The door to the back office was closed when they entered.
“He is likely with a client. I do not imagine he will be long,” Lord Berkeley said.
Lydia nodded, trying not to fidget.
“Might I ask . . . Is anything amiss?”
Lydia looked up from her hands, which she had been studiously keeping from pulling at the lace on her dress. “No,” she said.
Lord Berkeley nodded, not pressing the issue.
The door in the back opened, and two men came out.
“Lord Berkeley,” a man with rough clothing and tanned skin said, dropping into a bow.
“Tom, how are you?”
Tom’s face split into a grin. “Mighty fine, m’ lord. Mighty fine indeed.”
“Your new situation is a comfortable one then?”
The man folded the brim of his hat in his hands. “Yessir. I’s just asking Mr. Sperry here to leave you a message. We’re leavin’ London. The family and I. My employer thinks I’d make a good farmer and has a place for us jus’ waitin’ empty. The missus is thrilled. I can’t thank you enough, m’ lord.”
“It is all your own doing, Tom. Hardly anything to do with me. I am very happy for you.” Lord Berkeley looked it too. It was hard to look away when he appeared that pleased.
In truth, it was usually difficult to look away from the man. Drat his handsomeness.
Lord Berkeley suddenly glanced over at her, and she tried to appear as if she’dnotjust been ogling him. She didn’t think she was particularly successful, but thankfully he simply looked from her to Mr. Sperry. “Miss Faraday needed some of your time, if you’re available, Mr. Sperry?”
The solicitor straightened up. “Yes, yes, of course. Come on back, Miss Faraday.”
Lydia followed the man to his office, pushing back regret that she would no longer be able to survey what Lord Berkeley looked like when he was overtly happy.
Mr. Sperry closed the door behind them then circled his desk. “What can I do for you today, Miss Faraday? I was sorry to hear that your guardian has taken ill.”
“Thank you, Mr. Sperry. It does make it easier to see you though.”
“Yes, I imagine it would. Now, is something the matter?”
“Not entirely.” She could still hear the murmur of voices in the office beyond. “I have questions for you regarding my inheritance, and I believe in order to make the best decisions for my future, I should be in possession of all the information I can garner.” She paused then dove in. “I truly can only access it if I reach twenty-five unwed?”
Mr. Sperry stood and began rifling through files, pulling out her grandfather’s. “I’m afraid that is what it says, Miss Faraday.”
She knew that. She’d known that before coming here. But foolishly, she’d hoped that the answer would be different. “There are no loopholes? No strange wordings that might allow me to gain my inheritance... earlier?”
Mr. Sperry pursed his lips. “I have looked through the documents extensively—after all, I wrote the majority of them—but I can have a look once more if you wish.”
“If you would not mind.” The likelihood of him finding something was slim, and she knew it. He was only humoring her. Ultimately, her future came down to two options: remain unwed and secure her future on her own, or put her future into Lord Berkeley’s hands and tell him how she felt.
The idea made her chest feel jittery.
At least if he turned her down, she could always revert back to her original plan. Though it would be horribly embarrassing to remain in his home after a display of unrequited love.
“I will do that then, Miss Faraday. Was there anything else I might help you with?”
Lydia sighed. “No, thank you. I am sorry to have wasted your time.” She stood, embarrassed that she’d come to ask a question she already knew the answer to.
But as she began to turn back to the door, another question surfaced. “What would happen to the money if I do not receive it?”
