ã€ŠThe Lord Of Loonsburgã€‹


 Prologue

    It was another family function, the kind that usually bored the young man to tears. He tried his best to get out of it, but his mother wouldn¡¯t hear anything of it. His great aunts had been married to the church for seventy years, and that was something for their entire family to celebrate. His family was too busy to be actively religious, but whenever his great aunts had a worthwhile celebration with their times as nuns, they made the effort, and the young boy had no choice. Yet when he was at the big cathedral, his mother made the unfortunate mistake of allowing him to run off and play with his cousins before the ceremony. Every single child was dressed in their Sunday best, so the decision to permit the children to run off the play on their own was clearly an instance of poor judgement. The children were playing tag on the side of the cathedral, but they stopped their childish games when they discovered something that looked way cooler. There was a steep hill going from the cathedral down to the cemetery below, and the wet grass was cleaner than what one would see in any major baseball park. To any child looking at the steep hill, temptation was too great to resist.

    Even though this decision was just as negligent than the one to leave them unattended the children began to roll down the lush green hills, hooting and hollering all the way down. The kids managed to scale back up the lush green hill and tumble down a few more times before an adult finally realized what was going on and raised the parental alarm. Angry mothers came screaming out of the massive church, scolding their offspring as if they were caught over a body with a smoking gun in their hand. Their anger was quite justified as each kid that took the tumble has ruined their clothing, as their Sunday best was no longer white or gray but was greener than a Green Bay defensive line. Yet it was Wyatt Harris that was scolded the hardest as his suit by far the greenest, as he could have been mistaken for a giant pickle or a salesman for frozen vegetables. The young man never remembered his mother being quite so angry or furious than she was that day. She was so upset, she refused to let him sit with everyone during Great Aunt Mary¡¯s celebration, so she told him to go upstairs to the balcony and sit in time out. There was an upper gallery, and his mother could keep her eye on him whenever she wanted to. Rather than protest and use the whole everyone else was doing it defense, Wyatt took his punishment and walked up the stairs to the upper gallery of the cathedral. Yet when he got up there, he wasn¡¯t alone. There was an older man sitting up there, and he looked just as old as his great Aunt Mary.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± the old man said to him, letting out a small chuckle. ¡°I heard some angry voices. Seeing the grass stains in your suit, I have my answer to what all the commotion was about.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Wyatt said again, apologizing for what felt like the millionth time.

    ¡°For what?¡± the old man asked, ¡°For being a kid? For having fun?¡±

    ¡°If we¡¯re being honest here,¡± Wyatt added, ¡°Everyone was left unsupervised in their Sunday best.¡±

    ¡°That is quite true,¡± the old man concurred with a grin. ¡°Very true indeed.¡±

    It was at this point when a young man about in his mid-twenties came up the stairs to address the old man. He also seemed to take a respectful bow before speaking.

    ¡°My Lord,¡± the young man started, ¡°The ceremony is about to begin. Shall I help you to the front before it begins?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± the old man countered, ¡°Do you not see that I am already sitting?¡±

    ¡°But the ceremony¡­¡± the young man started.

    ¡°Sister Mary,¡± the old man interrupted, ¡°Who is actually my biological sister, is quite aware of how uncomfortable I am with large crowds. She knows I¡¯m up here and is alright with it. You should be too.¡±

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    ¡°My apologies, Lord Crawford,¡± the young man replied, ¡°I will be downstairs if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, my young chap.¡± Lord Crawford replied, ¡°That will be all.¡±

    The young man awkwardly bowed again and left the gallery. Wyatt turned back to look at the old man and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± The old man replied, trying to play dumb.

    ¡°The whole Lord thing,¡± Wyatt inquired, ¡°He was bowing too.¡±

    ¡°Oh that,¡± Lord Crawford said with a laugh, amused by what the young boy thought about the exchange. ¡°The young man was just being respectful of my title.¡±

    ¡°Your title?¡± Wyatt repeated.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Lord Crawford confirmed, ¡°I inherited the title of Lord from my father, who inherited it from someone else. I am Lord Robert Crawford of Loonsburg. And who might you be, my young fellow?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Wyatt Harris,¡± the boy answered, ¡°Sister Mary is my Great Aunt.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Lord Crawford said, musing over it. ¡°That makes you Julia¡¯s little man. Well, I am Sister Mary¡¯s older brother¡­ so that makes me your Great Uncle. Your grandmother is our little sister, the youngest of us all.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Wyatt said, impressed by the revelation. ¡°I didn¡¯t know we had a Lord in our family.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve kept a low profile,¡± Lord Crawford explained, ¡°Lords, Dukes and other royal titles are not as gushed over as they used to be. People are more hostile towards nobility as opposed to centuries past. It¡¯s looked down by some even.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too bad,¡± Wyatt replied, ¡°I think it¡¯s cool. Could I be a Lord one day?¡±

    The old man laughed at the young man¡¯s ambition. He had a warm smile that seemed quite genuine that didn¡¯t make Wyatt feel uncomfortable.

    ¡°It¡¯s entirely possible,¡± he confessed, ¡°but the title of Lordship is more than just a name, it¡¯s pretty much like a job, and it doesn¡¯t pay that much I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    ¡°What kind of job?¡± Wyatt asked, showing a strong curiosity.

    ¡°Loonsburg is a place,¡± the old man began to explain, ¡°The Lord of the land oversees things like fishing, hunting and even mining rights to the territory inherited. We¡¯re even like judges, as we can be called in to settle disputes out of court, like an arbitrator. I can even conduct weddings and declare holidays.¡±

    ¡°That is pretty neat,¡± Wyatt said, thinking more about it.

    ¡°Well young Wyatt,¡± Lord Crawford said, leaning in a bit closer, ¡°If you want to be a Lord, you have to prove yourself worthy of such a title.¡±

    ¡°How can I do that?¡± Wyatt asked, again curious.

    ¡°You must be respectful,¡± Lord Crawford answered, ¡°Not only of others but of yourself as well. Do well in school, venture out into the world and be kind to those you wish kindness from. Nobility is only given to those who already have it in their heart. If you conduct yourself better in life, you could be a Lord one day.¡±

    ¡°How do I respect myself?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°Respecting your own property would be a good start,¡± Lord Crawford suggested, as he gestured to the young man¡¯s green suit. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you can¡¯t have fun, but the respectful thing would be to wait until after the ceremony before taking a fun tumble down that hill. Far more respectful not only to your mother and Sister Mary, but yourself as well.¡±

    ¡°I think I understand,¡± Wyatt honestly replied.

    ¡°If you do not,¡± the old man said, ¡°You will one day. Ideas are like seeds, sometimes they need water and time to take root.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Wyatt said, working hard to comprehend.

    ¡°One moment,¡± he said to the young boy, ¡°The ceremony is beginning. Let¡¯s pay attention and show Sister Mary the respect she has clearly earned.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± Wyatt replied.

    Lord Crawford looked back at the boy and smiled before patting him in the back.

    ¡°Good man,¡± he softly said, and they both remained quiet for the remainder of the ceremony.

    It was a lovely display, that celebrated Sister Mary¡¯s long commitment to her church and the service of others and community. Something, Lord Crawford has said, was noble in itself. That one will never feel more noble when help others and doing what is clearly right. It was a statement that stuck with Wyatt for his entire life. He never saw Lord Crawford again after that ceremony, as at the time Wyatt was unaware how far the old man had traveled to see his sister. Loonsburg was far from where they were that day, on the other side of the ocean. An interesting detail that Wyatt Harris would not become aware of until fifteen years later.

 Chapter 1

    Life had never worked out as well for Wyatt as he would have preferred. Attending university left him with a piece of paper that was not useful in gaining better employment and took as much debt to attain than your average mortgage. Yet despite all that higher learning, Wyatt found himself at a call center trying to help old idiots get their internet back online. It wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s dream to be tech support for the elderly, but Wyatt often imagined how high tech the world could be when he got older, and it drove him to be supporting and helpful rather than judge his elders. By being friendly as well as outgoing in his support, Wyatt did what he could to guide the clients to the service they needed or booked a tech, usually in record time. He was never one to mosey around and move on to the next person who had a personal crisis going on because they couldn¡¯t access their social media of choice. He was sitting at his desk, talking to a client when she walked by, and he took a moment to glance but not stare. He had been crushing on someone named Monica at his workplace but despite her being nice to him, even Stevie Wonder could tell there was nothing going on there. Wyatt had gone on a few dates, but never really found someone who wanted to commit to something long term. Dream on, he would always tell himself after he watched her walk by, as Monica was nothing more than a pipe dream. Wish on one hand, and shit in the other was a term his friends would often tell him. Their cute way of telling him to move on and not obsess about shit he has no control of. Wyatt was just two days away from his twenty-fifth birthday, so he knew his friends were going to do something, but he had no idea what. Sometimes they¡¯d just take him out for a dinner or a movie, and sometimes they prank his ass to keep him on his toes. Wyatt had no idea what was going to happen this year, but he was determined to get ready for anything.

