Hitchin shook his head.
“No! His Lordship has never been married and he’s quarrelled with his brothers and the rest of his family.”
“Do you mean he never sees them?” Devona asked.
Hitchin nodded.
“I’ve been here,” he said, “for nigh on ten years and there’s never been a relation of any sort who’s come here or as far as I knows has ever written to his Lordship.”
“It does seem strange,” Devona said. “But surely the members of the family of which he must be the Head, want to come here to the family home?”
“If they want to, his Lordship’ll not have them in.”
It seemed to Devona very weird.
Hitchin took her to the kitchen and she shook hands with his wife who was the cook.
There was no one else there and because it seemed so peculiar, Devona enquired politely,
“Surely you have help to
