Amanda Scott - [Dangerous 04] Read Free

it occurred to him only recently that I might know why Benthall had chosen to leave the house away from his family. I’m afraid I was unable to help him.”
    “I see. Then who does want to buy the house?”
    “The first offer came from Sir John Conroy. I don’t know if that name means anything to you, but he is quite a well-known figure about London.”
    “He had the honor to be the queen’s primary, unrelated advisor before she took the throne, I believe,” Letty said.
    “Indeed, he was,” Clifford said, giving her a quizzical look that told her he wondered if she knew more than that about Conroy. She did, but she could see no good reason to mention her awareness of Sir John’s fall from the queen’s grace the instant Victoria took the throne, or that Jervaulx had warned her that Conroy saw the Tory party as just one more obstacle in the way of regaining the queen’s favor.
    After that brief look, Clifford went on to say, “According to Benthall’s man, the only other offer came from a well-known admiral, but he withdrew his when he learned that Benthall had arranged for the two ladies to maintain lifetime tenancy.”
    “Let me see if I understand you correctly, sir. You are telling me that I can sell the house if I can find a buyer willing to accept my tenants on Mr. Benthall’s terms, but that I cannot take full possession of the house myself until they die because it is unlikely that I could find an equivalent home for them.”
    “That is correct,” Clifford said, nodding. “Not only would it be difficult to find a similar house, but it is unlikely that it would be worth your trouble or expense to do so, since you would have to accept their present rent, which is only forty pounds a year. Therefore, your only hope of taking full possession of the house before both ladies die lies in the second exception, which is if they allow someone else to take over payment of their rent. That condition is rather an odd one, because the ladies are said to be quite wealthy, but I expect Benthall feared that someone might try to take advantage of them in some way to gain control of the house for some purpose or other.” With a ponderous effort at humor, he added, “Of course, legally, you could move in with them if you wish to do so.”
    “I see,” Letty said, smiling dutifully. “I doubt that I will ever impose on them to that degree, sir, but I do hope that Mrs. Linford will not object to my calling upon her. My desire to see this excellent property is growing by leaps and bounds.”
    “She will welcome you with open arms,” he said. His gaze shifted toward the door, and he added in a heartier tone, “Ah, Fox, just set that tea tray down in front of Lady Letitia’s woman. Then you may take yourself off again. At least,” he said to Letty with a smile, “I presume that you do not desire to pour out, my lady.”
    Grinning this time, Letty said, “We shall get on much better, Mr. Clifford, if you will cease to worry about what might offend me. I do not offend easily, I promise you. I like plain speaking and am prone to speaking quite plainly myself.”
    “You are a most unusual young woman, if I may make so bold as to say so.”
    “So I am told. Am I to understand, then, sir, that you have met Mrs. Linford?”
    “Oh, yes, indeed. I took tea with her and her delightful sister, Miss Abigail Frome, shortly after Augustus Benthall’s man of affairs communicated the details of his patron’s will to me—such details, that is, as pertained to your father.”
    “To me, in fact,” Letty reminded him.
    “Yes, as it happens, my lady, but please understand that it never occurred to me that I would be dealing with anyone but his lordship. It simply is unheard of for young ladies to take an interest in such matters. I am an honest man, of course—”
    “I do not doubt that, sir,” Letty said, taking care not to smile. “Neither Grandfather nor Papa would tolerate a solicitor whom they could not trust