Why indeed.
“Right, then. Let’s discuss what you’ve read,” Bram said before Ambrose could speak again, which was probably agood thing, as it did not take much for him and Tilly to start an argument.
“Captain Sinclair and his family run a mill, or more specifically, he purchased it, and it is now run by veterans,” Ellen said.
“Yes, and I believe that in order for people to prosper, they must be invested in what they do,” Bram said.
“These papers tell of other ventures that have been successful, and most are run by the Sinclair and Raven families,” Ram said.
“So many people simply exist. They work endless hours in harrowing conditions, and that is their life until they die,” Leo said. “We need initiatives that can improve on that, like what Captain Sinclair has done.”
“And us too. We have done this with the factory and the bakery,” Ellen said.
“Agreed, but I want to embark on bigger projects now we have the money to do so. I’m not entirely sure in which direction, but that is where you all come in,” Bram said.
“There is a large plot of land in the East End that currently has three rickety buildings on it. I think that would make an excellent location for a housing complex,” Leo said. “It is near one of the worst slums in London, and I think it could cause change for many living in hardship.”
“Well then, I think we must inspect this land and see if it is suitable before we decide if it is the right direction for us to take,” Bram said.
“I will get Larson onto that. He is an excellent architect,” Alex added.
“I have another proposition for you all,” Charles said. “The Bircheris about to be sold, and Cambridge Sinclair has no wish to purchase it, as he already owns three newspapers. I think we should purchase it, and then we could use it topromote the poor. Help our causes and rally people to donate.”
Charles was now part-owner and ranThe Tuba, one of Cambridge’s newspapers. Ambrose found his interest piqued about the possibility of having a newspaper in their families.
“We’re not giving it a musical name, are we?” Ellen asked.
“Bircheris an odd name, though, don’t you think?” Violet said.
“Bring us the figures, Charles, and we will look at it,” Bram said.
“Just what the family needs, a newspaper to create more chaos,” Mungo muttered.
“The Flugelhorn,” Tilly said suddenly.
“Absolutely not,” Gray said. “It surely has to beThe Trombone?” He winked at Tilly, and she smiled back.
“Personally, I think we should move on to string instruments and go withThe Lute,” Ambrose said.
She shot him a look, smile still in place, and he felt the impact hard in his chest. Tilly rarely smiled at him. He returned the gesture, and when she turned away, it was like the room had suddenly gone dark.
Anna, the child who hadn’t been born into the Nightingale household, burst into the room with her elder sister Matilda.
“The games have been called!” she shrieked.
“Absolutely not,” Ambrose declared, heading for the door.
It was Tilly’s tsk that stopped him.
CHAPTER 10
Ambrose had been lured into participating in the Crabbett Close games before. Since that day, he’d managed to avoid them, but today he was not so lucky. Correction, Tilly’s tsking, had been enough to have him following the others out of number 11.
“What the bloody hell do you think you are doing, woman?”
These words had come from Ram, who was now stalking across the grassed area in the middle of the street, where all Crabbett Close activities took place, from what Ambrose could ascertain.
Squinting, Ambrose saw Flora, Ram’s wife. She was wandering around slowly, chatting to people. Her belly was enormous now, her baby clearly due any day.