Cadiston – A New Beginning

Preface


The Mandaten family are making the final arrangements for their big annual event which is to take place at the weekend. They have all been summoned to the Manor to discuss certain aspects of the continuance of the Mandaten family dynasty. One and a half hours after the last member of the family had driven through the gates, they were all sitting in silence around the dinner table.
Mandaten Manor had been the family seat since the Norman conquest back in 1066 when the Baron Louis François Mandaten arrived in England with William. Generations later, the head of the family, Lord Lionel Mandaten, is seriously ill and has been told that he has just a few months of life remaining and, knowing this, the time is short to announce his successor. There are fourteen family members present at the table and there is an uneasy air as they eye each other with suspicion, knowing that the time will soon be here to lay their father to rest. Though ill, he still sits at the head of the table with his wife, Florence, sitting at the other end facing him. At the table sit the two daughtwers and three sons with their respective wives and husbands. The Mandatens have two girls and one set of boy twins and a younger brother.There is also the adopted son who they have a disliking for and his wife.The four grandchildren are due to arrive on Thursday 25th.
The household comprises three housemaids; two footmen, and a very old butler, Mister Bradinham. In the kitchen are two cooks, accompanied by three helpers, all overseen by the housekeeper who is the butler’s wife. The stables and livestock are controlled by the Livestock manager, whose wife, is the head cook, he is assisted by their sons. Running the farm and living in the Manor farmhouse is the arable farm manager. His wife is the second of the cooks, he is assisted by their three sons. They have one daughter, who also works in the kitchen. These families have all worked faithfully through the generations for the Mandatens and at eighty-five, the old butler has been the longest-serving current employee and has been with them for sixty-four of his eighty-five years. Alongside him, and always close at hand, is his faithful wife. The rest of the staff range from five to thirty years respectively.
The three sons eagerly await to hear who will become the next Lord Mandaten, all of which have a plan to achieve this and ensure it is they who will inherit the Manor, its land, and the amassed fortune, with evil eyes they watch each other all were wondering who would be the one to be crowned the next Lord Mandaten and after that to inherit everything, it would take time and patience was not one of their strongpoints.



Chapter One - The Family Dinner


The gates to Mandaten Manor stood wide open, waiting for the arrival of the family who had been summoned to arrive early by their father, Lord Louie Mandaten. The livestock managers son, Jeremiah, had reluctantly left the stables and waited patiently at the gates for the family members to arrive before he could close and secure them.
The first car to arrive was that of the twins: Malcolm, accompanied by his wife, Greta, and his brother Grant, accompanied by his wife, Bonnie. There was no mistaking the friction between them as Jerimiah could hear the arguing even as the car sped past him. “No change there then, always arguing and getting at each other it is no wonder that they do not kill each other, they have everything where there are so many people that have so little and they are never satisfied. The best one is their adopted brother, Chadrick. He is so different from the other three, now there is a real gent.” Whispered Jeremiah. Thirty minutes behind them, in separate vehicles, came the two daughters: Lizabeth with her husband Tomas in their Rolls Royce, followed by Sammie with her husband Walter in their Jaguar. It was all they could do to greet Jeremiah with a wave.
“And hello to you as well, (Jeremiah mouthed and almost put his fingers up but thought better of it, they were now well past and well out of earshot so his voice was raised.) snobs! That is what you lot are, not a bit like your parents – now there is a real Lady and Gentleman. One more to arrive in my reckoning. Hope they get here soon because I want to get back to my mare, she is due to foal at any time now and I want to be there when that happens.” Jeremiah heard the vehicle coming down the private road long before he saw it and was surprised when a taxi drove slowly through the gates he was quick to step in front of the vehicle, it immediately pulled up. The instant that he saw who its passengers were, he was quick to apologise, “Sorry Master Chadrick, Miss Demmie, I did not realise that it would be you in a taxi. Hello ma’am it is good to see you both again.” “You too, Jeremiah, are the others here?”
