The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner Page 0,97
a potential hotel and golf greens, and the little steward’s cottage as a clubhouse and dining room for members’ wives and their guests.
Getting rid of some musty old books was one thing—the bigger deal, to Colin’s mind, was to keep the property as intact as possible and sell it all to one qualified and highly motivated buyer. Of course, if he did so, Frances Knight would lose her home for life—but surely some kind village soul would take pity on her. After all, he told himself, wasn’t that what village life was all about?
“Of course.” Frances smiled as graciously as possible. “Take all the time you need.”
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chawton, Hampshire
That same afternoon
While Colin Knatchbull-Hugessen was counting his pennies over at the Great House, Dr. Benjamin Gray was paying the one house call he had most dreaded ever having to make. He walked down Winchester Road in the direction of Alton, before turning into a small lane. Stopping in front of the first house at the end of a row of semi-detached terrace cottages, he looked quickly about himself, then gave a firm, hard knock on the door.
The door opened after a minute to reveal old Mrs. Berwick, now well into her seventies.
“Has there been an accident?” were the first words out of her mouth, something Dr. Gray was used to whenever he showed up unannounced at the most senior villagers’ homes.
“No, everyone is fine—is Adam here?”
“He’s making a delivery up at Wyards Farm.” She pushed her tiny reading glasses farther down her nose to peer at him closely. “He’ll be back by tea if you want to try again.”
“Actually, Mrs. Berwick, it’s you I came to see. May I come in?”
She pulled her shawl about her shoulders tightly and stepped back to let him in. The house had only four rooms: the parlour that they were standing in, the back kitchen, and the two upstairs bedrooms. Dr. Gray remembered the acres-wide former Berwick farmstead a few miles out of town, now occupied by the struggling Stone family, and all the hardship that had been visited upon both families over the years. For the first time it struck him how ironic it all was—how Evie Stone and Adam Berwick had each grown up in that same old farmhouse, perhaps even slept in the same bedroom, then both ended up part of the Austen Society, despite such vast differences in temperament and ambition and age. He wondered what a less logical, more mystical man would have made of that.
Adam’s mother pointed to a seat by the inglenook fireplace, which stretched the entire width of the room. Dr. Gray sat down and spied several stacks of books on the floor next to him.
“Adam’s been quite distracted ever since you lot started on all that Jane Austen nonsense.”
Dr. Gray gave her an indulgent smile. He had learned well enough over the years never to unnecessarily contradict a woman like Edith Berwick—he was saving his energy for a very different battle ahead.
“I wonder if you know why I have come.”
She narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing. She was not going to give him an inch, he could tell.
“Edith—Mrs. Berwick—I think it is time. To tell Adam. Things have changed for you both very dramatically and very suddenly this past week. You heard, of course, about Mr. Knight’s will?”
He saw her take a nervous gulp while she continued to stare. “Yes, of course. What business does any of that have to do with me and Adam?”
“Adam’s the closest heir,” Dr. Gray said as quickly and forcefully as he could.
“He is no such thing.”
“Edith, please—you can’t deprive him of all that, without his knowledge.” Dr. Gray looked about the small dark room. “He would own the old Berwick fields again, and the house and stables, and he could keep things or change them up as he saw fit—but knowing Adam, he would keep that old place going, keep it the centre of our village as in old times. God knows what will happen to it with anyone else.”
“There is someone else then?”
So she did know more than she was letting on.
“Yes, a Mr. Knatchbull-Hugessen of Greater Birmingham. He’s up at the house as we speak, being shown around by Miss Frances. Miss Frances, who we both know truly does not deserve any of what has happened. Not that the old man surprised anyone in his vindictiveness.”
Dr. Gray wondered if his cause would be helped or hindered by criticizing her former employer Mr. Knight.