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

“Well, kind of true, isn’t it? Did she really think you were something more? Is that what you were telling her? Jacob…”

My free hand clenched at my side. “It was more.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Blair, I care about Madison. This family. This town. Natalie really has done so much for it and her family…”

“Hold up.” Her words were clipped. “You spend not even a week with some random girl and now you think that the Webleys are angels? Have you forgotten about our past? What we’ve been through?”

I swallowed hard. “No. Of course I haven’t.”

“What was Great-Grandfather supposed to do? Just walk up to the manor himself and say, ‘Hello, I need some help, I know you’ve refused to help in the past, but can you do us a solid?’”

“I’m not saying that.”

She huffed. “He’s awake now. Why don’t you call him and tell him all of this, huh? See if he’ll have the same reaction or tell you to keep living your bloody fairytale.”

My breath caught in my throat.

“He’s awake?”

Her tone softened as she sighed. “Yes. He is. You can call his line and either he or a nurse should answer. Maybe that’ll be the best thing. Talk to the man who this affects the most.”

“I think I will,” I said with as much gruff as my dry throat could muster.

“I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye, Blair.”

I hung up then stared at the screen for a few more beats.

Did I want to give the man another darn stroke?

Maybe I should talk to the family solicitor first.

Wheeling my suitcase behind me, I pushed open the large door, a small bell ringing overhead. The whole place smelled like oiled wood and fresh tea. It was smaller than I thought, with a main lobby area no bigger than the solar back at the manor, filled floor-to-ceiling with books and only a small desk in the middle.

Perched behind it was an older woman with horn-rimmed glasses who looked up from her computer with a cheery smile. “Hello, how can I help you today?”

Clearing my throat, I approached the desk, glancing at the two open doors on each side of her, wondering if the Webleys already had a jump on me and were sitting in waiting.

“Yes, um, I’m here to see Rodrick.”

“Did you have an appointment?”

I swallowed hard. “No, but—”

“Jacob, I had a feeling you’d be here,” a voice boomed from the open doorway.

Rodrick stood there with his hands wrapped around a coffee cup, reading glasses perched on his nose. Instead of the three-piece suit he’d worn the night before, he was dressed more casually today, with the sleeves rolled up on his dress shirt and a pair of plain blue trousers.

But he was smiling.

So maybe it wasn’t all bad that he’d known I was coming.

And I didn’t see any big guards in suits behind him.

I forced my own smile, putting my hand out as I approached the door. “Good to see you again.”

After we shook hands, he motioned his free hand. “Come on into my office.”

I nodded, my heart beating so hard, I could feel it down to my knees as I followed him.

Like the main room, this one was filled with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, but after he closed the door behind us, I noticed the touches of a much younger man. Like the basketball hoop behind the door and random sweet wrappers milling with the papers on his large oak desk.

“Have a seat.” He ushered to one of the wingback leather chairs as he went behind his desk. “Already heard from your sister pretty early. She’s a talker.”

“You can say that.”

He pushed his glasses up his nose as his eyes bore into me. “I know what she thinks I can do. And you know who I am to the Webley family.”

It was as if all the warm air had been whooshed out of the room and a chill crept through, leaving goose bumps all down my arms.

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“There are a lot of legal terms I could go through, but I think your biggest question is about what the MacWebleys can claim with Webley Manor?”

Wasn’t that what I’d come here for?

Shouldn’t I have been jumping up and down on the chair with excitement?

My chest seized, and all I could do was nod.

Something else was still nagging at the back of my brain. Something I just couldn’t figure out as my mind played tug of war with my thoughts.

“I’m not here to hurt anybody. Especially not the Webley family or Madison’s.” Her name slipped easily off my tongue.

And I meant it. Every damn word of it.

He folded his hands together on the table. “So, what are you here for then, Jacob? If you did try to file paperwork, you know that could play out in the British courts for years. I can tell you the information I have, but I’m the Webley family lawyer and would not represent you. Nor could I in good faith tell you it’s the brightest idea.”

“Then what are you telling me?”

He knocked his hand on the desk then shuffled a few papers. “There is another way to make it right for everyone. Gavin and I spoke about it at length, but he didn’t think you’d accept the terms.”

He pushed the papers in front of me, and I read over the fine print. A few words jumping out to me. “I…I don’t know about all of this. What would this mean?”

He nodded, not letting me finish my sentence. “This would be a way for the MacWebleys and Webleys to both inherit what they should have all of those years ago, and if what I’m reading about your family is correct, it would help them financially as well.”

I scanned the contract, my eyes darting to certain paragraphs.

The Webleys will fully manage all of the MacWebley properties until their finances are in the black. At which point the management would be re-organized in a way that both families would benefit.

They were giving us an option not just to