Bride By Friday

‘I’m not battling...’

‘You always battle lawyers,’ Charlie said in a voice of sage experience. ‘Look at me. I’m marrymg to escape ’em.’

‘Charlie...’

‘Tell me.’

Tess took a deep breath and counted to ten, fighting for control. Fighting to ignore Charlie’s preposterous suggestion that she marry him.

‘I just need.. I need to find out where I stand with Ben,’ she said.

‘Ben? Another man?’ He was gently teasing, but Charlie’s eyes weren’t teasing. They were probing and intelligent and...

And knowing, Tess thought. As if he could see the trouble written across her heart.

‘Ben’s my nephew,’ she said stiffly. There was no laughter where Ben was concerned. ‘He’s three’

‘Christine’s child?’

‘Christine’s child.’

‘Oh, no.’ The trouble in Tessa’s face was mirrored in Charlie’s eyes. ‘He wasn’t hurt?’

‘No,’ she said quickly. ‘He’s safe.’

‘And he’s with?’

‘His grandmother. Christine’s mother-in-law.’

‘I see.’ Charlie leaned back in his chair. ‘And you’re going to see the lawyers because—’

‘Because I need to know whether I can get access if Mrs Blainey refuses to let me see him,’ Tess said slowly, thinking it through as she spoke. ‘Mrs Blainey—my sister’s mother-in-law and Ben’s grandmother—didn’t want me to come. She says it’ll upset Ben. You see, Chnstine and I are twins. I look like...’

She faltered to a halt.

‘You look like Christine,’ Charlie finished for her. ‘But you’ve come anyway and you still want to see Ben. I can understand that.’

‘I can’t get any answers from the laywer over the phone,’ Tess said. ‘I’ve only been able to make an appointment with the junior partner in the firm—not with the lawyer who acts for Christine. He also acts for Mrs Blainey, you see. But if I see him...he’ll have to say whether I have a legal right to see Ben. ’

‘If he can’t then I have an excellent lawyer who can find out for us,’ Charlie said. ‘I’ll even put aside my aversion to lawyers in the cause.’ He rose and crossed to her, and before she could stop him he took both her hands and squeezed them together in his. ‘We’ll resort to his advice together. But before we revert to such drastic measures as bringing in more legal eagles, let’s see what we can do ourselves, Tess Flanagan. Together.’

Tess had been dreading her time with Christine’s lawyer. The junior who’d spoken to her on the telephone had been supercilious and condescending.

‘I’m sure Master Ben’s well taken care of, Miss Flanagan. Mr Walter Scott’s taking care of all the legal affairs of the estate. if you need any information, please write to this address.’

Mr Edward Scott, junior partner, had agreed to her request for an appointment with reluctance, and Tess had allowed herself two days in London in case of problems. She expected problems.

She hadn’t counted on Charlie.

Charlie at her side, dressed to face city lawyers, was a presence indeed.

Tess wore a simple linen suit, soft blue and pressed into looking its best by Mary’s careful ministration. Tess looked neat and presentable but not an imposing presence at all. Charlie made up for it.

Charles Cameron had stood out among the suits in business class in the aeroplane, and Tess had thought it was because he was wearing casual clothes. It was no such thing. In a dark, impeccably cut business suit, Charlie would turn Just as many heads as he had in his moleskins. After a couple of hours on her wonderful bed, Tess emerged from her blue bedroom to find him waiting for her, and the sight of him just took her breath away.

The bruise on his eye had darkened but it took nothing from his appearance. Rather, it heightened the impression of strength, as if he’d just come from battle—victonous.

‘You...you don’t have to do this,’ she managed, trying not to stare. ‘I can go by myself.’

‘I’ve put on a tie especially,’ he said reproachfully. ‘Don’t quibble.’

That was the only protest she was allowed to make. Tess subsided and didn’t quibble at all.

Scott, Scott and McPherson was a firm of lawyers of long standing. Henry drove Charles and Tess to a building steeped in history, and the worn brass plate outside said that whatever historic events had taken place here, Scott, Scott and McPherson had been around long enough to see them.

Tess took a deep breath, looking at the ancient stone lions guarding the portals. If this place had been purpose built to intimidate, it could scarcely have been more successful.

‘Gird your loins here, lass,’ Charlie said beside her.

‘Together we can conquer anything—even lawyers.’

‘What exactly does gird your loins mean?’ Tess asked carefully, and Charlie chuckled.

‘Whatever it is, I just bet you can’t do it in pantyhose. Just don’t let anyone push you around. I’m with you all the way.’ He thrust the double doors wide and ushered her inside.

Tessa’s reception was just as she had suspected it might be. Mr Edward Scott, junior partner, kept Tess and Charles waiting for twenty minutes in an outer waiting room that was as uncomfortable as it was austere. Finally he condescended to show them into his inner sanctum. His welcome was wintry. He sat them on two uncomfortable chairs and asked how he could help them in the tone of one who didn’t expect to help them one bit.

Tess introduced Charles simply as Charles Cameron—for heaven’s sake, what else was she to call him? The lawyer gave Charlie a long, assessing look, but Charles was keeping a low profile. He listened patiently while Tessa was effectively brushed aside as having nothing to do with her sister’s affairs.

‘As I told you on the telephone,’ Mr Scott junior explained yet again, ‘the estate is being looked after by Mr Scott senior and he’s in the north at the moment.’

‘But I’d like to see my nephew, and maybe have access to some of my sister’s things,’ Tess said meekly. ‘There are family things... Christine and I were twins and...’

‘All that will be sorted out when the estate is finalized. And as for having access, I believe Mrs Blainey has objected. She feels the family resemblance will unsettle the child.’

‘You don’t believe it might be good for Ben to know he has an aunt who loves him?’ Charlie asked diffidently, and the lawyer flashed him a look of disdain.

‘Mrs Blainey thinks not,’ he said flatly. It was said as a statement not to be argued with.

‘Well, I need to see Mrs Blainey face to face,’ Tess managed. ‘Christine gave me her telephone number some time ago, but I don’t have her address. Could you at least give me that?’

‘Mrs Blainey will give it to you if she sees fit. Telephone her and ask her.’

‘I have.’ Tess swallowed. ‘She won’t.’

‘Then there’s nothing more to be said.’ The lawyer rose. The interview, it seemed, was over. ‘I’m sorry, miss, if you’ve wasted your time coming to England, but I did warn you.’

‘Just a moment.’ Charlie hadn’t moved. Now he brushed an imaginary speck of dust from his immaculate trousers and searched for more. ‘We wish to see a copy of Mrs Blainey’s will,’ he said softly. ‘Now.’