us,’ the young husband said, in measured tones, ‘I presume my wife means me. I assure you, Lady Rosabella, anything you say to me will be held in confidence, on my honour.’
She turned back, looking at him standing beside his chair. His eyes were a clear grey, his face was open and grave. Something about him engendered her trust. And yet… She looked at his wife, who smiled. ‘Mark is employed by the Home Office. His word is his bond.’
Whatever differences lay between these two, it seemed there was mutual respect. She slipped into the chair offered by Lord Smythe.
‘What can we do?’ Penelope asked quietly.
‘Stanford didn’t hurt you, did he?’ Lord Smythe asked. ‘I’ve not seen him turn ugly since he’d ceased crooking his elbow.’
She blinked.
‘Drinking,’ Lady Smythe explained.
Her husband’s fair face flushed. ‘Canting talk. I beg your pardon.’
‘No,’ Rosa said softly. ‘He hasn’t physically harmed me.’
‘Lashed you with that damned tongue of his, did he?’ the young man said with a snort of indignation. ‘He doesn’t mean the half of it, you know.’
He didn’t know the half of it. ‘I need to hire a lawyer.’
He frowned.
‘It is a matter of an inheritance. From my father. I found a letter this morning among some things belonging to my mother. I—I’m not sure what to do next.’
For a moment both of them looked at her, mouths agape.
‘Oh, good Lord,’ Lord Smythe said, his fair brow creasing. ‘Is it a legal will? Signed and witnessed.’
‘Not a will, but a gift. No will was found when he died. The family lawyer said he didn’t make one and probate went ahead on that basis.’ She dug into the reticule and handed over the document. ‘The letter is signed and witnessed. The signature is his.’
Lord Smythe took the paper and glanced through it. ‘Oh, this is a fine kettle of fish. Do you have the stone?’
‘Is it legal?’ Lady Smythe asked, leaning to look over his shoulder as Rosa put the emerald on the table.
‘I have no legal training, but if the signature is genuine, it seems legal enough to stand in a court of law. What we need is at least one of the witnesses to swear to its authenticity.’
‘Inchbold,’ Rosa said. ‘He is caretaker of the property where we lived. He said he remembered signing something for my father, but he wasn’t sure what it was. That is his signature.’
‘Did you tell Stanford about this?’ Lady Smythe asked. ‘Can you not use his lawyer?’
Rosa swallowed. ‘We had a…a difference of opinion. We are not getting married.’
The hot lump that had been floating somewhere in her chest and her stomach finally lodged high in her throat. The pain of it brought moisture to her eyes.
‘Oh, my poor dear,’ Lady Smythe said. ‘Are you sure?’
Her husband looked grim. ‘What the hell did Stanford do?’
Unable to speak, Rosa shook her head. It was hard enough to breathe without letting the tears spill over.
‘You can stay here,’ Lady Smythe said with a darting glance at her husband.
If anything, her husband looked grimmer.
Rosa breathed hard through her nose and rose to her feet. ‘I couldn’t. He is your friend. I will go to an hotel.’ She would have gone to Bess, because she didn’t have any money until the stone was sold, and what little she had she would need to live on, but Bess had left London. Her biggest fear was that Grandfather would try to lay claim to the stone once he heard of it. ‘I just hoped you could recommend a lawyer. One who would not want payment in advance.’
‘You must stay,’ Lord Smythe said. ‘Stanford would never forgive me for letting you wander the streets on your own.’
She couldn’t help her scornful laugh.
‘He wouldn’t.’ He grinned. ‘Besides, I owe him a debt and this is one very good way to repay him. You will stay here.’
‘Yes,’ his wife said. ‘We insist.’
‘You won’t tell him I am here.’ She pressed a protective hand to her stomach. ‘You must promise me.’
‘Not without your permission. On my honour,’ Smythe said.
‘On mine, too,’ his wife added.
‘Then I am glad to accept your help for a few days. I promise I will pay you back.’
‘Nonsense,’ Lord Smythe said. ‘Not when I am in your debt for offering me a way of discharging my obligations.’
It all seemed rather confusing, but in the face of their insistence, Rosa accepted with a sense of relief.
The interior of White’s hummed with male conversation and laughter to the accompaniment of rattling dice. Garth