“Absolutely.”
Heath called for horses to be readied. He didn’t think he was up for the walk with his leg. Damn thing was acting up after his work in the field. He would have to slow down, but Heath hated feeling like his injury was holding him back. Kane’s words rang in his ears. He didn’t want to use his injury as an excuse anymore.
Once they rode to the brewery, they allowed Hayes free rein to go where he pleased. After a thorough inspection, he joined the men.
“Well? It’s not too bad, is it?” Heath rubbed his hands.
“Some of the machinery appears to be in useable condition, just needs some repairs. I would recommend replacing the masher. If you intend on a large production, you will also need more vessels for boiling the wort and for fermenting. Do you have a storage house for the finished product?”
Heath looked dumbstruck.
“There are some outer buildings,” Kane chimed in.
They took Hayes around the rest of the property.
“The barrels look half rotted.” Hayes knocked on a few of the wooden barrels and they shattered under his heavy hand. “You’ll have to replace them.”
“But can it be done?” Heath asked.
The older man took a second to answer, glancing between the two men before he answered. “Aye. You won’t produce as much as the larger breweries, but if the quality is good, I’m sure you could sell it at least locally, maybe expand in time. You’ll save costs by providing your own barley. If there are locals who know their way around that machinery, that would help, otherwise you’ll be looking to hire men from London.”
“I will make inquiries,” Heath answered.
“Will you help us?”
The way Kane used the wordusmade Heath’s heart skip a beat. For a moment, he believed they were in this together.
“I would be delighted to run your brewery. The new masher will have to come from London. I have a man that I know who can give you a good deal. You’ll need workers, ideally men who have been around a brewery. You want a skilled brew master at the least.”
“Do you know anyone?” Heath’s eagerness grew by the moment.
“I will ask around while I’m in London.”
The trio returned to the manor house. Heath offered Hayes a room for the night, which he accepted. Finally, Heath felt like something was going right. They spoke into the evening, reviewing estimates for the machinery and repairs to the brewery. It was more than Heath expected, but with the income from the estate and investments the previous baronet had made, he could cover the costs.
“Do you have any interesting stories about Mr. Badgely?” Heath asked as they sat with their whiskeys in the study after dinner.
“Oh, where to start?” Hayes said with a chuckle. “Young Kane here, along with a group of rapscallions, were always causing trouble. Nothing terrible, mind you, but they were always getting into mischief.”
Heath glanced at Kane, imagining him as a child running amok.
“There was the time you boys released, what was it? Piglets, I believe, in the warehouse. Those little rascals squealed and made a fuss, fast too. I don’t remember how long it took us to round them up.”
“I’d forgotten about that,” Kane said. “That was Tommy Duggart’s idea. He also suggested that we open several of the beer casks, but we knew we’d get our hides tanned for that.”
The story made Heath realize he knew little about Kane. He’d never spoken about his family or his time before coming here. Perhaps Heath would have to ask.
For the rest of the evening, Heath enjoyed listening to Hayes and Kane reminisce about old times in London. It gave a glimpse of the type of boy Kane had been compared to the man he was today. From what Hayes described, Kane was full of mischief like any boy, but had a good head on his shoulders. Hayes said it wasn’t a surprise that Kane had become a teacher.
“Old John always said you were destined for something better than working in the warehouse with him. I’m sure he’s proud of you.”
“Thank you, sir,” Kane responded. “It’s been some time since I saw my parents. My last post didn’t give me much time to visit.”
Speaking of family, Heath would have to write to his sister. Since he’d come to Dover, he couldn’t recall but one letter he’d scribbled to Victoria. He would invite her and Jeffrey to visit. After all, they were the only family he had left.
* * *
The next morning, Hayes left after breakfast. He promised to order the required equipment and return in about a fortnight. There was other business he needed to clear up in London before coming down permanently to Dover, plus recruiting workers.