    He was sitting at his desk taking a call when his boss walked over to speak with him, gesturing to him.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Wyatt asked, after putting the client on hold.

    ¡°I need to speak with you,¡± his boss replied, ¡°Come to my office after this call.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°Almost done anyway, just be a sec.¡±

    Wyatt finished his call and calmly walked into his boss¡¯ office only to realize that not only was his boss there, but the floor manager as well. They asked him to close the door after he walked in, and he did so unsure what was going on.

    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± he calmly asked.

    ¡°Have a seat,¡± his boss replied, which wasn¡¯t an answer.

    ¡°We¡¯ve had to make some tough decisions,¡± the floor manager started, ¡°And we¡¯re letting you go.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Wyatt said, rather shocked by the revelation. ¡°I¡¯m being let go?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± his boss confirmed, standing behind the floor manager¡¯s chair.

    ¡°This has got to be a joke,¡± Wyatt replied, ¡°Who put you up to this?¡±

    ¡°This is no joke, Mr. Harris.¡± The manager said, ¡°You are being let go. Can you pack your desk quietly or should we call security?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Wyatt said, as the point was sinking in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to get upset?¡± his boss asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure why I¡¯m being let go.¡± Wyatt said, ¡°I¡¯ve been your top agent for the last few months and all last year. I¡¯m the best you have!¡±

    ¡°Numbers isn¡¯t everything,¡± the floor manager replied, contradicting years of saying the exact opposite from him at every floor meeting he attended.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Wyatt said, standing up. ¡°I¡¯ll go pack up.¡±

    With that, Wyatt walked out of the office and back to his own desk. There was nothing he could do to change their mind, so there was no point fighting it. The other agents as their desks watched in shock as Wyatt packed up his bags and emptied out his desk. Their shock was fueled by fear because Wyatt was one of their best and if his job wasn¡¯t safe¡­ no one¡¯s was. As he walked off the floor with his stuff, he could feel everyone¡¯s eyes on him and could hear the questions that were likely going around in their heads. What did he do? Had to be something big for them to ignore his record. Truth was Wyatt was still in shock and couldn¡¯t think of a reason why he was being let go. The statement his boss made about sales not being everything was about as amusing as it was total fucking bullshit. This place was always willing to spew that kind of hypocrisy as long as they got their way. So, no matter what was going on, Wyatt was content to be rid of their political crap and looked forward to life without this stressful and very ungrateful call center. His boss watched as Wyatt stepped onto the elevator and waved as the doors started to close.

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    ¡°Good luck,¡± his boss said to him.

    Wyatt smiled back, ¡°Go fuck yourself.¡±

    The doors closed before his boss could reply. The last thing Wyatt could see as the doors were closing was his shocked face. The call center has a no reference policy, so it wasn¡¯t like there as a reason to be polite. It felt weird heading home that early, but Wyatt didn¡¯t care as he strolled into his apartment and tossed all the stuff that he brought home onto the couch, and then crashed on the lazy boy by the television. He played some video games for a few hours on his PlayStation to clear his mind as he tried to forget about what happened earlier to expend his anger and hostility from the situation. Wyatt didn¡¯t have to worry about money, because had has been saving his bonus every month for a while and had banked some serious coin. He was going to use it to take a killer vacation that summer, but now it was his backup while he looked for new work or waited for unemployment to kick in.

    ¡°Felix,¡± Wyatt said, leaning on the bar, ¡°You look far too sober for my liking.¡±

    ¡°Wyatt Harris!¡± Felix said with a look of surprise when he turned to see who was addressing him. ¡°What dare I ask are you doing here on Wednesday night?¡±

    ¡°Does a man need a reason to drink with a friend?¡± Wyatt retort.

    ¡°Never,¡± Felix replied, ¡°But isn¡¯t it a school night?¡±

    ¡°Not anymore,¡± Wyatt said, taking a deep breath. ¡°I was let go today.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Felix said, with a serious look on face.

    ¡°Really?¡± Wyatt said, stunned. ¡°I got fired.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit,¡± Felix chided back, ¡°Despite your talent for helping morons reconnect to the net, that kind of work environment is unhealthy for that frail little noodle between your ears. I¡¯m unsure what you should do, but we are not meant to be seated at cubicles, doing time for the man for a meager penance. It¡¯s just degrading!¡±

    ¡°Holy crap Felix,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°Don¡¯t hold back¡­ let me know how you really feel about the subject.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Felix insisted, ¡°You deserve better. I have no idea what that is, but almost anything is better than using a phone for eight straight hours a day, trying to solve problems and upsell shit to the masses.¡±

    ¡°I get the point,¡± Wyatt replied, ¡°But I just left. I¡¯m not worried about what I want to do next and would prefer to get some drink on and blow off some steam. The future and what I do next will still be lingering over my head tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Good attitude!¡± Felix concurred as he slammed the bar with an open hand. ¡°We need another round! We¡¯ll be here all night!¡±

    ¡°We close at three,¡± the bartender said as he served the two men their drinks.

    ¡°Then we¡¯re here till three!¡± Wyatt as he raised his glass, starting off what would be a long night of getting smashed beyond all recognition.

    ¡°I am,¡± Wyatt confirmed, ¡°I¡¯ve got nowhere to be tomorrow and have a lot of steam to blow off. Let¡¯s paint the town!¡±

    That is exactly what the two men did, as they partied deep into the night and until last call. Wyatt wasn¡¯t known for this kind of behavior, but he wasn¡¯t going to work the next day and it wasn¡¯t every day that happened to him. His problems and his lack of employment would still be there the next day and tonight was about having fun and trying to forget about everything for one night. Wyatt wasn¡¯t running away from his problems rather than just taking a break and would return to them with a fresh mind and a little less stress after spending a whole night with buds blowing off a serious amount of steam. When the bar eventually closed, Wyatt was eager to hit a place that was opened later, but Felix lied about it. He told his sloshed friend that all bars had to close at three by law and that no other place was open. Felix dragged his friend him, opened the door for him and tossed Wyatt into his bed. Making sure his lightweight friend was laying on his side to prevent choking, Felix locked up and crashed on the couch just to make sure his friend was alright. He knew this was a rare occurrence, as Wyatt was usually better than him. Losing his job without a reason drove his desire to drown his sorrows with alcohol, but it was never the answer. Felix would be there for him in the morning, to help with the hangover and make breakfast for his friend. It was the least he could do for a bud that was down on his luck and needing a friend. He knew Wyatt would do the same for him, which was why Felix held back when drinking that night. He could tell Wyatt was on a bender and might need some help, and he didn¡¯t see anyone else around. So, fate have selected Felix, and he had to step up. Wyatt did the same for him awhile back and it was only fitting he get an opportunity to return the favor. He checked in on his friend one more time to make sure he was alright and smiled to see he was fine.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry bud,¡± Felix whispered from behind the door, ¡°I got your back. We¡¯ll get through this together. Sleep well and enjoy that incoming hangover.¡±

    As Felix turned off the ringer on his phone, dropped it on the coffee table, and crashed on the couch which was a lot more comfortable than it looked. He soon closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, unaware of what was going to happen the next day. As his old man would say, it would be something right out of left field.

 Chapter 2

    Felix was the first to wake and after he checked up on Wyatt to make sure he was alright, he let his buddy sleep in. One of the only benefits to being let go, there was no job to be late for the next day. Felix kept himself busy that morning, cleaning the dishes in the sink, sweeping the floor, and even doing a bit of dusting. He was cooking something up for breakfast when Wyatt eventually emerged from his bedroom with a look on his face that told his friend how awful his hangover was. Wyatt walked into the bathroom without saying a word and washed up, brushed his teeth and took a long pee before finally coming back out and into the kitchen. ¡°You crashed here?¡± Wyatt asked, realizing Felix was there.

    ¡°That¡¯s what friends do,¡± Felix said, as he poured a cup of coffee from the pet he brewed up. ¡°You needed help and I wanted to make sure you got home safe.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Wyatt said, taking the coffee. ¡°I don¡¯t remember very much.¡±

    ¡°No problem, good buddy.¡± Felix said, smiling. ¡°That¡¯s what social media is for. If you still had a job, you would have been fired today anyway after all the crazy shit we did last night.¡±

    ¡°It was that bad?¡± Wyatt asked, groaning as he took another sip.

