Stone Barrington 36 - Scandalous Behavior Read Free Page B

have dinner?”
    “I’d like that.”
    “May we go up and have another look at the master suite?”
    “Of course. I can hang these pictures later. I’ve got some fabric samples to show you.”
    He followed her up the stairs, watching her ass all the way.

4

    S usan showed him a swatch of antiqued leather. “I thought this for the sofa that was in the room.”
    “I like it,” Stone said.
    “The late Lady Bourne had turned this into a nest of Victorian frilliness, which made my skin crawl. I think, in view of the gender of the new owner, something a little more masculine would be better.”
    “I agree.” Stone was standing next to a window, and something outside caught his eye. He squinted and saw a man in some sort of tattered cowl crossing the lawn, carrying a heavy staff. “Who do you suppose that is?” he asked Susan.
    “Oh, that’s just Wilfred, the hermit. He lives in a little hut in the woods that Charles built for him.”
    “A hermit?”
    “A lot of the big estates had them in the past. It’s supposed to be good luck to have a hermit living on the property. He doesn’t bother anyone, and no one bothers him. I think he stops at the kitchen for food on a regular basis, though. Don’t worry, he’s harmless.”
    “If you say so,” Stone said. “I’ll look for him on the list of furnishings being conveyed.”
    “Speaking of furnishings, Charles has a rather nice art collection that I assume will come with the house. It’s mostly middling stuff, chosen because Charles liked them, not for investment purposes. He does have a middling Constable, though—one of his many renderings of Salisbury Cathedral, and he has a very nice Turner. I’ve sent the best things out for cleaning and, in some cases, minor restoration. A lot of cigars have been smoked in this house over the decades, and smoke doesn’t do much for pictures.”
    “Good.” Stone looked at his watch. “It’s time for me to make some calls to New York,” he said. “Will you excuse me for a few minutes?”
    “Of course.”
    Stone went into the dressing room, took out his iPhone, checked for a signal, and called the managing partner of Woodman & Weld, Bill Eggers.
    “Are you back?” Eggers asked.
    “Not yet. It’ll be another week or so.”
    “Having fun?”
    “Italy wasn’t much fun. I’ll tell you all about it when I get home.”
    “Where are you now?”
    “In Hampshire, in England. God help me, Bill, I’ve bought another house.”
    “Good God.”
    “I’m going to balance things out, though, by selling you my house in Washington, Connecticut.”
    “I didn’t even know you had a house in Washington, Connecticut, but I like the village very much. So does my wife.”
    “Run up there and have a look at it this weekend. Stay for a couple of nights. You’ll love it. Joan will send over the keys and the security code.”
    “What the hell, all right. What do you want for it?”
    “Don’t worry, it’ll be cheap, for Washington, Connecticut. I’ll hold off listing it until I hear from you. In the meantime, will you call the London office and have them give me a bright young real estate lawyer to close this sale? Tell him to call me on my cell. I’m going up there in a day or two, and I’ll want to see him.”
    “I’ll take care of that now.”
    “See you next week sometime.” He hung up and called his broker, Ed.
    “Good morning, Stone.”
    “Good afternoon. I’m in England, and I’m buying a house, so I have to move some money to my London account at Coutts & Company.”
    “How much do I have to shake loose?”
    “Ten and a half million pounds, not dollars.”
    “Good, the pound is down against the dollar right now.”
    “I’ll leave it to you which stocks to unload. Try not to make me any capital gains, though.”
    “All right, Stone, I’ll get right on it. I’ll want a written confirmation for this big a transfer, though.”
    “Will a handwritten note do?”
    “That will be fine.”
    “Hang on a