“Oh? What’s happened other than your car having issues?”
Alden told Elliott about Lady Sybilla, and the frustration of having to deal not only with her, but with what was apparently going to be some sort of medieval fair in his back garden. “And don’t tell me to throw Lady Sybilla out, El. I can’t do it, I just can’t. I tried, but she just looked at me with those faded eyes, and shaky hands, and all I could picture was the poor old thing being stuffed into a nursing home.”
“But she has a home in the gatekeeper’s lodge that you agreed to let her use until her demise.”
“You know that, and I know that, but Lady Sybilla seems to feel otherwise.” Alden ran a hand through his hair before remembering it was covered in dust and cobwebs. “I just have to face the fact that I’m stuck with her until I absolutely have to move her out of her rooms. Fortunately, there’s a lot I can do in other parts of the house where she won’t be in the way. It’s the other group I really want rid of. Surely I can’t be expected to honor any agreement made by a former owner? What’s the legality of that?”
“Hmm.” Elliott was quiet for a minute. “It doesn’t sound like you should be responsible for letting those people have your garden, but on the other hand, this is English civil law we’re talking about—I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole thing was considered a debt on the estate, and thus it transfers to the new owner.”
“Great.” Alden nudged aside the pools of fallen curtains to sit down on the window seat below the now-denuded window. Across the room, a lightbulb in the wall sconce fizzled, then went out with a soft pop. “So I’m stuck with them?”
“I don’t know. Talk to the solicitor who handled the sale and see what he has to say.”
“I will, although he seems to be more on Lady Sybilla’s side than mine. Old family retainers, I think.”
Elliott snorted. “If you like, I can ask around.”
“I don’t know.” Alden got to his feet and wandered over to the fireplace to see just how bad the mantel was. He didn’t even flinch when, placing his hand on it, the end still attached released its hold on the wall and fell to his feet. Dust swirled up into the fireplace in an intricate design. “Legal opinion takes time. The group is here now, so what good will it be to find out a month from now that I was in the right?”
“It would help if you wanted to get some money out of them for using your land without your knowledge or consent.”
As Elliott spoke, Alden leaned down and reached up into the fireplace. The way the dust had dissipated had left him believing the damper was open. The last thing he needed was to leave an open passage for birds or rodents.
“Getting a judgment against them would take even longer,” Alden said a bit diffidently, his hand scrabbling for the metal handle. He caught it, and gave it a tug. A dead bat fell to the floor, rolled out, and came to rest against his shoe. “I think I’m stuck with them, just as I am Sybilla.”
“It’s your call, Alden. If you want them gone, make a stand,” Elliott said.
Alden looked at the rusty brown bat, then reached out to pick it up. “I was wrong,” he said aloud.
“About what?”
“The bat isn’t dead.” He hurriedly set it back onto the floor of the fireplace, looking around for something with which to capture it.
“What bat? Are you all right? You didn’t eat or drink anything with a funny taste, did you?”
“No. Well, yes, but that was because I bought a sandwich at a petrol station on the way up here. My chimney has bats.”
“Truer words were never spoken, but I’ve never judged you for the path you’ve taken in life.”
“I wasn’t speaking euphemistically. There’s a bat here. A real bat. But it doesn’t seem too well, so I suppose I should get it to someone who knows about them. I wonder if Mercy could help it.”
“Probably. Merciful dealings with animals has always been my byword.”
“Not that sort of mercy. This one is a woman.”
“Oh?”
“Don’t say it like that. I thought she was Alice’s protégée at first until she—Mercy—informed me she was just hired to work with the dog and pony show taking place in my garden. She mentioned something about zoology. I’ll ask her what she thinks of the bat.”
“You certainly know how to woo the ladies,” Elliott said with gentle humor.
Alden made a face at nothing. “I’m not trying to woo her. I’m not trying to woo anyone. Didn’t you listen?She’s not part of Alice’s matchmaking project. She’s just...” Interesting. Somewhat maddening. But with a curiosity that he suspected matched his own. “...just a woman. One who I’d rather was elsewhere.”
“That’s what we all think at first, and then one day, you realize they have seemingly infinite powers that they use to keep us utterly besotted.” Elliott sighed. “Tell me more about this group that is blighting your existence.”
Alden relayed everything he knew while he scooped up a rattan basket that had been lying on its side, forgotten in a dismal corner of the room, and placed it gently over the bat, making sure the gaps within the woven pattern of the basket let air in.
He opened the door to leave. The now-empty curtain rod fell to the ground with a muffled clang.
