AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Beatrice sat down in a chair, her mind refusing to accept that he’d found a way to defeat her. “You say this Mr. Leonard Castle came forward, but what you really mean is that you dug him up.”
“If you want to dress it in those terms, Lady Beatrice. Someone’s going to sell me the property, either you, or Leonard Castle. If you sell it to me right now, before he’s made his claim, then you can keep the proceeds and I’ll ensure that he goes away quietly.”
“I know that you want to tear down these buildings and build a manufactory. But surely you see that a clubhouse would be far better for the Strand than another polluting factory. Such an eyesore might force the neighborhood into decline.”
“Your definition of decline is my vision for progress, Lady Beatrice.”
“You mean that once the neighborhood declines, you can open more factories. Profit in the name of progress.”
“I don’t understand why you’ve developed such a sudden attachment to a neglected property with an unsavory reputation. Surely your mother doesn’t approve.”
“She doesn’t approve, but my brother, the Duke of Thorndon, is returning from the Continent soon and he’s always been very generous to me. Do you want to pit yourself against a duke, Mr. Foxton?”
He was becoming angry. She read it in the set of his shoulders, even though he was as cold and expressionless as always. His fury was betrayed in the grip of his hand on his walking stick, the knuckles turning white. “Is that a threat, Lady Beatrice?”
She stood, squaring her shoulders and standing as tall as she was able. She had a sudden longing for Ford to be at her side, his wide shoulders a bulwark and a protection.
She must face down Foxton on her own.
She inhaled sharply. “My brother will stand behind me in this. You thought I would be easily manipulated, easily purchased. Now that you find me to be intractable, you’re grasping at loose straws. But if it’s a legal battle you want, then I’ll be happy to give it to you.”
Inside, she was shaking and her heart was pounding, but she stood her ground, unwilling to give an inch.
Foxton’s face reddened and he pounded his stick on the floor. “You’re what’s wrong with womanhood these days, Lady Beatrice. Female intellects should be occupied with gentle, nurturing concerns. This mistaken grasping for independence and authority, this attempt to topple the natural order of things, is a dreadful travesty.”
“Good day, Mr. Foxton. This conversation is over.”
“I’ll see you in the courts, Lady Beatrice.”
The door slammed behind him and Beatrice sankinto a chair, her limbs trembling with fear and anger. Even though she’d bravely dismissed him, the news of another potential heir had taken the wind from her sails. She knew from speaking with Isobel that the courts rarely sided with females over males when it came to inheriting property.
The door opened and Ford walked into the room carrying a heavy stack of boards and whistling a tuneless song. He stopped whistling when he saw her. Setting the boards down against the wall, he walked toward her, concern flooding his eyes. “Beatrice, what’s wrong?”
“Foxton was here.”
He dropped to his knees in front of her chair and grasped her hands. “Did he threaten you? Harm you in any way?”
“No. Yes. My head aches. I can’t think.”
“Which is it, no, or yes?”
“He told me that he found a distant male relation of Mr. Castle’s who has some claim to the property. He threatened legal action that could tie up the ownership of the building for months or years.”
She hung her head. “It’s all over, Ford. They’ll find a way to steal the property.”
He stroked her hands. “It’s not over. Not by half. He can’t just come in here and talk to you like that. How long ago did he leave?”
“He left in a carriage and you won’t overtake him. I handled it, Ford. I stood up to him. I didn’t give an inch or let him see my dismay.”
“I’m sure you were ferocious.” He dipped his head to try to catch her eye. “Feeling a little under the weather, are we?”
She nodded.
“Wine always seems like a good idea in the moment, but sometimes the next day can be a challenge. Here, let me prepare you a remedy.” He stood and offered her his hand.
She allowed him to pull her to her feet and lead her into the kitchen.
“Sit,” he commanded.