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t.¡± Felix replied, ¡°I was there to keep you in check. You did it when I was down, I was more than happy to return the favor.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I appreciate that.¡± Wyatt said, thinking about it. ¡°And why didn¡¯t you cut loose with me? That¡¯s why I went to find you.¡±

    ¡°Common sense,¡± Felix answered, as he passed his friend a plate of food that was some softly scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, and toast that was crunchy but not burnt. ¡°You were on a tear, and I knew if I joined you, we¡¯d both be in lock up right now waiting for our arraignment instead of eating this lovely breakfast. I like to think I made the right decision.¡±

    ¡°You did, I should have known better.¡± Wyatt said, showing regret.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go there,¡± Felix scolded him, ¡°You were fired, and you needed to blow off some steam. I¡¯ve been there and I understood. Now that you got it out of your system, you can brush yourself off and get back on that horse!¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Wyatt disagreed, ¡°I want to take a few days off, not to just blow off steam either. To collect myself and really think about what I wanted to do next.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Felix concurred, ¡°Clear your head and not make any rash decisions while the pain and emotions are still fresh. I like it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still young,¡± Wyatt started, ¡°I could use my savings and go back to school.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Felix replied, surprised a bit by that. ¡°Have you seen the state of universities these days? All whiney social justice snowflakes. I don¡¯t think I could handle four minutes of that, let alone a few years of post-grad.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, good point,¡± Wyatt said, as he continued eating his breakfast. ¡°Maybe I could do a trade, and learn a good employable skill?¡±

    ¡°No offense, bud.¡± Felix said, trying not to laugh in his face. ¡°But you and Manuel don¡¯t get along that well.¡±

    ¡°Manuel?¡± Wyatt repeated as he didn¡¯t get the reference.

    ¡°As in Manuel Labor,¡± Felix added, ¡°You¡¯re not a laborer, man. That means a trade would not work out that well¡­ not unless you¡¯re willing to get your ass kicked by a lifetime of hard, honest work.¡±

    ¡°Another good point,¡± Wyatt said, gnawing on a piece of bacon. ¡°I might be okay with that, but maybe we should take a breather. Like you said, not make decisions too quickly and think things through.¡±

    ¡°A wise decision,¡± Felix said, as he served his own meal. ¡°But let¡¯s not wait too long, last thing I want is you crashing on my couch next time.¡±

    ¡°Not going to happen,¡± Wyatt informed him, ¡°I had been banking all my bonuses and I¡¯ve got a good bit saved to hold out a while if I need to. I might lose the chance to take a sweet vacation, but I hadn¡¯t planned anything yet.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short,¡± Felix countered, ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t have to cancel your trip. You could still travel.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but I might pass.¡± Wyatt responded, ¡°I¡¯m in the mood to just take things easy, relax, and collect myself. The last thing I want is something else to get dumped onto my lap. I need to be left alone and have a chance to regroup. Let¡¯s cut our losses before things get worse.¡±

    Just as Wyatt said that there was a loud knock at the door. The two men looked at each other then back at the door.

    ¡°Are you expecting someone?¡± Felix asked.

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    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Wyatt answered, ¡°Usually I¡¯m at work this time of day, so I¡¯d probably say no.¡±

    ¡°Hello!¡± Felix called out.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Wyatt whispered, slapping his friend on the arm. ¡°What if it¡¯s the cops, coming to get us from something we did last night?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Felix replied, ¡°And no, you didn¡¯t do anything that bad.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°Positive,¡± Felix replied, ¡°I was sober as shit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Wyatt apologized.

    ¡°Shit happens.¡± Felix said, ¡°Sometimes gotta you take one for the team.¡±

    ¡°Thanks man,¡± Wyatt said.

    ¡°No problemo, Kemosabe.¡± Felix said, looking back at the door.

    ¡°So,¡± Wyatt started, ¡°What do we do about this person?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Felix replied.

    ¡°I can hear you,¡± a voice called out from behind the door. ¡°It¡¯s very rude to not open the door for guests.¡±

    ¡°This is the city, man.¡± Felix countered, ¡°We don¡¯t open the door unless we¡¯re absolutely sure about who¡¯s on the other side. City folks are known for being a paranoid bunch, and for good reason.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± The man on the other side said, ¡°Then I shall wait here until your paranoia resolves itself.¡±

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Wyatt called out, ¡°And what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°My name is Gerald Witherspoon,¡± the voice replied, ¡°And I¡¯m here to speak to someone named Wyatt Sebastian Harris.¡±

    ¡°Sebastian?¡± Felix said, with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°What?¡± Wyatt said, shrugging it off. ¡°My Dad loved that name because he was a huge fan of the Neverending Story¡­¡±

    ¡°But the kid in the movie was named Bastian,¡± Felix said.

    ¡°Which is short for Sebastian,¡± Wyatt added.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know that.¡± Felix admitted.

    ¡°Mom liked it for other reasons,¡± Wyatt continued, ¡°She was a huge fan of Skid Row¡­¡±

    ¡°Too much, dude.¡± Felix said, holding up a hand to stop him.

    ¡°I agree,¡± the voice outside agreed, ¡°T.M.I., good Sir.¡±

    ¡°Gerald,¡± Wyatt finally called out, ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°To see Wyatt Harris,¡± he repeated, ¡°It is urgent that I speak with him, as it concerns his great uncle; Lord Crawford of Loonsburg.¡±

    ¡°Lord Crawford?¡± Felix said, looking back at Wyatt. ¡°Dude, you never told me that your Great Uncle was a Lord of something.¡±

    Wyatt shrugged as he thought about it for a moment. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about it that much. To be honest, it¡¯s been almost ten years since the last time I saw him.¡±

    ¡°Then what is this about?¡± Felix asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s find out,¡± Wyatt said was he walked away to the door and opened it up. Standing outside the door was a young man that looked to only be a few years older than Wyatt. He was cleaned up, wearing glasses, and had a rather spiffy suit. He was carrying an attach¨¦ case and was smiling as the door opened.

    ¡°Wyatt Harris?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Wyatt said, reaching out to shake his hand. ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Gerald. Please, come in.¡±

    Wyatt watched as the well-dressed man strolled in and closed the door after. He watched as Gerald walked into what was the living room and took one off the single chairs that was available, leaving the couch the other men to occupy.

    ¡°I do not come bearing good news.¡± Gerald started, ¡°And I must apologize for being the bearer of such sadness.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°Your great uncle has passed away.¡± Gerald answered, ¡°He died peacefully in his sleep and without any attention, as he wanted it to be.¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± Wyatt said as the news finally hit like a sucker punch to the gut. He hadn¡¯t seen the old man in a long time, and honestly, he was surprised the old fart had even lasted this long. Quite impressive when Wyatt realized he hadn¡¯t seen the old man since Great Aunt Mary¡¯s service to mark her anniversary. That event was over ten years ago, but he remembered speaking to him like it was yesterday.

    ¡°Sorry to hear that man,¡± Felix finally replied, ¡°No matter how little or how much you know someone¡­ losing family sucks.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Gerald concurred, ¡°His loss was quite devastating to many. His lordship was a great man that was admired by many.¡±

    ¡°What exactly was he the Lord of again?¡± Felix asked.

    ¡°He was Lord of Loonsburg,¡± Gerald answered, ¡°This township covers a rather impressive piece of territory on the southern region of Ireland.¡±

    ¡°Ireland?¡± Wyatt repeated, surprised. ¡°I had no idea he was an Irish Lord.¡±

    ¡°How the hell did he become a Lord?¡± Felix then asked, ¡°How does anyone?¡±

    ¡°The title was created by the crown,¡± Gerald explained, ¡°A reward the monarch gives to a person who has served them well, as well as for service and loyalty. Once that title is created, it is passed down through the family tree from one generation to the next until there is no one left to inherit it or if the crown revokes it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty cool,¡± Felix said, learning something new.

    ¡°It is,¡± Wyatt agreed, ¡°But why are you here to see me?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Gerald started, ¡°I¡¯m unsure how well you knew your great uncle, but you are listed in his final will and testament. You are only one of three people mentioned. You see his lordship only married once, but his wife passed away before they could have any children. He never remarried and has no descendant.¡±

    ¡°So, that means it¡¯s all over?¡± Felix asked.

    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡± Gerald said as he reached into his case and pulled out a single small envelope. ¡°I am instructed to give you this to read. It will answer your questions.¡±

    Wyatt took the letter and opened it. It was a letter from his late great uncle. The old man had kept in touch with his mother over the years, and even helped her out whenever she needed it since it was hard raising Wyatt by herself without his father. Her uncle had always been supportive of her career in nursing, to the point where he even covered her tuition and has been a part of their lives for a very long time though he was mostly out of sight. Wyatt then got to the end of the letter and stared at it and what it told him. The old man kept tabs on his throughout his life after they had met in the church, and he had deemed Wyatt worthy based on what he had seen. Wyatt stopped reading and looked up at Gerald.

    ¡°Have you read this?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I typed it out for him while he dictated it to me.¡± Gerald answered. ¡°So yes, I know exactly what it says.¡±

    ¡°What does it say?¡± Felix asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± Wyatt said, looking back at his friend.

