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“Could we get back to the matter at hand?” Sterling snapped, annoyed—jealous?—of the pleasant tone of the conversation between Elizabeth and James Stanley.
Immediately followed by Sterling feeling utterly ridiculous for feeling jealous of the warmth Elizabeth was showing toward the older man. Elizabeth was the most gracious, the most caring woman he had ever met.
Except, and hopefully it would be for only a short time, when it came to him.
“Of course.” Stanley gave him a grimace in apology. “Before I begin my explanation, there are two things I think you should know, Your Grace. First, the young Duke of Plymouth was chatting with the dukes Melborne and Lincoln when I found them.”
It was far from ideal when Robert Granger, Plymouth’s heir to the title of duke, was one of the men who might have paid one of the English officers to attack and kill their friend Plymouth.
“I didn’t say anything out of turn,” Stanley assured. “Only that—Your Grace, despite what you advised to the contrary, the Earl of Whitlow and my men you left watching him in Cornwall all arrived back in London early this morning.”
Sterling felt the anger explode in his chest. He could also sense Elizabeth’s tension, and see how her cheeks had paled simply from knowing her father-in-law was now in the same city as she was.
Stanley nodded. “I realize that could seem less than agreeable on the face of things, but I think once I’ve imparted my other news that you will see it as being fortuitous that he is so close by.”
The grimness of Stanley’s expression did not bode well for whatever he was about to impart.
“With the help of my nephew-in-law, who’s a law clerk,” the older man continued, “I was able to discover where the earl’s sudden windfall of money ten months ago came from.” He shot Elizabeth an apologetic glance. “According to records kept, Lord Thomas Marshall inherited a large sum of money left to him in trust by his maternal grandfather on the event of his twenty-fifth birthday.”
Elizabeth nodded. “Thomas died only days after we had celebrated that birthday.” Her lashes were lowered, preventing Sterling from seeing her eyes. But the slight tremor in her voice told him she was on the verge of tears from talk of her husband’s death.
Sterling frowned his confusion. “Why, when you had your husband’s money at your disposal for the past ten months, have you continued to live in your father-in-law’s household and suffer his verbal and physical abuse?”
She gave a quick glance toward Stanley before looking down again. “He told me I could leave any time I wished, but that he would not allow me to take Christopher with me. Besides, Thomas’s inheritance passed to the earl after his son’s death.”
Dear God.
Stanley gave a snort of disgust. “The terms of Lord Marshall’s newly written will stated otherwise.”
“The only will Thomas left was drawn up when he joined the army and before we were married. It stated that his father inherited all his possession,” Elizabeth explained.
“I assure I am telling you the truth when I state that your husband had made a new will, and had it witnessed, the same day on which he died.”
She looked less certain. “No…”
“Would I be correct in stating that Lord Marshall’s lawyer died at about the same time he did?” Stanley prompted lightly.
Dear Lord, this was worse, so much worse than Sterling could ever have imagined.
Elizabeth nodded. “The same day. In a carriage accident,” she confirmed. “He had been visiting with us at the Whitlow estate on the coast in Kent. He came to discuss the details and to transfer the funds of Thomas’s inheritance. Unfortunately, Mr. Shaeffer’s carriage crashed over a cliff on his way back to London, killing him instantly. He had his clerk with him, and I believe he was seriously injured.”
Stanley seemed to be searching for the right words to say so as not to offend. Rightly so, because Sterling would not hear a single word of reproach said to Elizabeth for her lack of knowledge regarding legal matters.
It was a sad fact that many ladies of Society were not made privy to such knowledge, or anything to do with their husband’s or father’s business either. Sterling did not agree with the practice, he only knew it to be the case. He also knew thatneither of his two newly married friends were allowed to get away with such condescending behavior toward their duchesses. And rightly so.
“You did not think the lawyer’s death on the same day as you lost your husband to be…a strange coincidence?” Stanley prompted gently.
“I am afraid I was not thinking of much at all so soon after Thomas had died,” she acknowledged heavily. “I was saddened to hear of Mr. Shaeffer’s death, of course, and I feel regret now that I did not check as to the health of his clerk after he returned to London. My only excuse is that at the time, my immediate concern was for Christopher. He was inconsolable at knowing he would not see his father again.” Her chin wobbled as she continued to hold back the tears. “As was I.”
“Understandably,” Stanley sympathized.
“But I am sure there was no mention of a copy of Thomas’s new will being found amongst the wreckage of the lawyer’s carriage.” A frown creased Elizabeth’s brow. “As a result, my father-in-law took possession of all Thomas’s funds.”
Sterling’s anger grew with each new revelation of the situation.
Because even if no will had existed, Thomas Marshall’s inheritance should have at least been put in trust for his son, Christopher. Or alternatively used to support both his widow and his son after Marshall’s death. There was no reason for it to have reverted to his father, the earl.
“I understand the signed and duly witnessed will was left in your husband’s possession,” Stanley continued.
