pointed in the right direction. At least he hoped so.
Besides, he didn’t want his new mount to think he’d abandoned him, especially when he’d yet to christen the steed with a name.
Lorne mounted the sleek black Friesian, rubbing a hand down his neck. “What shall I call ye? George?”
The horse snorted and shook his head.
“Ah, so ye understand me. What about Andrewson, then?”
The horse nodded and Lorne chuckled. Seemed only fitting that he should name the beast he rode after the family that had screwed him over six ways to Sunday.
“Well, Andrewson, my faithful mount, to my solicitor’s office, then. And I vow never to mistreat ye the way I wish to treat your namesake.”
They rode through the city already coming to life with merchants and the like, until they arrived at the low brick building that housed the best solicitors in Scotland, and likely England, too.
“Mr. Lindsey’s been expecting ye, Your Grace,” the solicitor’s clerk said, standing to bow. “Right this way.”
Lorne entered his longtime solicitor’s office, where papers lined Lindsey’s desk and books were floor to ceiling. The window had its curtains pulled back, the sun shining in to light the dust motes in the air.
Lindsey stood, coming around the desk to shake his hand. “My God, Your Grace, I did no’ believe the news when I heard, but here ye are in the flesh.”
“Aye, and without my castle.”
Lindsey frowned, nodding, and then pushing his spectacles up his nose from where they’d slid. “That was a sad business.”
“Can we undo it? And what other damage has my brother caused?”
“Well, the young lord did no’ use my services for the sale of Dunrobin. Had a rather unreputable man go about the paperwork, but it was a legal sale as far as such things go. With evidence of your body buried, they were able to pass the probate quite quickly.” Lindsey moved around his desk, and the contents of Lorne’s stomach started to curdle as he took a seat.
“How bad?” Lorne plucked a peppermint from a bowl on his solicitor’s desk and popped it into his mouth, willing his sour belly to calm.
Lindsey tapped a pile of papers on his desk with one finger and opened a large volume sitting beside them with the other. “Ye’re in luck, Your Grace, because the law protects men at war. I just need to get the letters of administration of probate canceled, have Lord Gille return the bill of sale and funds, and all will be well.”
Lorne ground his teeth. “The lad has absconded with the funds and, from what I understand, a large part of my fortune.”
Lindsey’s brow furrowed. “I had hoped it was no’ true.”
“Me too.” Lorne crunched the peppermint into dust.
Lindsey sifted through some other papers and then pulled out another volume, opening it and sliding his finger about mid-way down a page. “All right, well, he’s no’ absconded with it all. Given the probate, Lord Gille was no’ able to garner control of the funds held in trust in the Bank of Scotland. Ye’re still a verra wealthy man, Your Grace, with several other properties still within the family name—your name. Ye could use your money to pay J. Andrewson back until ye locate Gille, but it will require ye to either sell several of your other properties or deplete half the trust.”
Half the trust… Ballocks. Though the trust was vast, the idea of parting with half his fortune for a property that should have already been his stung more than a little. “How the hell did she come up with the funds to purchase my castle, to begin with?”
Lindsey blew out a long breath, shaking his head. “I can no’ say, as I was no’ involved, but the Andrewson name has grown exponentially in Scotland since ye’ve been gone. They’ve got a hand in the imports and exports of nearly every good coming in and out.”
In other words, Jaime Andrewson was almost one of the most powerful people in the city—besides himself.
“I do no’ want to give up half my fortune or be rid of my properties.” He’d only just returned. Lorne wanted everything back to the way it was before. “I want my sapskull brother to return what he stole.”
“Then ye need to find Gille.”
Bloody hell. Lorne nodded curtly, unable to speak for fear of the vulgar words that might escape.
“In the meantime, I can start the paperwork. Perhaps approach Miss Andrewson about a reversal on your behalf.”
Lorne shook his head. “Do no’ say anything to her