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Gerald agreed. ¡°Do you need something, a drink maybe?¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Felix interrupted, ¡°What is going on?¡±

    ¡°He left it to me,¡± Wyatt answered. ¡°He actually left it to me.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean what I think it means?¡± Felix asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Gerald answered, ¡°Wyatt Harris, you have inherited your Great Uncle¡¯s title and all that comes with it. You are the new Lord of Loonsburg.¡±

 Chapter 3

    Wyatt needed a drink but instead chose to grab a fresh glass of orange juice from the fridge. He stood there in the kitchen and thought about the news he was just given. Not only about the passing of his Great Uncle, but also the inheritance. It was all a little overwhelming, but he needed time to think and collect his thoughts. While he still in the kitchen of his apartment, he could still hear Felix and Gerald talking about what was going on in the living room. While his first instinct was to ask Felix to be quiet, he like that his friend was asking questions which allowed him to sit back and take in more information without having to pry it out himself. He resumed nibbling on his breakfast while listening to the two men exchange words.

    ¡°What exactly is a Lord?¡± Felix asked, ¡°What kind of position is it?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s an appellation of a person to moral authority,¡± Gerald answered, ¡°A Lord is entrusted with control and power over the people, the resources and many other things within their appointed territory. They basically are like a chief, a master, or even a ruler in some cases. It¡¯s almost like being a mayor, but the person who is in charge is given the title rather than elected to the position.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty deep,¡± Felix continued, ¡°Isn¡¯t this process of inheriting authority over a people and where they live a bit tyrannical? Isn¡¯t the UK a democracy?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Gerald continued, ¡°Many townships have let go of their lordships, going about the usual democratic process of electing their leaders. Yet there are still some small areas that have refused to let go of their traditions, mostly because some towns can¡¯t afford to form and pay for their own municipal governments. With small populations, sometimes that task is redundant, so they went with the Lordship who performed all those things at a substantially lower cost to the town.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unbelievable.¡± Wyatt said, as he walked back into the living room, ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that I inherited a job to run a small town?¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like you were doing anything!¡± Felix reminded him, ¡°You did just get fired from your old job.¡±

    ¡°You did?¡± Gerald said, as this was the first, he was hearing of it. ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea,¡± Wyatt honestly answered, ¡°If you find out, let me know.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Gerald said, ¡°That takes care of one of my bigger tasks.¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°Well, I was going to ask you to quit your job.¡± Gerald answered, ¡°I had a really good letter written up too, about honor and duty. Shame I can¡¯t give it since you don¡¯t have a job to quit anymore.¡±

    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you didn¡¯t.¡± Gerald said, smiling back. ¡°Yet your first duty as the new Lord is urgent, which is arrangements for the wake, funeral, and burial of the previous Lord. This event is going to last almost a week and is going to begin a few days from now in the township of Loonsburg.¡±

    ¡°In Ireland?¡± Felix added.

    ¡°Yes, in Ireland.¡± Gerald confirmed.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°I¡¯ve never been there before. I don¡¯t think that I¡¯ve ever left this side of the planet actually.¡±

    ¡°Always a first time for everything,¡± Gerald said as he stood up. ¡°I can make all the arrangements for you. Expenses will be covered by the office of his Lordship as well as the estate.¡±

    ¡°So, should I start packing now?¡± Wyatt suggested.

    ¡°Just a few bags,¡± Gerald replied, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to take care of the rest.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Wyatt said, as he turned to face Felix. ¡°You coming along?¡±

    ¡°To Ireland?¡± Felix winced a bit, ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie, I¡¯m not good with funerals. I¡¯ve got some stuff to do here too. I¡¯ll meet up with you later in the week when it¡¯s all squared away.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Wyatt said, as he understood. He remembered Felix detailing that he didn¡¯t enjoy attending funerals of any kind. So, at least he was consistent. ¡°Come down when you can, and I¡¯ll get an extra room booked at the same hotel.¡±

    ¡°There won¡¯t be a hotel.¡± Gerald corrected, ¡°You¡¯ll be staying at the manor.¡±

    ¡°The manor?¡± Wyatt repeated.

    ¡°His Lordship resides there, and that is also where town business is conducted.¡± Gerald explained. ¡°Mediations, town papers, filings, and what not. There happens to be living quarters for both your grace and your workers.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°My workers?¡±

    ¡°How many workers do I have?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°Not too many,¡± Gerald replied, ¡°About a dozen.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Wyatt said, thinking about it. ¡°When shall I met them?¡±

    ¡°Your Grace has already met one.¡± Gerald said, smiling back. ¡°I¡¯m your personal assistant. I worked with Lord Crawford for over several years, and it was my honor to do so. One of his last acts was to resign me to an extension so that my ability to assist you was secure and you wouldn¡¯t have to do this alone.¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°That was nice of him,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°And how long was that extension?¡±

    ¡°Five years,¡± Gerald replied, ¡°After which you can resign me again if you are satisfied with my performance, my Lord.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s going to take some getting used to,¡± Wyatt said, noticing how Gerald ended that last phrase with is new title. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. I¡¯ll start packing, and no, I don¡¯t need any help. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Gerald said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait out here.¡±

    Wyatt packed two bags, a big suitcase for most of his clothes, and a carry-on bag for his laptop, meds and other small essentials he didn¡¯t want to lose in his regular bag if it accidentally got tossed onto the wrong plane. He also packed a suit, figuring he¡¯d have to wear something nice for the service. He considered calling his mom, but he didn¡¯t talk to her that much. He didn¡¯t get along with his step-dad, and while he didn¡¯t like her guy, they were happy and in the end that¡¯s all that mattered. Wyatt was sure someone else in the family would cover that anyway. Considering what a cheapskate her husband was, it was doubtful they¡¯d make the trip to Ireland. That was one thing he was hoping would benefit him that time out, as he didn¡¯t feel like putting up with the folks at a funeral. Seeing them was gloomy enough. Once he was packed up, Wyatt returned to the living room where Gerald was waiting for him. He looked back at him and the few bags.

    ¡°What?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re wearing blue jeans, your lordship.¡± Gerald replied, ¡°I don¡¯t I need to explain how that¡¯s not going to work¡­ at least not in public.¡±

    Wyatt looked back at him and sighed. He knew Gerald was right, and he couldn¡¯t dress like he was a going on vacation, he had to dress reasonably well because he was now a lord. Wyatt went back into the bedroom and grabbed a pair of beige kakis, brown shoes, and a very nice white dress shirt. He walked back out into the living room and the smile on Gerald¡¯s face meant he approved of the new attire.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget your passport.¡± Gerald reminded him.

    ¡°Good call,¡± Wyatt said, as he had forgotten to pack it.

    Felix was at the door, and Wyatt passed him the keys.

    ¡°Lock up when you take off, and no parties.¡± He told his friend.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to behave.¡± Felix replied, ¡°Have fun in Ireland.¡±

    Wyatt was going to call for a taxi, but then realized Gerald had a car downstairs waiting for them as he held the door for him. Once inside the lush town car, they were whisked off for the airport. Once they arrived at the terminal, both Gerald and the driver took Wyatt¡¯s bags and brought them over to check in for him. Gerald walked over to him with an open hand.

    ¡°Passport, my lord.¡± He softly asked.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Wyatt said, handing it over to Gerald. He watched as Gerald walked up to the counter and processed the airline ticket for him. He watched as Gerald not only passed the clerk at the counter a business card, but also tipped the person rather well before taking their boarding passes and walking back over to meet up with him.

    ¡°We¡¯re all taken care of,¡± Gerald informed him, ¡°Two first class tickets to Dublin, Ireland. Our flight takes off in about two hours.¡±

    ¡°Alright, so what do we do until then?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s best to get through security first,¡± Gerald suggested, ¡°And then from there we¡¯ll grab something to eat, just to avoid eating on the flight.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take them long to get through security, and even find their gate. They had more than an hour to spare once they took a seat at their gate, and Wyatt was more than content to relax and wait while Gerald seemed eager to keep busy.

    ¡°There¡¯s a pretty decent caf¨¦ not far from here,¡± Gerald said, looking back at Wyatt, ¡°How do you take your coffee, my lord?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to stop calling me that are you?¡± Wyatt asked, as it felt weird to hear someone call him by his new title.

    ¡°Never, my lord.¡± Gerald defiantly answered. ¡°You are my boss, and I respect your position by using and respecting your official title. But let¡¯s focus for the time being. What do you take in your coffee, your grace?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t drink coffee,¡± Wyatt answered, ¡°I prefer tea. Two sugars, and milk. I can¡¯t stand cr¨¨me, so get milk or nothing please.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± Gerald said, taking note of that.

    ¡°What is?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later,¡± Gerald said, avoiding it for the moment. ¡°What about something to eat? Sandwich? Wrap? Burrito?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a croissant with egg, cheese and sausage.¡± Wyatt said, reaching for his wallet to pay for it.

    ¡°It¡¯s covered my lord,¡± Gerald said as he held up a hand to stop him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thanks.¡± Wyatt said, putting his wallet away.

