“Which means I am entitled to that money when I turn twenty-one?” she questioned.
“That it does,” Mr. Manley confirmed.
Miss Bentley sat back in her chair with a stunned look on her face. “That is only six months away,” she murmured. “I can’t believe I don’t have to marry right away.”
“No, you don’t,” Mr. Manley said. “But this is assuming we can convince a judge to enforce your father’s will.”
“How do we go about doing that?” Miss Bentley asked.
Mr. Manley shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “That is the tricky part,” he remarked. “We have to prove that Lord Worthington has the funds available to do so.”
Roswell spoke up. “Where do we go from here?”
“I have already asked for a judge to hear our case,” he said. “I am requesting that he enforces the will without us having to go to trial.”
“That might be in our favor,” Roswell mused. “There is a good chance that Lord Worthington will not want to go public with how he has been mistreating Lady Worthington and her daughter.”
“Indeed,” Mr. Manley stated. “I have also taken the liberty of contacting Mr. Clawson on your behalf.”
“Excellent.” He shifted his gaze towards Miss Bentley and explained, “If this case does go to trial, Mr. Clawson is one of the finest barristers. I have no doubt that he will trump Lord Worthington and his defense.”
“Mr. Clawson is trying a few cases already, but he did agree to fit you into his schedule,” Mr. Manley said. “But it will come at a cost.”
“Please inform Mr. Clawson that I do not care about the expense. I just want to see that justice is done on Miss Bentley’s behalf,” Roswell remarked.
Mr. Manley nodded. “Understood, my lord,” he said. “I have some additional news that may interest you, as well.”
“Which is?” Roswell asked.
“My brother took it upon himself to speak to the two solicitors in Maidstone, and they both agreed to testify against Lord Worthington, assuming it would come to that,” Mr. Manley shared.
“How did he convince them to do so?” Roswell asked.
“He explained Lady Worthington’s plight to them, and they felt inclined to help her,” Mr. Manley said. “Apparently, the late Lord Worthington was very beloved by the people in the town. They hadn’t realized Lord Worthington was treating Lady Worthington and her daughter so distastefully.”
“What are they willing to testify about?” Roswell inquired.
“Mainly about his disreputable practices,” Mr. Manley replied. “He has raised the rent for nearly all of his tenants, causing many of them to be evicted.”
Miss Bentley gasped. “That is awful,” she said. “Those people have been living on those properties for generations.”
Mr. Manley nodded in agreement. “I agree, which is why the solicitors’ testimonies will go a long way in convincing the judge of his character.”
“Excellent,” Roswell said. “You have done well.”
“Thank you,” Mr. Manley responded as he reached into his satchel. “I do have those documents that I require your signature on.” He pulled out a few pieces of paper and extended them towards him.
Roswell accepted the papers and briefly reviewed them, confirming that everything was in order. After he signed the documents, he handed the papers back to his solicitor.
Mr. Manley slipped the documents back into his satchel, then asked, “Will there be anything else, my lord?”
“Not at this time.”
Rising, Mr. Manley said, “I will update you the moment I receive word from the judge. With any luck, this could be over within a few weeks.”
“A few weeks?” Miss Bentley asked.
Mr. Manley bobbed his head. “You will find that judges move at their own pace, especially in church probate court,” he replied. “But if this trial goes to court, it could drag on for months or even years.”
