Heirly Ever After by Vernon, Magan (best classic novels .TXT) 📕

“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.” I put the card in my back pocket and tried to keep the smile off my face as Gavin made his way over to us.

I hadn’t talked to or seen him since the sword incident and couldn’t tell what he was thinking, or if he was even happy, since his face never seemed to move, or if he was still angry.

“Rodrick, glad you made it tonight.” He held his hand out to the solicitor, shaking briskly.

“Wouldn’t miss it, even if I wasn’t on the Webley payroll.” He laughed, but of course Gavin didn’t join. He really needed to get the stick out of his arse.

Gavin nodded, then his dark gaze flickered in my direction. “Ah, and I see you’re already acquainted with Laird Jacob MacWebley.”

Rodrick raised his glass, sliding his free hand in his pocket. “Yes, we were just chatting a bit.”

“Well, I don’t mean to interrupt the conversation, but do you mind if I borrow my cousin for a moment?”

I swore the man was trying to glare a hole through me.

“Not at all.” Rodrick might have even gulped.

“I guess I don’t have a choice in this matter, ey?” I asked, taking a big swig of my drink. It didn’t go down as smoothly as the scotch from earlier, but that probably wasn’t a bad thing.

Gavin didn’t say a word and headed toward the open balcony doors, the moonlight illuminating the large marble columns.

I could have just not followed.

Hell, I probably shouldn’t have.

But like the numpty I was, I kept going, waiting until we were both outside, looking out onto the rolling hills before I spoke.

“So why did you really bring me out here? Afraid I was going to say something damning to the solicitor?” I asked bluntly, keeping my eyes on the view. One hand gripped my glass and the other the railing in front of us.

“Rodrick already knows exactly what you can take from us as a MacWebley, and I don’t doubt you’ve been doing your own digging in the library. I thought Hugh might have gotten some out of you with you two’s little drunken brigade this afternoon. But my brother seems to think you’re merely a good man who wants to get to know his family.” He turned toward me, his eyes blazing. “But we both know you’re here for more and not just because of my sister-in-law or to get to know the Webleys.”

I didn’t falter, my hand gripping tighter on the bannister. “So then your solicitor has found proof that the MacWebleys could claim half of everything in Webley?”

I was grasping at straws here, from the little conversation with Rodrick, but I’d take what I could get.

His lip quirked slightly. Not a smile. Not a frown. But something even more horrifying that didn’t reach his eyes.

The man actually sighed, looking down at the ground as he shook his head. “The truth is, though, we both know that you have every right to take the property after what’s happened to your family and their financial troubles. I just wish you would have come to us sooner.”

What the hell?

We did.

Multiple times.

Did he even know that?

“That’s an interesting sentiment since you’ve never bothered to help before, no matter how many times my family reached out over the years.” I swallowed, trying to regain my words so I wouldn’t sound like a blundering fool or have my voice crack.

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Jacob. If they would have come to me directly, I wouldn’t have turned them away. And I’m sorry, so damn bloody sorry you’ve had to go through this.”

This was the moment where I could just ask for help.

Swallow my pride and accept his offer to write a big check to the MacWebleys.

Accept his apology and move on.

But now that I had that nugget of information from Rodrick that the MacWebleys were entitled possibly to half of everything…that our legacy wouldn’t be lost, erased if I took back what was ours…

This time when Gavin looked at me, there wasn’t the dark, cold stare in his eyes. It was a softer gaze that met mine. “I extended the invitation to your great-grandfather after doing some more research of my own. Well, and with the little help of a private investigator, I finally learned of your family’s situation.”

I tried swallowing down the emotion, the pride that was slowly fading away from me. So why reach out now? Why did he care? Or was it just that he was scared of what Rodrick might find?

“But.” His words cut through me as he held up a hand and pointed toward the dining room.

Glancing in that direction, I faltered.

Madison. The bright light in the center of the room. The one who made my heart beat faster, wondering what his words were going to be next.

“I see the way you and Madison look at each other. I know you don’t want to see her or her family hurt in all this, and that’s what would happen if you tried and took over any part of Webley. It’s not as simple as you just coming in and claiming you’re owed something as the oldest MacWebley. We could be tied up for years in the court system.”

He took a step closer, dropping his hand. “Years of battle where her family, who has already suffered enough hardships, wouldn’t know their place. Could possibly lose everything.”

“They wouldn’t have to.” My words came out a husky chime.

“So then you aren’t going to try and claim you’re the rightful heir and that’s not what you were talking to the solicitor about?” he asked, raising his eyebrows, but we both couldn’t break the tension.

It swarmed us.

Suffocating.

Heating my collar so I had to tug away the itchy fabric.

I didn’t know what the bloody hell I was going to do once I got solid proof of a MacWebley claim. But the family back home was counting on me. I couldn’t let them down. I needed to set up a meeting