Chapter 3
Hal Senior's health did not alter his inventiveness; and he continued to turn out electronic enhancements. He had formed yet another corporation when he decided to stop sales of his patents altogether; and his total worth was now over two billion U.S. dollars.
On Fred's advice, his own father had purchased as much stock as was possible while it was available; and in the ensuing years his profits were such that he had been able to pay off all his own father's debts, to undertake a complete refurbishing of his estate and grounds, and to build a new village school. It would be followed by a fine gymnasium. Additionally, he now sat on the board of directors of Blockx Microchip, Ltd.; and his bank accounts amounted to more than five hundred million U.S. dollars.
When Fred went home for a visit, he would now be able to hold his head up when being called "Lord" Frederick.
Hal and Fred were now sleeping together every night; and little by little, over three years, Hal was beginning to return to his old self, actually laughing now and again.
Fred adopted the four boys on August 14th, with the presiding Judge, and his clerk, in his and Hal's home in Cambridge. The boys names were recorded as Haroll Tomas Brockx-Ashton (Tomy) and Frederick Barton Brockx-Ashton (Barty), four years old; Lyndon Haroll Brockx-Ashton (Lyndy) and Maston William Brockx-Ashton {Billy), three years old.
Hal Senior had continued to turn out money-maker after money-maker; but his sudden death left the company in the position of a ship without a captain. Hal Junior, after much encouragement from his mother, decided it was imperative that he travel to Malaysia to assume chairmanship of the board of directors. His father had retained sixty percent of the stock, which now belonged to Hal and his mother.
Hal and Fred had been sharing the house since four days after Linda's death, and both had become accustomed to the easy routine they had fallen into----sharing their bed; but both felt that Hal's time in Malaysia would only be a few weeks, and neither wanted Fred and the boys to be moved there. Fred, with Hal in agreement, decided it was time to take them to Scotland to meet his parents.
Fred packed up the boys; and they all joined Hal on a company jet. Fred and the boys would be dropped off in Edinburg; and Hal would continue to Kuala Lumpur, where his mother lived, and the Malaysian offices of Blockx Enterprises, Ltd. were located.
Fred's mother and father, Fred Senior, and the Marquess, Lady Emma, although not having been told, felt instantly that their son had fathered Barty and Billy; they were spitting images of Fred, sporting his blond hair and green eyes. Emma immediately went into motherly mode. She was newly forty-four, and resisted the idea of being grandmotherly. Her eyes were filled with tears as she had long since given up the idea of ever having a grandchild----she looked at Tomy and Lyndy, who were waiting eagerly to hug her, too; and hugged them all, as if they were her own.
They had known of Fred's preferences; and, although they did not entirely approve, they were always gracious and loving. The grandchildren removed any fears they had harbored in the past, of Fred's not producing an heir.
The Marquess was renovating the older houses on the estate; as there had been no improvements since WWI, when his father was a toddler. Today, he had come in from the village, examining some of the renovations, when he saw the limo arrive. They had not been apprised of their son's coming visit, but were thrilled to see Fred Junior, and the boys.
Fred Senior, was not of the Old School; and as the boys were being taken from the car, he grabbed them up, one by one, and hugged them. Fred Junior and Lady Emma watched him in surprise, as this show of affection was not frequent with their father and husband.
"I love you; and please call me `Paw-Paw,'" the Marquess said to each of the boys.
Lady Emma looked at him indignantly.
"If you tell them to call me `Maw-Maw,' you will get pigs' feet with anchovy and liver pudding every night for supper!"
"Gan-Gan!" Tomy called, trying to get her attention.
"That's better!" she replied, "thank you so much, Tomy."
So Gan-Gan she was.
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