click.
“Well?” said Daisy.
“Er, hm … What do you think of her?”
“Honestly, Tommy, I’ve just had the briefest glimpse of her. Miss Watt didn’t give me time even to say good morning. She’s the one who wrote from Jamaica, isn’t she?”
“That’s right.”
“Why did she come, when you advised her not to?”
“She still doesn’t know when her husband will return to Jamaica,” Tommy said crossly, “and she was still afraid of missing a great opportunity for him and the family if no one turned up in person to advance his claim. Frankly, I suspect there’s more to the story—something she isn’t telling me.”
“And you expect me to ferret it out for you? She looks just as naïve and innocent as Sakari and I guessed from her letter and even younger.”
“I knew you’d have formed an impression, at a glance. Can it be true, or could it be a clever pose?”
“You really think it might be, that she’s another false claimant?”
“I never said so!”
“The rest were living in England, weren’t they? Oh, and that Scottish chap from the village called Dalrymple. Britain, anyway. Jamaica’s a long way to come on the strength of a remote possibility. Especially as her clothes suggest the fare must have been a strain on her budget.”
“Anyone can buy cheap clothes.”
“True. And didn’t you say the estate would pay the fare?”
“Only if Samuel’s claim has a valid basis.”
“Jamaica is suggestive, isn’t it? Since we know Julian went there. Hasn’t she brought any sort of proof with her?”
“Various documents, good enough as far as they go, but none leading directly back to Julian. At least, unlike the others, she doesn’t claim to have heard a family story about descent from an English lord. As for what her husband would have to say of the entire business … According to her he’s entirely unaware of it, having sailed off before my advertisement was brought to her attention. He’s the principal, and nothing can be decided without him. You must admit, it’s put me in a difficult position.”
“Aren’t difficulties what lawyers thrive on?”
“An impossible position!”
“What do you want me to do, then? Have a good long heart-to-heart with her?”
“Er, hmm…” Tommy was not in general the kind of lawyer who prefaces every remark with a premonitory cough. “Well, yes. She may well speak more freely to you. But also … You see the thing is…”
“Spit it out, Tommy.”
“I don’t know what to do with her. I can’t very well send her back to Jamaica. A young girl like her, married or not, shouldn’t have undertaken such a voyage all by herself in the first place. She can’t stay alone at an hotel, even if she could afford it or the estate could legitimately pay her expenses. A cheap women’s hostel doesn’t seem right when she may be the next viscountess. On the other hand, I can’t send her down to Fairacres for several weeks, not knowing whether she has any actual connection with the family! I’m sure Madge would be willing to put her up, but it could lead to a perception of favouritism among the other possible heirs.”
“I thought I saw it coming.” Daisy sighed. “You’re hoping we’ll put her up. Of all the cheek!”
Tommy looked abashed. “Sorry. It seemed like a solution. Grasping at straws.”
“I’ll have to ask Alec.…”
“You mean you’ll do it? It’s an awful lot to ask, particularly as we know so little about her. But if there’s anything fishy about her, you’ve got a copper in the house.”
“One night. We’ll see how it goes. I’m not promising anything, even if Alec consents.”
“Of course. Perhaps I’ll come up with a better idea by tomorrow.” He pushed his phone across the desk. “Here, ring up Alec.”
“At the Yard? Not likely! This doesn’t exactly qualify as a life or death emergency.”
“Oh, is that the criterion? You won’t be able to take her home with you right away, then. What on
“Well?” said Daisy.
“Er, hm … What do you think of her?”
“Honestly, Tommy, I’ve just had the briefest glimpse of her. Miss Watt didn’t give me time even to say good morning. She’s the one who wrote from Jamaica, isn’t she?”
“That’s right.”
“Why did she come, when you advised her not to?”
“She still doesn’t know when her husband will return to Jamaica,” Tommy said crossly, “and she was still afraid of missing a great opportunity for him and the family if no one turned up in person to advance his claim. Frankly, I suspect there’s more to the story—something she isn’t telling me.”
“And you expect me to ferret it out for you? She looks just as naïve and innocent as Sakari and I guessed from her letter and even younger.”
“I knew you’d have formed an impression, at a glance. Can it be true, or could it be a clever pose?”
“You really think it might be, that she’s another false claimant?”
“I never said so!”
“The rest were living in England, weren’t they? Oh, and that Scottish chap from the village called Dalrymple. Britain, anyway. Jamaica’s a long way to come on the strength of a remote possibility. Especially as her clothes suggest the fare must have been a strain on her budget.”
“Anyone can buy cheap clothes.”
“True. And didn’t you say the estate would pay the fare?”
“Only if Samuel’s claim has a valid basis.”
“Jamaica is suggestive, isn’t it? Since we know Julian went there. Hasn’t she brought any sort of proof with her?”
“Various documents, good enough as far as they go, but none leading directly back to Julian. At least, unlike the others, she doesn’t claim to have heard a family story about descent from an English lord. As for what her husband would have to say of the entire business … According to her he’s entirely unaware of it, having sailed off before my advertisement was brought to her attention. He’s the principal, and nothing can be decided without him. You must admit, it’s put me in a difficult position.”
“Aren’t difficulties what lawyers thrive on?”
“An impossible position!”
“What do you want me to do, then? Have a good long heart-to-heart with her?”
“Er, hmm…” Tommy was not in general the kind of lawyer who prefaces every remark with a premonitory cough. “Well, yes. She may well speak more freely to you. But also … You see the thing is…”
“Spit it out, Tommy.”
“I don’t know what to do with her. I can’t very well send her back to Jamaica. A young girl like her, married or not, shouldn’t have undertaken such a voyage all by herself in the first place. She can’t stay alone at an hotel, even if she could afford it or the estate could legitimately pay her expenses. A cheap women’s hostel doesn’t seem right when she may be the next viscountess. On the other hand, I can’t send her down to Fairacres for several weeks, not knowing whether she has any actual connection with the family! I’m sure Madge would be willing to put her up, but it could lead to a perception of favouritism among the other possible heirs.”
“I thought I saw it coming.” Daisy sighed. “You’re hoping we’ll put her up. Of all the cheek!”
Tommy looked abashed. “Sorry. It seemed like a solution. Grasping at straws.”
“I’ll have to ask Alec.…”
“You mean you’ll do it? It’s an awful lot to ask, particularly as we know so little about her. But if there’s anything fishy about her, you’ve got a copper in the house.”
“One night. We’ll see how it goes. I’m not promising anything, even if Alec consents.”
“Of course. Perhaps I’ll come up with a better idea by tomorrow.” He pushed his phone across the desk. “Here, ring up Alec.”
“At the Yard? Not likely! This doesn’t exactly qualify as a life or death emergency.”
“Oh, is that the criterion? You won’t be able to take her home with you right away, then. What on
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