Page 27 of Sweet Siren
"Townhouses? That's not like you to show interest in home development. And Hove? That little town outside Brighton? It'sinsignificant."
"Very soon, it won't be. The population of Brighton has doubled in the past forty years since the trains began running fromLondon."
Pierce frowned. "The area along the south coast has not prospered since the early part of this century when the Prince of Wales built the Royal Pavilion. Queen Victoria prefers Osborne House to the seaside and she even sold the Pavilion, contents and all, to the Brighton Cityfathers."
"But the English, like Americans, favor seaside vacations for health benefits. The town will continue to grow. I'm sure of it. I want a piece of that growth. You might too, so I hoped you'd look at these and give me yourassessment."
"Father, you know what I'm interested in. City development. Country estates with rich land gonebankrupt."
"You're a good judge of a bargain, Pierce. Besides, every town does need newhousing."
"You've never been interested in building houses." Pierce scrutinized him. "Whynow?"
Since I concluded it's the only way to get Olivia Bereston to talk to me."Variety in investments is a good idea. You have said the same. I ask you to hold your conclusions until you see the property and hear my generalplan."
* * *
Gerald Carruthers was a genial sort,tried and true Englishman, rotund, pink-cheeked and jolly. "Now this land is offered for sale by a different owner than the plot of half finished townhouses," the man informed Pierce. Killian had learned who the owner was months ago. "Eager to sell, heis."
Killian placed his hands on the ledge of the medieval ruins facing the sea. The stones, once part of a Dominican monastery, surrounded an earthen terrace framing the blue waters where the Atlantic Ocean met the English Channel. Ivy and lichen climbed the old stones. Protected from the winds off the coast, wild flowers sprouted at the base around hisfeet.
Inhaling the briny sea air, he leaned out to sea and recalled the morning he and his sister had climbed aboard a rickety ship in the port of Waterford. Colleen had enough money for their passage, saved from her barmaid wages in the local pub. With their father and mother gone the year before, she sought to buy a better life for herself and Killian. And she had. Their accommodations had been steerage, a spare berth in a damp and moldy ship, packed to the gills with other Irish in rags eager to change theirfutures.
"I say, Father," Pierce said, shaking his head, "why would you want this parcel? Ten acres is too small to build any townhouse crescent. Aside from this view of the ocean, it adjoins only craggy farmland. Not even fit for sheep, I'dsay."
"I wouldn't want this as a development property. I like the view. The air. The seclusion. Especially this—" He pointed to the four eight-foot-tallarches.
"They're remains of a twelfth century monastery," Carruthers said with pride. "Some say a few Knights Templar hid here in the fourteen hundreds when they were chased from France by one of their kings. Brought gold with them and buried it on the grounds. Many a man has dug here about but no one's ever foundit."
"Intriguing bit," Pierce said, though Killian smiled that his son was unimpressed by the lure of easy money. "Unusual, Father. But what do you mean to do withit?"
"Improve it." Killian strode along the rough-hewn granite arches. Cluttered with seaweed and errant weeds, the glossy rocks could do with pruning. "Landscaping to clear the detritus. Level it. Place flagstones and create a terrace to sit and contemplate thewater."
Pierce snorted. "I do believe you're turning mellow onme."
Orsenile.
Gerald Carruthers laughed politely. "It's a stunning site, forfair."
"Who owns the land?" Pierceasked.
Killian laughed to himself.Caught.
"The Savage estate," Carrutherssaid.
"Is that so?" Pierce asked with a sideways glance at Killian and crossed his arms. "I've met Lord Savage in town. He's done the rounds of banks, I hear. In search of liens against hisestate."
"The young lord," Carruthers said with careful diplomacy, "does indeed seek readycash."
"This plot is not entailed?" Pierce pursued the line of logic. "He can sell thislegally?"
"He can," Carruthers said with certainty. "When he inherited six years ago, it's my understanding, the Savage estate was already indebted. Poor landmanagement."
"Aren't they all that way," Pierce mourned. Then he walked around Killian and faced him. "You like this because it's on thecoast?"
"Ido."
Pierce inhaled and turned in a complete circle to view the environs. "Hmm. It's secluded now, but civilization may encroach. Why not buy that acreage there as well?" He pointed toward the land to the west and the stony beach, empty save for one elderly fisherman who struggled to haul his small rigashore.