    ¡°I shall not be long, your lordship.¡± Gerald said, giving a slight bow before walking away to the caf¨¦ to fetch food and drink.

    Wyatt sighed and sank into his seat, slouching a bit as he couldn¡¯t believe what was going on. The day before he was at work doing his normal thing. Taking calls and selling phone services, and now he was waiting to board a flight to Ireland, and he was the Lord of a territory. This was all just happening too quickly, and he was feeling a little overwhelmed. He was going to spend some time in a new country, meet new people and learn a new job on the fly. It was going to be a rather difficult week. Wyatt folded his arms and was tempted to take a nap, but he had only closed his eyes for a few moments when something happened.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± a young woman sitting across from him stated. She was quite an attractive lady, with long flowing blonde hair and blue eyes. Wyatt couldn¡¯t help but sit up when he realized she was talking to him. ¡°But what¡¯s that guy¡¯s problem?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°I mean the bowing,¡± she replied, ¡°The whole your lordship thing.¡±

    ¡°I know it looks weird,¡± Wyatt confessed, ¡°I¡¯m not used to it either.¡±

    ¡°Are you flying to Ireland?¡± she asked him.

    ¡°Yes, my first time.¡± Wyatt answered, ¡°I heard it¡¯s nice.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± the lady assured him, ¡°Going for business or pleasure?¡±

    ¡°Family business,¡± Wyatt answered, ¡°Going to attend a funeral.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± she said, ¡°Who passed on?¡±

    ¡°My great uncle,¡± Wyatt said.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Gerald said as he returned with the tea and sandwich, and he was glaring at the woman with suspicion. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Well, my name is Olivia.¡± the woman replied.

    ¡°Well Olivia, are you a member of the media?¡± Gerald said, defensive of anyone asking his lordship any questions.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Olivia said, as she grabbed her bags, ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    As she walked away, Gerald looked back at Wyatt who was already looking at him with a face that didn¡¯t seem too impressed.

    ¡°What is it, my lord?¡± Gerald asked.

    ¡°Are you going to demand press credentials from every cute girl that wants to talk to me?¡± Wyatt asked, as he didn¡¯t really appreciate the interruption.

    ¡°No, your grace.¡± Gerald said, passing the sandwich and tea to Wyatt. ¡°She was well dressed and had a press feel about her. I might have been a little too aggressive, so I offer my sincerest apologies. I didn¡¯t want you to be bombarded with questions before we had a chance to go over some press cards.¡±

    ¡°Press cards?¡± Wyatt repeated.

    ¡°Yes, I made up a few answers to remember.¡± Gerald said, patting the inside of his suit jacket. ¡°Just in case you are approached by media while in Ireland. I thought we¡¯d have time during our flight to review a few.¡±

    ¡°Maybe after the movie,¡± Wyatt said, as he wasn¡¯t looking forward to it.

 Chapter 4

    Wyatt watched a movie and had something to eat, and the food was nowhere near as bad as Gerald had advertised. While his new assistant was sleeping, Wyatt took a moment to read the cue cards that he had filled out, answers to specific questions should someone in the media try to speak with him. The answers were pretty basic and diplomatic, and while they looked cheesy, he took a moment to read through them and go over the answers a few times. It wasn¡¯t until a few hours into the flight that Wyatt decided to relax and try to sleep a few hours himself. Turns out he snoozed for the rest of the flight as he was jolted awake by turbulence that the plane experienced while in their decent to Dublin. After clearing the sleep from his eyes and stretching a bit, he turned to see a smiling Gerard looking back at him.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± He replied, ¡°We should be on the ground shortly.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re never going to give up on this Lord thing, are you?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°Never, my Lord.¡± Gerard said, smiling again. ¡°I have too much respect for the position that signs the cheques. I also happen to believe it¡¯s good to set an example for others to respect your title as well. A whole monkey see monkey do mentality.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Wyatt conceded, as he didn¡¯t feel like debating is any further.

    As the departed the plane and entered the terminal Gerard had tried to take his passport again after Wyatt had filled out his information as they were landing, but this time Wyatt refused to hand it over.

    ¡°Is something wrong, my Lord?¡± Gerard asked.

    ¡°I am capable of checking myself through customs, thank you.¡± Wyatt said, ¡°But if you want to be helpful, you can go through customs first and skip ahead to baggage to grab our stuff.¡±

    ¡°Very well, your grace.¡± Gerard said, as he took the spot in front of Wyatt.

    They both waited for decent amount of time as the passengers ahead of them were being processed. Gerard was already through by the time Wyatt walked up to the counter and handed over has paperwork and his passport. The person looked at it, and then back at Wyatt.

    ¡°Reason for entering Ireland?¡± the man asked.

    ¡°Personal,¡± Wyatt answered, ¡°Attending the funeral of a family member.¡±

    ¡°Sorry for your loss,¡± the man replied, ¡°How long will you be staying here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m honestly not sure,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°But if it¡¯s longer than a few weeks, I will file the proper paperwork to adjust my stay.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± the man said, stamping his papers before handing them over. ¡°Welcome to Ireland.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Wyatt said, taking the papers back before walking away.

    Wyatt followed the signs to walk towards baggage and while he was walking, he stopped a few times to quickly look at some gift shops. He had considered buying something for his mother but passed on them. As he walked up to the section of the baggage claims that had his flight listed, all the passengers were still standing there as their luggage hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Wyatt wasn¡¯t very surprised, as he expected international luggage to be just as timely as any other airports he visited. Gerard was there checking his watch as Wyatt walked up.

    ¡°We¡¯re not late for anything, are we?¡± Wyatt asked as he came to a stop beside his personal assistant.

    ¡°No,¡± Gerard replied, ¡°But I was hoping to have our bags by the time his lordship arrived so we could quickly leave.¡±

    ¡°Relax Gerard,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°As long as none of our bags go missing, I don¡¯t mind waiting a little extra time.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Gerard said, taking a deep breath. ¡°I just wanted to get on the road soon, as it will take us a few hours to drive to Loonsburg.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± an older lady said, as she turned away from the luggage carrier to face then, ¡°Did you say you were going to Loonsburg?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Gerard said, ¡°We are.¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to have any room in your transport?¡± the lady asked, who looked to be around what Wyatt thought was his mom¡¯s age. ¡°I was going to take the bus from here but that will take double the time as it stops in a few towns on the way there. The bus can be rather tedious, especially when traveling alone.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s just you,¡± Wyatt said as he spoke first, ¡°Then we¡¯d be happy to help you out, wouldn¡¯t we Gerard?¡±

    Gerard paused for a moment, but quickly realized his new Lordship wasn¡¯t exactly asking for permission or approval. ¡°Of course, we would. No trouble at all. We have plenty of space.¡±

    ¡°Why thank you!¡± the lady replied, happy to hear the news. ¡°I only have one bag coming, so I won¡¯t take up too much space. Can I at least chip in for gas?¡±

    ¡°Not necessary,¡± Wyatt insisted, ¡°We¡¯re happy to help out.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the lady said as she extended her hand, ¡°I¡¯m Margaret Coffey.¡±

    ¡°Wyatt Harris,¡± Wyatt said, as he softly shook her hard. ¡°A pleasure to make your acquaintance Ms. Coffey.¡±

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    ¡°That¡¯s Mrs. Coffey actually,¡± the lady corrected him. ¡°But it is a pleasure to meet you both.¡±

    As she said that, the caravan started up and people¡¯s luggage started to slowly file out of the wall for them to collect. Gerard was too quick as he managed to grab his and Wyatt¡¯s bag before anyone else could get them. Wyatt didn¡¯t mind as he used his free hands to grab Mrs. Coffey¡¯s bag and the two of them followed Gerard out into the parking lot and to the big black car that was waiting for them. It wasn¡¯t a limo, but it was very fancy looking town car that thankfully did have more than enough space as long as Gerard sat up front with the driver. As they approached the car, the driver stepped out and helped Gerard with the bags. Wyatt put the bag he was carrying down and opened the door for Mrs. Coffey. Just as Wyatt closed the door, he was about to walk around the car to get in on the other side when he bumped into the driver who was already bowing.

    ¡°A pleasure to meet his Lordship,¡± the driver said, ¡°I am Eugene, and I will be taking care of your grace¡¯s travel.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you Eugene,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°Gerard will be sitting up front with you, we have an extra passenger who we will be helping get home to Loonsburg. We¡¯ll be dropping her off first before heading to the manor.¡±

    ¡°Of course, my Lord.¡± Eugene said, bowing again.

    Wyatt was going to say something but decided not to waste his time. For the time being he was going to have to get used to be called a Lord. He opened the door before Eugene and Gerard could do it for him and stepped into the car and sat down beside Mrs. Coffey. Once the luggage was backed and the two men were in the front seats, Eugene started the car and sped off away from the airport. It took them only a few minutes to find the road they were looking for and the highway they would use to drive out towards Loonsburg.