“Master Kevin and his wife have been here three days, everyone else has arrived in the last hour and a half, you are the last, sir.” “Drop the sir please, Jeremiah, and the master, I have said it before, just call me Chadrick or even Chad. The others may but I do not want any formality or standing on ceremony and neither does my wife, do you Demmie?” She did not reply but gave a long stare of indignation at this statement. It was noticed by Jerimiah but missed by Chadrick. “Now a personal question for you, how is Star doing? Has she foaled yet?” “Any time now, sir, sorry Chad.” “Then my friend, we will get out of this taxi and walk from here so that the gates can be closed and locked, then you can get back to her.” “But it’s a tidy step up to the Manor.”
“Not a problem my friend, (Chad was quickly out of the taxi and handing over the fare to the driver, Demmie relucktantly followed him.) anyhow, a good walk will do us both good and give us a chance to stretch our legs after all the sitting to get here.” Demmie threw a look of disagreement but Chad was out of the taxi with their cases from the boot, the driver was paid so she had no choice. “Now then without argument, you get away to your mare my friend and we will close the gates for you”. “But I –”
“No, but Jeremiah, get on that horse and be away with you and let us know when the foal is born”.
“God bless you both and thank you Chad, you are a real gent.” In seconds Jeremiah had mounted his waiting horse and was galloping away. The taxi reversed and with the gates closed and secured, Chad and Demmie began their long walk up to the Manor.
“Glad we decided to travel light and only have one small suitcase each.” Said Chad “I bet that your brothers and sisters have a lot more luggage than this and even if they did not, they would not make this long walk.” Demmie said grudgingly then added. “Ten pounds bet on the luggage.” “Cannot do that my dear because what is mine is yours and what is yours is mine.” Replied Demmie slyly, “True, and that is one of the reasons that I love you, we share everything equally. You are not a bit like my sisters or brothers, they are filled with greed and out for all they want and can get and now that father is seriously ill, they will be even more at each other with their bickering and wanting to cut everyone’s throat as they continue with their fighting to gain the title of Lord in fact, I am surprised that they haven’t killed each other this far as they each stand in the others way.”
“They are welcome to all this wealth and grandeur Chad, we may not be rich but we are comfortable and I am quite happy with our simple way of missing, thank you.” He smiled and although he said nothing, he sensed an air of falseness in her statement. “You do not want me to be the Lord of the Manor then?”
“You Chad?” She shook her head and laughed quite loudly, “Most definitely not you, well the very thought.” He sensed something truthful in her reply but did not challenge it. “Well anyhow, I don’t think that there is any chance of that, besides, the title usually goes to the eldest son and that is Malcolm by four minutes and fifteen seconds over his twin Grant according to what has been said.” Remarked Chad, “And Grant should be the one to have it all.”
“Grant hmm, tell me Demmie, why do you say Grant”? She answered without a seconds hesitation. “No reason other than otherwise it will go to Malcolm and not to Kevin.” He thought her answer was extremely strange so he asked again, “Why do you say Grant should be the one?” This time she hesitated before replying, “No reason, just a name slip I guess,” “Well, you can be sure that he will want it over the other two and I can guess that they each have a plan to gain the title so there will be a lot of rivalry and animosity between them. Even the two sisters will want a bite of the cherry because they all want to have the title and all that goes with it, it is just a simple matter of who father thinks will be the best suited for the role.” “Will they physically fight each other for the role?” “You can bet on it and knowing them it could turn particulary violent.”
“You do not count yourself in the running then and do not come into the equation?” “I am not of Mandaten blood so that counts me out straight away and either sister would only stand to inherit if there were no male heirs to bare the title. They are both filled with greed and I feel very sorry for Tomas and Walter, it is just as well that they did have fortunes of their own thanks to Father, although they are sinking and in the current climate, they will need to appraise their businesses.” “Not like us then?”
