Then the Palace had sent an invitation for me to escort his daughter. I can take a hint.
I made a phone call of my own to the Palace and asked for the number of the Duke of Suttonham. They readily had it available for me, so readily I wondered if my call was expected.
It wasn’t the same number as the one for Pamela. I guess hard up doesn’t mean only one phone line in the castle.
The Duke was brought to the line. I introduced myself and asked if I could have an appointment tomorrow. We set it for ten am, I asked that Pamela did not know I would be there, or that I was even there.
He asked why and I told him that I didn’t want anything to influence our going to the Ball. He agreed though acted puzzled. He should have been, I still wasn’t sure if my idea would work.
On Saturday I was at his house on time. His house was remarkably similar to Ludlow Castle. In other words, it was not a house at all but a fortress that could be lived in.
It was a mammoth building on over a thousand acres of the beautiful English countryside. I could see why he fought to retain it.
He welcomed me with a solemn reserve. I didn’t blame him. I really hoped I had read everything correctly.
He was a ramrod straight thin man with iron-grey hair. He looked to be in his early seventies which would be right since he was fifty when he had his daughter.
His looks were those of a Colonel of the Infantry, which he had been. I could see him charging tanks which he had done during the War. I would have to look up his citation for the Victoria Cross.
After we settled down in a reception room that had probably seen Henry VIII, and a coffee order placed, he asked: “What can I do for you, Sir Richard?”
“I think it is what I can do for you.”
“Let me tell you what I think has happened. You have some very powerful people who wish you well, but they cannot be seen to be involved.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Let me share with you what I think I know about your situation.”
I then proceeded to tell him everything my Grand Mum had told me.”
“That is all true but I don’t see your part in this.”
“I’m about to make you a very large loan with no conditions.”
You could see the hope flair in his eyes, then die.
“You can’t have that much money.”
“I have enough.”
“It would take over ten million pounds to settle my problems.”
“I have that.”
“A child of your age.”
“If it were a hundred million pounds I have it.”
“Unbelievable.”
“Bear with me and assume I have it. You can check with my banker after you hear me out.”
“All right, but this is mind-blowing.”
“I would like to loan the money to pay off the liens the Spanish government has on your properties. As soon as the liens are settled you sell me the properties for enough to settle your encumbered debt.”
“The sale price of the Spanish properties will cover the debt and leave operating money for the next five years. That should be enough time to get things completely turned around.”
“Why would you do such a thing, the Spanish properties aren’t worth that much. Nine million at the most.”
“To put it simply I could use the tax loss and it helps me support people who I admire greatly.”
“Who is that?”
“I received an invitation to escort your daughter Pamela to a Ball. It came from the Palace. When I called your daughter, she wasn’t rude, she was dismissive.”
He looked uncomfortable at that statement.
“I decided to find out what I was getting into. When I asked my Grand Mum to borrow her Bentley she wanted all the details. She then called Queen Mary and asked about you.
“Queen Mary gave her all the information, but she really emphasized your Victoria Cross and how you turned your life around in spite of terrible tragedy.”
“I think I can take a hint the Royal family knew how I would react to this so they started the process by sending the invitation, which was really a Royal command.”
“I know about those,” he grumped.
I wonder what ones he had received?
“Frankly I wasn’t impressed with my interaction with your daughter. I understand her position in Society is all that she has, but I felt like a piece of furniture being moved around. I don’t want her to have a sudden change and think of me as the one with money who will solve all her problems.”
“You don’t appear to know anything about my background but I am a relatively famous actor and have had many unpleasant experiences with women. I don’t care for another.”
“Now I have to do my homework. Would I know of any of your movies?”
“Sir Nickalous, Bandits of Sherwood, and most recently, ‘Across the Ohio”.
“You’re that Richard Jackson?”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“This is richer than you know, Pamela thinks you are some puffed up Knight pulled in for duty at the Ball. She has one of your movie posters in her bedroom.”
“Let’s surprise her.”
“I’m going to love this. You are right about her attitude but with so much go wrong in our lives I haven’t had the heart to try to change her.”
“Now Sir Richard this is awkward but may we place a call to your bank.”
I gave him the bank’s and my personal banker's name. It was Saturday but the number I