    ¡°Is Loonsburg right off the highway?¡± Wyatt asked, curious about the trip.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Eugene answered, ¡°We will have a short ride on the backroads off the highway; about two thirds of the way there.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Mrs. Coffey confirmed, ¡°But the scenic trip is quite wonderful. The sites are very beautiful, like they¡¯re right out of a post card.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to seeing it,¡± Wyatt said as he sat back and relaxed.

    Everyone relaxed as the car quietly sped along and made its way towards their eventual destination. About a half hour into their trip, Wyatt sat back and rested his head and even fell asleep. When he came to, Wyatt looked at his watch to realize almost two hours had passed, so they had to be closing in on Loonsburg, since they were now off the highway. He shifted a bit in his seat and rubbed his eyes to focus on the new backdrop.

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± Eugene said from the front.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Wyatt replied. ¡°It is very beautiful. Just like a postcard.¡±

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve never seen it before,¡± Mrs. Coffey presumed, ¡°I take it this is your first trip to Loonsburg?¡±

    ¡°First time in Ireland,¡± Wyatt answered, ¡°I wish it was under better circumstances, as I¡¯m here to attend a funeral.¡±

    ¡°Oh dear,¡± Mrs. Coffey said, surprised to hear that. ¡°I¡¯ve been away for a few weeks visiting my sister. Who passed away?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it was his Lordship,¡± Gerard answered, ¡°Lord Robert Crawford.¡±

    ¡°Oh my,¡± Mrs. Coffey said as she hadn¡¯t heard the news, ¡°And how do you know the dearly departed?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m his nephew,¡± Wyatt replied, ¡°Great nephew, to be precise.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to hear about your loss,¡± Mrs. Coffey said, before looking over at Gerard, ¡°I thought you looked for familiar, you used to work for his Lordship.¡±

    ¡°I still do,¡± Gerard corrected her. ¡°I¡¯m working for the new Lord now.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a new lord already?¡± Mrs. Coffey asked.

    ¡°The lordship was transferred by inheritance.¡± Gerard informed her, ¡°It was delivered early this morning.¡±

    ¡°How was it received?¡± Mrs. Coffey asked.

    ¡°You could ask him yourself,¡± Gerard said with a smile, ¡°His Lordship is sitting right beside you.¡±

    Mrs. Coffey turned to face Wyatt with a shocked look on his face. ¡°You?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± Wyatt replied, smiling back at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mrs. Coffey softly apologized, taking a deep breath to compose herself. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to act so surprised.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°I was just as surprised to hear the news myself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say you were,¡± Mrs. Coffey agreed, ¡°Especially since you¡¯re not used to such formalities where you¡¯re from.¡±

    ¡°I am not,¡± Wyatt confirmed, ¡°Just hearing people call me by the title is going to take some getting used to.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Mrs. Coffey said, ¡°Robert never liked it too, but he understood how cherished traditions are in Loonsburg.¡±

    ¡°Are you still on Forest Lane, Mrs. Coffey?¡± Eugene called from the front.

    ¡°I am,¡± the old lady confirmed. ¡°Good memory.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be there in a few moments.¡± Eugene informed her, ¡°We¡¯re just getting into town now.¡±

    Moments later, they pulled over to a street that was just on the outskirts of town to drop off Mrs. Coffey. Gerald got out and fetched her bag from the trunk while Wyatt helped her out of the car.

    ¡°It was a pleasure to meet his lordship.¡± Mrs. Coffey said with a smile, ¡°And thank you for the lift.¡±

    ¡°It was our pleasure,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°Have a nice day, ma¡¯am.¡±

    They watched the old lady walked back into her house before getting back into the car and resuming their ride into town. Wyatt was about to ask Gerald something about his uncle when there was a loud popping sound, and the car veered from side to side for a moment. Eugene managed to regain control and slowly puttered to the correct side of the road. Eugene had considered pulling right over but noticed a lot right up ahead. So, he puttered on for just a few seconds more before pulling into the lot to get them completely off the road. Everyone stepped out of the car to survey the damage which was one of the back wheels being completely flat.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll just grab the spare.¡± Gerald said.

    ¡°There is no spare,¡± Eugene said, ¡°I left it behind because I thought you were going to bring a lot of luggage with you.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Gerald said, sounds a tad frustrated. ¡°We¡¯re stuck out here?¡±

    ¡°Calm down, mate.¡± Eugene said, ¡°I¡¯ll call someone on the mobile and they¡¯ll be out here in two shakes. No biggie.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°No need to get all worked up. We¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that we¡¯re so close.¡± Gerald said.

    ¡°How close are we talking?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°You see that trail?¡± Gerald said, pointing at a path that started at the end of the lot. ¡°That¡¯s the hiking trail and it leads right back into town.¡±

    ¡°How long does it take to walk back into town?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°About twenty or thirty minutes,¡± Eugene answered, ¡°Depending on how fast or slow a person walks it.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a wonderful idea,¡± Wyatt said, looking at the path. ¡°I could use a nice walk to stretch my legs. After the long flight and drive, I wouldn¡¯t mind a chance to walk off the stiffness.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going for a hike?¡± Gerald asked.

    ¡°No, Gerald.¡± Wyatt corrected him, ¡°I¡¯m going for a hike. You and Eugene can stay here and wait for the wheel to get fixed. I should be in town but the time you get there, and we¡¯ll meet up.¡±

    ¡°Alone?¡± Gerald said, ¡°Are you sure, my lord?¡±

    ¡°Quite,¡± Wyatt said, as he reached up to the car to grab his coat and a bottle of water. ¡°You guys take care of this and I¡¯m going to take a walk to clear my mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Gerald said, bowing again. ¡°Enjoy your hike.¡±

    Eugene and Gerald watched as Wyatt walked away and started to trek on the path that led out to the trail.

    ¡°He¡¯s a stubborn one, I can tell.¡± Eugene said.

    ¡°It appears so,¡± Gerald agreed.

    ¡°He¡¯s kinda like the old man,¡± Eugene also added. ¡°This should be fun.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Gerald again concurred, yet fun wasn¡¯t the exact word he would choose to detail the situation.

 Chapter 5

    Based on the direction they were heading in with the car before it broke down, Wyatt chose to turn left when he came to a fork in the path and took a long stroll that slowly crept him closer to the town that he was coming over to visit. The path itself was very easy to walk, as it had been beaten down by many feet. There were hills, and gorgeous lands to admire while hiking around them. It took Wyatt about a half hour to notice there was a decent sized lake and the path seemed to walk right past it on the way to town which had a lot of homes and a harbor on the coast of this lake. Wyatt liked walking by the lake, because in the city he never got to enjoy a view this beautiful. Wyatt was barely there a day and already the town of Loonsburg was already taking his breath away with one stunning view after another. As he got closer to town, Wyatt noticed there were a few piers on the waters, and that was when he first spotted the old man sitting on one of them. He was an old chap, at least in his seventies, but looked rather content as he was sitting on a small chair with a fishing line off into the lake. He was mumbling to himself, and even whistling every now and then to pass the time as he had nothing else to distract him. He also had a lunch packed in a pail that was just as big as his tackle box. Even though he wasn¡¯t supposed to, he smuggled a few cans of beer inside it and got his drink on when no one was watching. He was having one such drink while eating half of the sandwich his wife made for him when noticed the young man walking up the path towards his pier. He slyly put the beer down and grabbed a hold of his rod, pretending to look rather busy as the young man walked closer.

    ¡°Hello there,¡± Wyatt called out to him. ¡°Any bites so far?¡±

    ¡°Only my lunch,¡± the old man called back. He seemed a little irked to be talked to, but Wyatt had simply shrugged it off as old men being old men.

    ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t scare them away,¡± Wyatt said, as he didn¡¯t walk into the peer, but walked up to the edge of the waters that left him only several feet from the old man and thus close enough to converse with him.

    ¡°It¡¯s not you,¡± the old man replied, ¡°They rarely bite at all. I should find a new spot, but this one¡¯s closer to the house and easier to walk with my back and knees.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Wyatt said, understanding his reasoning. ¡°You picked a great day to come down and try to catch a fish.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the day is pretty large.¡± The old man said, looking up at the cloudless skies. ¡°That¡¯s pretty rare round here, as we mostly have clouds and rain.¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯ve been told,¡± Wyatt said, remembering Gerald said about the constant gloomy weather in these parts.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude,¡± The old man suddenly said, ¡°But who are you?¡±

    ¡°Apologies,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°I¡¯m Wyatt.¡±

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you,¡± The old man said, tipping his cap. ¡°I¡¯m William, but my friends all call me Willy.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is mine, Willy.¡± Wyatt said.

    ¡°What brings you to our fair wee town?¡± Willy asked, ¡°I can tell from your accent that you¡¯re not from around here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Wyatt confirmed, ¡°I¡¯m in town for family business.¡±

    ¡°How long will you be staying?¡± Willy asked.