“Not like us, having too much causes problems and I can well do without them, what do you say?” “Well, let me think, with all that wealth I would wear designer clothes and there would be no more work or having to do the washing, cooking or any housework at all, I would have staff at my beck and call … Umm, now that would be really lovely, oh how I want that.” He glanced at her, a bit surprised at her answer and again felt that it carried a note of truth, and then she produced a forced half-smiled. “Only kidding, it would all be far too much to handle anyway, we are fine as we are.” “We sure are but for a minute there I thought you were being serious.” He looked ahead just as her face changed into a full smile. He noticed that she was beginning to tire so he tried to give some encouragement. “Well, there she is, Demmie, there stands the good old homestead Mandaten Manor. She looks very impressive and you will not need to walk much further as we are almost there.”
They must have been observed walking up the long drive because waiting at the front door were both footmen and as they approached, Alfred disappeared. “It is good to see you both again. Come right in, now let me take your cases and show you to your room.” “Good to see you, Jonas.” Walking up the long staircase, they continued to chat, “The Sir Lowel Mandaten suite?” “Just so, it is ready for you and as we observed you walking up the long drive, we timed it to let Katrine know so she will have a hot bath already run for you, she will be your maid for your stay. Dinner will be served at seven-thirty sharp and as you know his Lordship does not like to be kept waiting.” “Thank you for reminding me, Jonas, Father was always a stickler for punctuality, I guess that comes from his days in the army.” Arriving at the Lowel suite, they were greeted by Alfred. “Welcome home Chad, Demmie, everything is ready for you, this is your room key although I have never known the doors to be locked and we hope you both enjoy your stay.” “Thank you and I can safely say that it will not be as enjoyable as three months ago with Father being taken so suddenly ill.”
“Very true Chad and it did come on extremely suddenly, one day he was absolutely fine and even went for a long ride on Thundist, then in the evening started to feel unwell. The next day he was rushed off to hospital but if I may speak out of turn?” “Just between us then.”
“He has had a good life, although tough at times and my grandfather served in his regiment during the great war and was sadly lost at Pashendale, the were both young but went anyhow and your father has reached his ninety-seventh year and it seems to me that he will just go on and not roll over and die, definitely a tough old cuss if you will excuse the saying.” “Just between us, you are perfectly right, Alfred, and I for one wish that life would allow it to be so and he could go on forever.” “You are a good man, Chad, not a bit like your three brothers and we would all be more than happy to serve under you if it were you who was our next Lord.” “Thank you for that Alfred but not possible as I am not a Mandaten by birth. I have a hard job to understand their way of thinking, maybe because I am from a different stable but that is the greed in them.” “As far as we are concerned and that is all of us that work here, you are a pure true blood Mandaten.” “Thank you for that, Jonas, and the time is ticking so now we had better get a move on.” “Us too, Chad, so we will leave you now as we have to finish preparing the dinner table.” They both turned and left.
Demmie shook her head as though in despair, “Goodness gracious, you amaze me how you talk to the staff the hired help and allow them to talk to you, surely there should be some sense of decorum between you and them. From the moment that we came through the gates and you spoke to Jeremiah, you told him no formality or standing on ceremony and I felt that it makes you just like them. To my mind, to an outsider nothing more than just one of the employed personnel, it may be alright for you but for me, I do not like that. I guess in your mind it does not really matter what anyone thinks. You told him not to call you master or sir so do you not think that you should be a little bit better than that and rise up a bit more so that they know that you are above them to ensure that they know their lowly station?” He sensed a touch of anger and snobbery in her voice and that was something he had not experienced before. “Not at all Demmie and I am surprised that you should say such a thing because like them is just what I am my darling woman, I have no visions of grandeur and I have never and will never consider myself any better than they are. Lord Mandaten, as you know, adopted me minutes after my birth and he is the only father that I have ever known and his wife the only mother, and that in my book makes me no better than any of the members of staff that are employed here or, come to that, those that we employ. They are all working for a living just as we are, the only difference is that we run our own business and they work for us and my mother and father.” He shook his head in total disbelief at what she had said. “Hmm, of course, you are right Chad, it just seems so strange to hear you speak to them on the same level, your brothers or sisters would not accept it and, I dare say, neither would their respective wives or husbands.”
