“Because Mrs. Leyton-Brown—God rest her—” In case a thunderbolt came to smite him for his perceived ungratefulness, the Reverend Smythe glanced heavenward again in apology. “—promised as much to me herself. Only a few months ago, in fact, here in Brighton when I visited her. It was quite a specific but unprompted promise, Mr. Pendle, pertaining to the building next door to us on Long Acre. A building that has remained reassuringly vacant since the last tenants left over a year ago. A building we were rather hoping to be able to expand into as—well, not to put too fine a point on it—the orphanage is more than a little oversubscribed and we desperately need more space. The good we can do is limited by our capacity, and that was why Mrs. Leyton-Brown promised it.”
The lawyer sat again, somewhat heavily, frowning so hard his thick dark eyebrows merged into one. “Did Mrs. Leyton-Brown happen, perchance, to put that promise to you in writing, Reverend? In a note or a letter or some such?”
“She did not.” The Reverend Smythe shook his head, and because the solicitor looked mightily relieved by that, all Vee’s hopes that they would finally be able to expand the orphanage died like Mrs. Leyton-Brown had. “It was a verbal promise, Mr. Pendle, but…” Both Veeand the solicitor sat forward as he frowned. “She did make that promise in front of a witness who can confirm categorically her intent. Does that help?”
The solicitor’s eyes narrowed. “That would depend on the witness, and their ability to convince a court of the deceased’s intentions. Overturning the tenets of a will written in sound mind is practically impossible. Almost unheard of. A court needs more than hearsay, and while I am not for one moment trying to cast aspersions on either your good character or your witness’s, nor questioning either of your motives, even the words of a vicar do not constitute proof that such a promise from the deceased ever occurred.”
Yet still the reverend persevered. “Even if the witness was the deceased’s own nephew? Her sole heir, Lord Mallory, not only witnessed Mrs. Leyton-Brown’s promise, but promised her faithfully in return that he would ensure that it was carried out.”
As hope kindled afresh Vee smiled at the solicitor, only for it to melt from her face on the back of his dour expression.
“I am certain Lord Mallory will have absolutely no recollection of that exchange, Reverend—or his promise. I am sorry.” Mr. Pendle picked up his pile of papers and tapped them to neaten the edges before depositing them all in the box, which he snapped decisively closed. His tight expression suggested he disapproved more of Lord Mallory than he did their claim. “If he denies it…”
“Which of course he won’t.” The reverend smiled with a faith in Lord Mallory’s honesty that neither she nor the solicitor shared.
“But if hedoes—” Mr. Pendle prodded the table for extra emphasis. “—and if the deceased’s wishes weren’t put in writing, I am afraid, as far as the law is concerned, you really do not have a leg to stand on. It would be your word against his word—and Mrs. Leyton-Brown’s will.” He retrieved that document from the box near his elbow and shook it. “Which I can assure you does not leave your orphanage any property at all.”
“Lord Mallory heard it with his own ears, sir, and swore a solemnoath to his aunt to comply. He will back me on this. I have no doubt about that, so there is no need for all this talk of courts and juries.” Yet even the reverend’s ever-hopeful smile was flatter now.
“He really won’t, Reverend. Of that you can be assured. We have been through the will together several times, and when it came to the many conversations we have had about that particular building, Lord Mallory made no mention of his aunt’s promise at all.”
“An oversight, I am sure.” The reverend smiled in sympathy. “The poor man was probably overwhelmed with grief, and it slipped his mind. Understandably.”
“I can assure you that if it did, it was quite deliberate.” The solicitor stood again and motioned to the door, clearly uncomfortable, and something about it made all Vee’s hackles rise. He knew something. Something pertinent that they didn’t. A suspicion that was confirmed by his next statement and over-friendly but awkward smile. “If I were you, I would forget the promise made by a confused and ailing old woman, forget thatparticularbuilding and buy another. A better, bigger building in a nicer area. My client left you more than enough money to expand your orphanage elsewhere.”
A moment ago, he had said that Mrs. Leyton-Brown’s will was written in sound mind. Now, suddenly, she was a confused and ailing old woman.
Something was off.
“But why should we buy a building when we were promised a building, sir?” Vee was incensed by the matter-of-fact dismissal of their legitimate claim. “I am sure that I have read somewhere that a verbal contract is as binding as a written one.”
“That all depends on proof, Miss Merriwell.Categoricproof.” The solicitor’s eyes shuttered in a way suggesting he knew already that they weren’t likely to get that, but she pressed anyway.
“Which you could obtain from Lord Mallory along with the instruction to release the deed to us. I presume you do have the deed, Mr. Pendle.” She glanced toward the shut box on his desk emblazonedwith the deceased’s name. “Or has that already been passed to Lord Mallory, seeing as you have met with him and discussed thisparticularbuilding several times since his aunt’s death?” If the dissolute lord had the deed, he could sell the deed.
