Spangler’s outrage may have been sincere. “That is hardly my place. I would never presume, Sir Robert!” He wiggled in his seat as if to get comfortable. “If anyone would be so presumptuous, it would—well, I wouldn’t, I can tell you.”
Spangler tugged his lapels, and Rob wondered if he would suggest who might order such a survey. The moment passed. “The land itself is a worthy property. You ought to accept it. Were youmyclient—” He shot a glance at Eli. “Well, I must be honest. I would demand that you accept the bequest.”
Rob had had enough. He turned to his brother and nodded.
Eli rummaged in his portfolio and pulled out a familiar sheaf of paper, presenting it to Spangler with a flourish. “As it happens, we’ve decided to do just that.”
For a brief moment, the mask of superiority slipped, and Rob saw confusion, quickly followed by calculation when Spangler examined the signatures.
“I can assure you it is in order,” Eli told him.
“Of course, of course,” Spangler oozed. “I see you had Miss Whitaker witness it. Clever that. Put her on notice. When you sell—”
“If I sell.” Rob kept his words few.
“But I thought—” Spangler sputtered. “You did tell me you wish to return to London shortly. I assume you mean to sell the property if a buyer can be found.”
“If it is mineral rich, it should fetch a pretty penny,” Rob responded, still suspicious about the surveyor.
“Quite true,” Spangler replied, a bit too quickly. “But one can’t count—”
“Of course,” Rob interrupted.
Spangler nattered on without taking notice of the interruption. “When you decide to sell—and I have no doubt you will—I would be happy to represent you. I have considerable experience with property transactions.” Spangler dismissed Eli with a glance, certain Rob’s brother could make no such claim.
Before Rob could formulate an answer, Spangler changed the subject. “Of course, if you wish to rent it temporarily, a word of advice. I don’t wish to tarnish anyone’s reputation, but one suspects some of this will be obvious to you. Miss Whitaker has been permitted the run of the place for some years. She—well, you will have noticed she has no proper sense of a woman’s place. That could be why—”
The windbag let his words fade away when he noticed Rob’s expression. Whatever insult he planned to lay on Lucy Whitaker faded with them.
“What?” Rob asked deliberately, biting back the temptation to throttle the weasel.
Spangler pursed his lips as if to relieve a sour taste. “I’m not one to gossip, but the property is yours, and you ought to be warned. I have found her to be less than honest. I would warn you to take nothing she tells you at face value.” He leaned in, warming to the subject. “Nothing. Whether she tells you about money or the inventory of your assets—or even the condition of the place. Watch the condition carefully, Sir Robert. It impacts sale value greatly.”
Spangler drank again, as though those words parched his throat, while Rob tried to make sense of the man’s declarations. Seeing no opposition in his listeners, Spangler let his expression again shape itself into smug superiority. “Condition, Sir Robert. One of the cardinal measures of a property’s value.”
Eli didn’t appear to understand the man’s intent any more than Rob did, but he addressed the solicitor directly. “Is there anything else you wish from us?”
Spangler gave him a contemptuous sniff and ignored him. “If you need my services, Sir Robert, you can call on me. I can tell you that you will find I am correct. Land sales are a complicated business.”
Rob stood, forcing Spangler to do the same. He didn’t offer a hand to shake. “I’ll think about your words carefully,” he said.Very carefully. The old bat is up to something.
“What do you suppose that weasel is after?” Eli mused when they watched him go.
“Willowbrook for certain.”
“Aye. One minute he’s puffing up the place’s value, and as soon as he knew you’d accepted it, he’s tearing it down… He’s covering himself for the missing funds, too.”
“But what else? We still don’t know who hired the surveyor—if it was a surveyor. For a moment, I thought he was going to accuse someone, but I can’t think who else would dare,” Rob answered, more troubled than ever.
“He said he had business at the hall. The earl is in London, and there is no steward. Any idea who he plans to see?”
“None whatsoever.” Eli shook his head.
*
“The proceeds arein order, Mr. Spangler,” Lucy ground out through clenched teeth. She stood as she had since the toad entered the manor, blocking his way to the study and forcing him to accept the envelope of cash and checks she handed him in the hallway along with an account summary. Behind his back, Agnes hovered in the kitchen passageway, silently providing support.
He tucked the envelope into his coat unopened, but he eyed the summary suspiciously. “There was more last quarter. Have you—”