“True, they would not but I am not them. Besides, there is one who seems much different in their way of thinking and that is Malcolm’s young second wife, Greta. She is a very nice person and appreciates everything that she has but as for the rest of them, they always want more and think it is beneath them to treat the staff with respect. Plus, they have always been a bit above themselves. I, for one, will always treat everyone as a human being on the same playing field and not as they do – like a doormat to wipe their feet on. Our staff works hard for us and I always promised that as we made money through their endeavors, they, in turn, would make more through their wage packets and I have stuck to that.” “And if you had not paid them so much we would have a lot more”. “I told them they would do well and better as the business grew and that is my agreement with them and will not be changed”. She now sensed his anger so changed her direction. “That is why all the staff in our business and here at Mandaten like you because you treat them all with respect and they return it to you.” “You have to earn respect Demmie, it is not something that is just given. My father told me that a long while ago and that is why his soldiers liked him, and all the staff here like him and mother equally and that is why they have remained faithful to them for so many years. He has been a strict disciplinarian but because they have always been fair with all the staff they both have their respect.” “I know that it cannot be and will never happen but that fairness, I can see, would continue with you as the next Lord and in charge of the estate and all that is connected and goes along with it. But don’t you think you would be too soft on them and that they would take advantage of that? Now, your Brother Grant, on the other hand, is much stronger than the other two and he –” He could not understand her attitude and did not wish to discuss it further so he raised his hand to stop the conversation from progressing further. “Grant again, enough said on that subject and as I have already said I am not my brothers, plus, I am not a Mandaten so I do not come into the selection at all. Now we have less than an hour to get ready for dinner so into the bath with you before it gets cold.” She looked at him then with a scowl and attempted a curtsy and said sarcastically, “Yes my lord and master.” He tapped her across the bottom.
“Lord and master indeed, not me cheeky.”
She mumbled under her breath, “Too right you are not.”Right on time, the family had bathed and dressed, ready for their evening meal and observing protocol, took up their respective position at the dinner table, and were standing by their chairs, waiting for their parents to arrive. At precisely seven twenty-seven p.m. they walked in and immediately took up their seats, the footmen instantly slid the chair into place for them to sit. With a wave of the father’s hand, the family followed suit and the instant they were all seated, the first course arrived and was served.
“Have you remembered our daughter-in-law Bonnie’s nut allergy Bradinham”?
“We have, my Lady, and as before, cook Flora has prepared all her meal with the greatest of care.” “Thank you, Bradinham.” After grace was said, the meal began and there was complete silence while they consumed the first course as the rule of the house was ‘no talking whilst eating’. The moment that the cutlery was laid down, Malcolm broke the silence. “I find this all a waste of good money but why did you need to call us to be here today, Father? As you know, we are all busy finalising our own section of the arrangement for the weekend’s show, plus we normally arrive on a Thursday with the children, not the Monday so would that not have been soon enough?” “What gives you the right to question why Malcolm?” “As the eldest son and in line to be the next Lord, I would say that gives me the perfect right, Father.” “You presume much, Malcolm. Now that aside, I have asked you all to be here early because, as you are aware, I have been informed that my remaining days are limited and while I live, I must choose and nominate my successor to be the next Lord of the Manor. My will is already written bequeathing to those that I desire the things specifically for them to have. But the matter of who steps into my shoes is a totally separate issue and it is for that reason I have brought you together early so that I can have the time to make my decision.”
“Fair enough, Father, but as the eldest son, surely there should be no question at all as to who it should be and an easy decision to make as it is I that should automatically be the next Lord. And while I am on the subject, isn’t this all very grand, and do you not think that as costs are rising, this type of formal family gathering is a bit too costly and well outdated?” “You grow very bold, Malcolm, but while I still rule at Mandaten, it shall be so.” He glanced at the three sons, Malcolm and Grant and then Kevin. “You can be sure that I am fully aware of all your thoughts and I made a special point of knowing yours just because you are the eldest son and I do not like or agree with any of them.”