She could not let that happen.
“I am afraid, as I am also now Lord Mallory’s legal representative, client confidentiality prevents me from discussing his private legal affairs without his express permission, and I have already told you too much.” He stalked toward the door and flung it open, then practically shooed them out of it. “Should you wish to pursue your unsubstantiated claim to his property further, I must insist that you take it up with him. As it really is no longer anything to do with me.”
“This is all a storm in a teacup, Vee.” The Reverend Smythe pretended that he wasn’t the least bit fazed by what had happened in the solicitor’s office as they walked back to the inn. “Mark my words. He will come good. He’s a decent gentleman… underneath it all.”
That casual phrase,underneath it all,only served to set more alarm bells ringing, because theunderneaththe good reverend was alluding to was Lord Mallory’s shocking reputation in the gossip columns. If they were to be believed—and because her stickler-for-details sister Diana frequently wrote one of them, Vee did—then Lord Mallory was more of a libertine than he was a gentleman. Worse, she’d had the misfortune to bump into him in a deserted hallway at one infamous ball during her first season, drunk, and he had offered, in rather coarse terms as he manhandled her, to steam up her spectacles for her, so she knew without a doubt he was no gentleman, either. He had been quite offensive when she had turned down his improper offer, so she held little hope that a man with such dubious morals and selfish character would feel obligated to uphold his aunt’s promise without the additional incentive of something in it for him.
Which bizarrely did give her some small hope for the building nextdoor. Thanks to the lawyer’s parting advice, she had quickly reached the conclusion that the only way the orphanage was likely to get their hands on the promised building was if they offered to buy it from the cheating scoundrel using his aunt’s money. While that ironic solution left a bitter taste in the mouth, for the orphans’ sake she had to be pragmatic. It might take a tidy chunk out of their unexpected seven-thousand-pound windfall, but at least thanks to the sheer size of that windfall they could still expand, fix the roof, and have enough left over to see them right for a few years. Which was more than had seemed possible a few weeks ago, so in that respect, their good fortune was still a miracle and one she would force herself to be thankful for no matter Lord Mallory’s unconscionable duplicity.
“That said…” The reverend could not disguise his real concerns completely, no matter how hard he was trying. “I am eager to settle the confusion as quickly as possible, so I think it is prudent that we leave here within the hour. Strike while the iron is hot, as it were. That way, if we overnight in Crawley, I can call on him after luncheon tomorrow and before he goes…”
“Out drinking and carousing and frittering away all of his new inheritance on wine, women, and song?” Vee had Lord Mallory’s full measure. “I should like to come with you when you call upon him.” Where she could at least handle the negotiations for a sale when the debauched lord reneged on his promise. Unlike the good reverend, while she always tried to see the good in people, she knew firsthand that some people had little good in them and only did what benefited themselves; her ill-fated romance with the ambitious Lord Argyll was testament. If Mallory hadn’t mentioned his aunt’s promise to his solicitor when he had ample opportunities to do so, it did not take a genius to work out that he intended to sell that property for his own profit. “The presence of a woman might make him more agreeable.” Especially when the woman who intended to be present also fully intended to turn his guts into garters if he did not bend to her will.
“I think that is prudent.” The reverend huffed as they arrivedoutside The Mermaid. “Although if worse comes to worst, and Mr. Pendle’s grave predictions come true, it is prudent to prepare ourselves for that, too. We must remember that we have managed well enough as we are up to now—but from this day forward, no matter the outcome, we shall manage so much better with seven thousand pounds at our disposal with which we can buy somewhere better. Preferably in a less insalubrious part of town. So all is not lost, and if that is the case and we do not get the building, there must be a reason.” He pointed to the annoyingly clear sky above. “The Lord moves in mysterious ways, Vee, and usually for the best. Even if we do not realize it.Everythinghappens for a good reason.”
“If you say so, Reverend.”
“Apart from my wife’s nagging, of course, for that is entirely unfounded.” He sighed. “And on that subject, I shall go chivy Constance, who will not be happy to be chivied when I faithfully promised her that we would enjoy a leisurely luncheon and a stroll around the Royal Pavilion before we left.”
“Mrs. Smythe is a reasonable woman and will understand that this cannot be helped.” Just as Vee was trying to come to terms with the lack of snow to scandalously keep her here with Galahad. Which, if the reverend’s logic was to be believed, was likely for the best also. She wasn’t the world’s most reliable judge of character, after all, and knew to her detriment how easily a handsome face, charming manner, and sublime kiss could make her forget all prudence.
Vee decided to arrange for the carriage to be readied for the long journey, rather than wallow in anger and self-pity. Leaving in such haste was a disappointment after last night, but as this was for the greater good and the needs of the many, the orphans had to take precedence over any fanciful new desires of her own. Like a parting kiss on the seafront or the sudden blizzard that her wayward body was praying would delay her…
