She didn’t sit down. She paced. Drew, watching her for a moment, started pacing with her. When she realized what he was doing, she stopped and chuckled. The tension left her. She even sat in one of the chairs lining the wall.
She wasn’t kept waiting long, but the clerk said, “Your companion, unless he is a relative, will have to wait out here.”
Drew simply ignored the fellow and led her into the office. William Bates was sitting behind his desk. He didn’t rise at her entrance. A big man who overindulged in food, nearly bald and with florid cheeks, he hadn’t changed at all. He was even wearing the same scowl he’d worn at their last meeting.
“Do you realize I could have had you declared dead, Miss Brooks?”
She stared at him in amazement, not because he was trying to intimidate her again, but because he didn’t intimidate her at all now. Good grief, she couldn’t believe how formidable he’d seemed when she was younger. It was a wonder she’d had the nerve to defy him and leave the country like she did. But he was just a large man who liked to pretend he was more important than he was.
“Nonsense,” Gabrielle replied. “I sent you a letter, informing you that I was leaving England to live with my father.”
“And merely assumed that I received it?”
“Whether you did or not is irrelevant. I left because you tried to deliver me into the hands of a man who was unfit to be anyone’s guardian.”
“You were underage!”
“I was not without a living relative!”
“A relative who did not live in England!”
She leaned forward, her hands placed on his desk, and gave him a tight little smile. “There is no need for us to argue, Mr. Bates. I’ve returned to England, which is all that matters. And I’m old enough to receive my inheritance, so if you have documents for me to sign, produce them now. Otherwise, begin immediately the transfer of my mother’s estate to me.” Gabrielle took a card out of her reticule and laid it on the solicitor’s desk, “This is the name of the bank to which you can transfer my funds.”
“Now see here—”
“Just do as the lady says and transfer her funds,” Drew said.
“Who are you, sir?” Bates demanded.
“Drew Anderson, a relative of the Malorys,” Drew replied. “Do I need to mention titles?”
William cleared his throat. “No. No, indeed. That family is well known in this town. This matter will be expedited with all due haste. Good day, Miss Brooks.” He nodded, and then stood respectfully as she rose and left the office with Drew close behind her.
Outside, as Drew helped her back into the coach, she thanked him for his assistance. He chuckled at her.
“You’re joking, right?” he said. “The way Georgie made it sound, I thought I was going to have to slam a few heads together today. But you didn’t need any help in there. You handled the situation as if you deal with lawyers every day.”
She blushed at the compliment. “He just wasn’t as frightening as I remembered him being.”
“Nonsense. He still tried to cow you, but you didn’t let him. I wouldn’t have said anything, but I just love throwing around that word ‘titles.’ It gets no reaction back home, but here it can produce some really amusing results. Now how about a ride down the Mall in Hyde Park before we return home, since we finished here early? Or maybe even a boat ride? What’s the name of that lake one of your kings created in the park?”
“It was Queen Caroline, wife to George II in the last century, who had the Serpentine created. And that’s a rather nice idea, actually, though it looks like it will be raining soon. Are you sure?”
“As long as it doesn’t downpour, we won’t melt.”
That giddiness was returning. What an unexpected delight. She’d come downstairs this morning dreading the confrontation with William Bates, and not only did that go surprisingly well, but she was getting to spend the day with Drew as well.
They rode to the lake in Hyde Park. There were no boats available to rent when they got there, so they walked along the shore instead.
“I take it you’re rich now?” Drew asked when they stopped to feed some ducks.
“Not at all,” she replied, watching the way his jacket stretched taut as he bent over toward the ducks. “My mother’s inheritance leaves me quite comfortable, though, and there’s the cottage that’s mine now.”
“Cottage?” He seemed surprised as he glanced back at her. “Why did I picture you growing up in a mansion?”
She laughed. “Perhaps because I did. A cottage here doesn’t necessarily denote size. My mother’s house was quite large with extensive grounds.”
“You liked living here?” he asked. “Or did you prefer the Caribbean?”