    ¡°To be fair,¡± Wyatt started to answer, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. I guess it would depend on how well or messed up that family business ends up going.¡±

    ¡°Well, I need you to do me a favor,¡± Willy said, even whispering a bit despite the fact there was no one around for at least a mile. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone you saw me here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright.¡± Wyatt said, unsure why what would be necessary.

    It was at this point where a policeman started to walk up to the pier to where Willy and Wyatt were conversing with one another. The officer looked to be smack dab in the middle between Willy and Wyatt¡¯s age, old enough to be Wyatt¡¯s father where Willy would be the Gramps if they were related. The officer was in uniform, and he didn¡¯t appear to be impressed walking up to the pier.

    ¡°Willy!¡± The officer called out as he got closer.

    ¡°Oh crap,¡± Willy said, as he was clearly caught doing something he wasn¡¯t supposed to be doing.

    ¡°How many times have I told your stubborn arse that fishing here without a license is illegal!¡± the officer continued to yell as he stopped walking.

    ¡°It¡¯s just me here, George, and I haven¡¯t caught a damn thing.¡± Willy protested, ¡°In order to actually fish, don¡¯t I have to catch something for it to count?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± George said, arms crossed and looking at Willy like he¡¯s a parent that was deeply disappointed.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Wyatt said, as he recalled something that Gerald said to him on the flight over. One of hundreds of mundane details that was pounded into his thick skull when flying over to Ireland.

    ¡°What is it?¡± George said, just noticing the young man was there.

    ¡°I thought fishing licenses were under the authority of the Lord of the lands.¡± Wyatt said, recalling that all licenses whether they were mining, or hunting were given or rejected under the purview of the Lord of Loonsburg. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a matter for the Lord to handle rather than the police?¡±

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    ¡°You know what, George,¡± Willy said, smiling back. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± George interrupted, ¡°There currently is no Lordship to decide the matter. Lord Crawford passed away last week.¡±

    ¡°What about his heir?¡± Wyatt asked, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that matter then fall to him as the new Lord of the lands?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s funny you should mention that,¡± George said, recalling something he heard earlier in his shift, ¡°I was told that Lord Crawford¡¯s family was coming into town for the funeral and that one of our guests flying in was the person who inherited the title.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying we have a new lord?¡± Willy said, sounding rather excited.

    ¡°And here you are breaking the law on day one!¡± George reminded him, ¡°What kind of impression do you think that¡¯s going to make with the new Lordship?¡±

    ¡°You never know,¡± Wyatt said, stepping back it, ¡°The new Lord might have no issue with what¡¯s going on here. From what I¡¯ve heard this isn¡¯t exactly the best fishing hole and this location is only being used due to Willy¡¯s lack of pain free mobility.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, who the hell are you?¡± George asked, getting really annoyed at the kid that appeared to be standing up for Willy.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that,¡± Wyatt said as he held out his hand. ¡°My name is Wyatt Harris, and I¡¯m the great nephew of the late Lord Crawford.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± George said, shaking his hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Wyatt said, hoping dropping his uncle¡¯s name might ease the tone of their conversation.

    ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± George than asked.

    ¡°My car broke down on the way in,¡± Wyatt explained, ¡°And since the weather was wonderful, I decided to take this path and walk the rest of the way. That¡¯s when I met up with this nice man and then yourself.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s watching your car then?¡± George asked, wondering if there was a deserted car on his roads.

    ¡°Gerald and Eugene are still out there,¡± Wyatt answered, ¡°They called for someone to come out and fix the wheel. Eugene didn¡¯t bring a spare assuming he¡¯d need the trunk space for luggage.¡±

    ¡°Gerald?¡± George repeated, ¡°As in Gerald Witherspoon?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Wyatt said, ¡°He works for me.¡±

    ¡°He works for you?¡± George repeated.

    At this moment, Willy started to roar with laughter as his feeble brain was able to put everything together before the officer was able to do to himself.

    ¡°Gerald works for the Lord of Loonsburg, George!¡± Willy called out.

    ¡°The Lord is dead, Willy.¡± George reminded him.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that is true,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°But I inherited his title, and I can assure you I am very much alive. You may address me as my Lord, or your Lordship. I¡¯m unsure which one I prefer just yet.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± George said, still slightly confused.

    ¡°The young fella is the new Lord of Loonsburg!¡± Willy shouted out, still laughing.

    ¡°You are?¡± George said, now feeling rather dumb he hadn¡¯t figured it together himself.

    ¡°I am,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°And as the new Lord of these lands, my first official act is to grant Willy a fishing license.¡±

    George looked like he was about to turn red and blow his top. Yet if what Wyatt was saying were true, then he was within his rights as the Lord to grant anyone he pleased any license he wished, including fishing licenses.

    ¡°Of course, My Lord.¡± George said, trying to be respectful. At this point it was safer for him to go along with it, just in case the young man was the Lordship and was making an ass out of himself enough already.

    ¡°Why thank you, your lordship.¡± Willy said, before sticking his tongue out in defiance of the officer.

    ¡°Just a few conditions,¡± Wyatt said, trying to be diplomatic, ¡°You¡¯re only allowed to catch two fish a day, and the rest must be thrown back. And try not to drink too much because the last thing George and I want to do is fish you out of the lake. Are we clear on this?¡±

    ¡°Crystal, My Lord.¡± Willy said, giving Wyatt a decent salute.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Wyatt said, turning back to face George. ¡°I can assume that the matter is settled then?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± George said, his lower lip quivering just a little bit. It was the first time someone had stood up to him when trying to kick Willy off the pier, and the person just happened to be the new Lord of the lands and he was making a terrible impression.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure to meet you, George.¡± Wyatt said, slapping the man softly on the shoulder. ¡°You appear to be good at your job, and I feel better knowing you¡¯re checking up on everything around here.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± George said, taken aback by the comment, ¡°Thank you, My Lord.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to keep walking into town,¡± Wyatt said as he pointed towards the direction he was heading before bumping into Willy. ¡°I assume this way will get me there, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I will.¡± George confirmed.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°Could you do me a favor and check in on Gerald and Eugene for me, and make sure they¡¯re doing alright?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± George said, as he was already thinking about doing it. ¡°I can do that right now, your Lordship!¡±

    ¡°Fantastic,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°Much appreciated.¡±

    Unsure what to say next, George took the excuse provided to tuck tail and walk away back to his car and was gone. Willy watched the officer walk away and then looked back at the young man that has soundly put the pushy officer in his place.

    ¡°That was blood brilliant!¡± Willy said, letting out another chuckle and a snort before composing himself. ¡°Are you really our new lord?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± Wyatt replied, ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t step on his toes too roughly.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine,¡± Willy said, not too worried, ¡°I think you smoothed it out rather well at the end. That was nicely said too by the way.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Wyatt said, hoping it would have that effect. ¡°I thought it would be best if he spoke to Gerald to confirm my story rather than roam around all day wondering if I was the Lord or someone that just hoodwinked him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Willy said, ¡°That might solve some issues if people doubt your standing or title. I hardly believe it myself.¡±

    ¡°Neither do I,¡± Wyatt jokingly added, and both men had a good laugh.

    ¡°You were serious about the fishing license?¡± Willy asked.

    ¡°I was,¡± Wyatt said, as he didn¡¯t think an old man catching nothing on a bad pier was going to cripple the fisheries in the area. ¡°Just take it easy and don¡¯t do anything to make me regret it. Deal?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a deal, my Lord.¡± Willy said, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°It was my pleasure,¡± Wyatt said, smiling back. ¡°I like to fish too, so maybe I¡¯ll join you someday if I can find the time.¡±

    ¡°It would be my honor,¡± Willy said, ¡°Enjoy the rest of your walk, my Lord.¡±

    ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you, Willy.¡± Wyatt said as he started to back up to the trail he parted from. ¡°Take it easy on the beers, and good luck with the fish.¡±

    ¡°Thanks again, lad.¡± Willy said as he waved good-bye.

    Wyatt waved as well as he got back onto the trail and started to continue his trek towards the heart of Loonsburg. He figured if more people in town were like Willy, then he wasn¡¯t so worried about being received as their new Lord. It was an assumption that Wyatt shouldn¡¯t have made that soon into this trip. He was walking into a town that was clearly morning the loss of their current Lord who they had grown attached to, so any replacement was going to get a cold reception. It wasn¡¯t anything personal, just a testament to the previous Lordship who was well loved¡­ something that Wyatt could easily understand.

