Men of Affairs

The story opens with Richard Frencham Altar standing amid the quiet of a pawnshop, watching the last of his possessions—tailored suits, polished shoes, a monogrammed brush set—leave his hands for a modest sum. Stripped of the comforts his privileged upbringing once guaranteed, he pockets a mere twenty‑seven pounds and resolves to rebuild with only his wits, a lingering habit of high living, and a stubborn refusal to let love dictate his future. The scene is steeped in a dry, almost wry humor as he burns the love letters that once brought him joy, marking the end of one chapter and the tentative start of another.

Born into wealth and molded by elite schools, war service, and a father’s relentless pursuit of success, Richard returns from the battlefield bearing medals but also the weight of expectations. His background equips him with education and experience, yet it also leaves him haunted by a legacy of squandered fortunes and an uneasy sense of duty. As he steps out onto the streets of London, the reader senses a man poised between the comforts of his former life and the uncertain opportunities that lie ahead, ready to navigate the “men of affairs” that will shape his next move.