearly what he was like when we were younger - he never saw anything wrong with taking advantage of those he considers to be inferior to him in any way. I also remember what he said when my best and dearest friend died in a riding accident a few years ago, so I have a fair idea of what he says about me behind my back." Grief etched his face for a moment and Mr Nairaingh realised that Rhaisail dh'Lhong dressed like a man still on the cusp of mourning, properly and soberly, without the extravagances of fashion. "Finally, it wasn't clear from the draft contracts he provided, what I would be receiving in return for my investment. Oh, terms were set out clearly in the first few paragraphs, but once you read deeply into the paragraphs on the second page where all the provisos were, it was hard to see if I would actually own anything or receive any dividends. And if neither I, nor my man of business, nor my solicitor can tell what I will receive in return for my consideration, the only thing on the first page that wasn't written around with weasel clauses on the second page, then I am not affixing my signature and seal to the third page." He drank some more tea, then asked, "Would you like a sandwich or some scones? My cook has a good hand with scones."
Mr Nairaingh leant forward to examine the tray more carefully, without spilling his tea. "Is that brilltberry jam?" he asked.
"Yes, it's through all the internal hedgerows on the home farm. It's written into the lease that I supply the sugar and the fresh jars, while Mrs Tuaithain, the farmer's wife, makes the jam from the berries that her family pick, and we split the jam between us." He smiled at the auditor. "It's definitely homemade. just not made in my home."