“Does tha know anyone suitable?”
“I do.”
“Do I know the person?”
“Varry well. It is mysen. It is Josepha Temple.” The squire fairly started. He looked straight into Josepha’s eyes and she continued, “Take me for thy partner, Antony. I will build thee the biggest, and most completely finished mill in the West Riding—or anywhere else—cotton or wool—whichiver thou likes. Bradley’s is mainly cotton, thou hed better stick to wool. Thou hes two hundred sheep of thy awn, on thy awn fells, and wold. Stick to the wool, dear lad.”
“Art thou in very earnest, Josepha?”
“Sure as life and death! I am in earnest. Say the word, and I’ll build, and fit the mill, just as tha wants it.”
“And thy share in it will be——”
“We will divide equally—half and half. I want to buy a partnership with my money. ‘Annis and Temple’ will suit me well. I will find all the wherewithal required—money for building, looms, engines, wool or cotton yarns, just as thou wishes. Thou must give the land, and the varry best bit of land for the purpose, that thou hes on thy estate in Annis, or elsewhere.”
“Dost tha knaw how much money tha will hev to spend for what thou proposes?”
“I should think I do and it will every farthing of it be Annis money. I hev speculated, and dealt wisely with the money the good Admiral left me. I hev made, made mysen, more money than we shall require for the mill and all its necessary furniture, and if it was not enough, I could double it and not feel a pound poorer. The outlay is mine, all of it; the land, and the management is thy affair. It is only by my name, which is well known among monied men, that I shall appear in the business.”