 Chapter 6

    Wyatt kept walking down the path, and the closer he strolled towards the center of the town the more elegant his view was becoming. He passed by a lot of nice houses, and even waved at some people lounging in their backyards. He had been walking almost a half hour since meeting Willy and George, and the path suddenly curved into a street that walked him right into the center of town. It was a very lovely looking community, as the streets were clean and orderly. Wyatt was strolling around and getting a feel for the place and was enjoying his tour until he noticed a small crowd of people gathered on the outskirts of what looked like a public park. Curiosity got the best of Wyatt as he was unable to resist an urge to investigate. As he walked closer to check things out and get an idea of what was going on, it became clearer to him by the signs and the chants that there was a protest going on. The people were upset about something and shouting rather loudly to make sure their gripes were heard and eventually acknowledged. Wyatt even started to think this was a feminist protest as most of the people at the protest, possibly all of them, were women. One of the women there noticed he was watching and stepping closer and stopped shaking her sign to walk over and meet him halfway.

    ¡°Good afternoon,¡± she started, looking him rather harshly. She looked a few years younger than Wyatt, but the look she was giving him was something that he was used to seeing from his mother when she suspected him of being up to no good.

    ¡°Hey there,¡± Wyatt said, giving a half assed wave.

    ¡°What brings you over here?¡± the young lade demanded, getting right to a point.

    ¡°Do I need a reason to be here?¡± Wyatt countered. ¡°This is a public park, right?¡±

    ¡°I get that,¡± the lady said, looking mildly annoyed, ¡°I mean why are you approaching our protest. You¡¯re not a cop or something, are you?¡±

    ¡°God, no.¡± Wyatt said, ¡°Definitely not.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you snooping?¡± She asked again.

    ¡°Curiosity mostly,¡± Wyatt honestly replied, ¡°Whenever I see anyone marching and chanting, I just feel an urge to find out what it¡¯s about and learn.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s interesting,¡± the young land said, as her back seemed to come down a little bit from there. ¡°I can tell from your accent that you¡¯re not from around here.¡±

    ¡°Nope, I come from far, far away.¡± Wyatt confirmed with a smile, ¡°I just happen to be town on family business.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± the young lady continued, ¡°Well, allow me to satisfy your curiosity: we are protesting the lord of these lands, and demanding representation by more modern means. That being the election of public representatives that can be held accountable.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that is interesting,¡± Wyatt replied, aware he was copying what the young lady said only moments ago. ¡°But isn¡¯t it a tad disrespectful?¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Well, the man is dead.¡± Wyatt explained, ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem rather harsh to protest the man¡¯s funeral?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not the one we¡¯re protesting,¡± the lady denied, ¡°We loved Lord Crawford, but his passing is why we¡¯re taking the streets. Just because he was a great man and did well by our town, that doesn¡¯t mean the next jackoff who inherited his title is going to be even half the man he was. We¡¯d rather not roll the dice on someone we don¡¯t know taking over a position that is supposed to last for the rest of his life.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean his or her life?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°No,¡± the young lady said, ¡°We know the bloke taking over is a man. He¡¯s not even that old and is probably some loser that will run this town into the ground.¡±

    ¡°What else do you know about him?¡± Wyatt asked, as his curiosity was now getting to him even more. They were here to protest him being the new lord, so he wanted to know how much they knew about the person taking over.

    ¡°Not too much,¡± she answered, ¡°Just how old he is and his name. Trust me, he sounds like a real jerk.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Wyatt said, as he paused for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I didn¡¯t catch your name?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the lady said, as she put her sign and extended her hand to him, ¡°I¡¯m Margo Quinn.¡±

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    ¡°A pleasure to meet you,¡± Wyatt said taking her hand, ¡°I¡¯m Wyatt Harris.¡±

    It took a few second for Margo to realize what was going on. She had just told Wyatt that she knew the name of the next lord, so if that were true than his introduction should have rung a few bells inside Margo¡¯s pretty head. He stood there and waited for a moment, giving her all the time that she needed to connect the dots.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Margo said, ¡°Did you say Wyatt Harris?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Wyatt said, grinning back at her because he appeared to be sandbagging every person that he introduced himself to this day. ¡°I¡¯m just arrived in town to attend the funeral of my great uncle, the late Lord Crawford.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shit.¡± Margo said, as she just realized who she was talking to.

    ¡°Well, that seems to capture the spirit of the moment,¡± Wyatt said, trying very hard not to laugh at the irony of their meeting. ¡°This is a very lovely protest you have going on here. I¡¯m totally in favor of people being heard whenever they have an issue they¡¯re passionate about, so keep up the good work.¡±

    ¡°You have no problem with this?¡± Margo asked, ¡°We¡¯re protesting you!¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are.¡± Wyatt confirmed, ¡°And you¡¯re doing a fine job!¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you upset?¡± Margo asked.

    ¡°Why should I be?¡± Wyatt retorted with his own inquiry. ¡°All you know is my name and my gender. While your suggestion of replacing the lordship with elected officials might have merit, there¡¯s nothing here for me to be directly offended by. To paraphrase my favorite rapper; if I don¡¯t know you personally, I can take it personally.¡±

    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± Margo inquired.

    ¡°It means you¡¯re currently arguing from a position of ignorance,¡± Wyatt explained, ¡°I can assure you that once everybody gets to know me, you¡¯ll have many more reasons to legitimately take to the streets.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Margo countered, ¡°I¡¯m gaining some good insight right now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Wyatt said, giving her a playful tap on the arm. ¡°You keep up the good work!¡±

    Margo looked back at the young man that was talking to her and she honestly was speechless and didn¡¯t know how to respond.

    ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Quinn.¡± Wyatt said as he started to walk away. ¡°You have yourself a great protest!¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Margo managed to finally say, ¡°Thanks?¡±

    Wyatt was determined to walk away while he could but couldn¡¯t help but look back at the young lady as he did so. She was so cute to look at, even when she was angry, and she was still looking at him as he turned back. Rather than be embarrassed to be caught looking back at her, Wyatt chose to wave back and kill her with even more kindness. That seemed to infuriate her even more as Margo picked her sign back up and resumed chanting with the rest of the ladies there, even louder than she was before. Wyatt couldn¡¯t help but laugh to himself as he walked away from the protest. He wasn¡¯t more than hundred feet away from the people waving their signs about when the same car that had brought him to town from the airport cut around the corner and came to a screech halt beside him. The back window rolled down and Gerald had a panicked look on his face as he was addressing Wyatt.

    ¡°My lordship,¡± He started, aghast to see what they just drove past. ¡°You need to get in here immediately!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Wyatt asked, not sharing his anxiety.

    ¡°Those people are protesting the new lord!¡± Gerald replied, still shocked to even see something like that going on. ¡°Someone let it out you were coming into town today and organized this event to rattle you on your first day here!¡±

    ¡°Do I look rattled, Gerald?¡± Wyatt asked.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± Gerald answered, as he finally noticed the young man¡¯s demeanor ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because regardless of who runs this place,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°Peaceful protest is essential for any town, city, or nation to have a stable and functioning civilization. I come from a land where peaceful protest is a considered an inalienable right. Let them have their protest, it¡¯s not bugging me in the slightest, and you shouldn¡¯t let it get to you as well Gerald. They¡¯re just scared.¡±

    ¡°Of what?¡± Gerald asked.

    ¡°That Lord Crawford was one of a kind,¡± Wyatt concluded, ¡°And there¡¯s a good chance they might be correct.¡±

    At this point some of the women were talking amongst themselves and pointing in their general direction. Either Margo had let them know who he was, or Gerald himself was giving away their position.

    ¡°But I¡¯m also a believer in not pushing one¡¯s luck,¡± Wyatt said as he stepped into the car. ¡°This might be the right time to make our exit, Eugene!¡±

    ¡°Roger that, my lord.¡± Eugene said as he drove off hastily.

    ¡°You never get a second chance to make a first impression,¡± Wyatt said as he looked at the protesters as they drove off. ¡°They seem like nice people who are just worried about who is about to take over a position of power over them. If I had no idea who was taking over, I¡¯d be kind of worried about it too.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that fair,¡± Gerald conceded, ¡°But I guess that makes it our job to prove them wrong and make them feel more comfortable with the idea of who the new lord is going to be.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s possible,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°I¡¯m not comfortable with the idea yet myself, so I doubt they are either.¡±

    ¡°Give it time, my lord.¡± Gerard insisted, ¡°Things will ease up with time, so we should focus on the memorial and funeral for the time being. Let¡¯s give Loonsburg a chance to say goodbye to the passing Lord before worrying about the new one.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Wyatt said, ¡°But we need to circle back to this later and try to nip it in the bud.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Gerald said, ¡°We¡¯ll nip it when the time is right, my lord.¡±

    ¡°After years of listening to people yell at me over the phone,¡± Wyatt added, ¡°I¡¯ve learned that it¡¯s sometimes best just to let people get things off their chest and just yell it out. Once it¡¯s out of their system, it¡¯s easier to talk about it and find a reasonable resolution for all involved. Let them vent, and we¡¯ll find an answer later.¡±

    ¡°Very good, my lord.¡± Gerald said, smiling back at him. ¡°You¡¯re looking rather good in the position from my perspective. Give yourself some more credit.¡±

    ¡°Duly noted, Gerald.¡± Wyatt replied, ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±