An Honest Deception Read Online Free Page A

shawl
about her shoulders. She closed her eyes, but sleep did not find her. Her brain
continued in the constant circle it had been caught in for days now; the estate
was encumbered, the mortgages must be paid, there was no money, there were
immediate debts which Alfred’s death brought to the fore. There seemed to be no
end to the tangle. After some time she dozed, and dreamed of debt collectors
lined up at her door.
    She awoke a few
hours later to find Isobel sitting at her bedside.
    “Oh, such a dream I
was having,” said Letitia.
    “Was it pleasant?”
asked Isobel.
    “Not at all,” said
Letitia. “It had to do with money, of course.”
    “Letitia, you are
not to worry,” said Isobel. “Francis and I will be glad to be of assistance to
you.”
    “No,” said Letitia.
“I cannot allow you and Exencour to continue to pick up the pieces of my life. I
am already deeply in your debt in so many ways; you took me in when I fled from
Alfred and Exencour was kind enough to frighten him away from England and onto
the Continent for some time. I cannot forever be running to you with my
problems, and I certainly cannot take your money.”
    “Letitia, Exencour
and I have more money than we can possibly need,” said Isobel. “Surely you will
allow us to--”
    “No, I will not,”
said Letitia. “You yourself said I must begin as I mean to proceed, and I must
now think for myself. I will always need your friendship and advice, but Morgan
Park must be preserved for Jamie, and it must be done without incurring further
debt.” She paused, and then a smile broke through. “How severe I sound. As
though I had any idea at all of how to do that.”
    Isobel took her
hand and squeezed it. “If you will not take our money, at least Exencour and I
can help you with your plans. Something must--shall--be done!”
    Buoyed by this
positive, if somewhat general, statement, Letitia arose and adjusted her dress.
“I suppose we must go down,” she said softly.
    “Yes,” said Isobel.
“Your lawyer has arrived, and the gentlemen await us.”

Chapter 4
    The ladies went
downstairs and found the men in the library, standing by the fire and speaking
of general topics. Lord Morgan’s lawyer, Mr. Linkwall, was a kindly looking old
gentleman, dressed in sober black, his thin hair curling about his scalp. He
greeted Letitia warmly, murmuring a few words of condolence. He privately
thought the lady to be better off without his client, but knew when the
conventions must be observed. Letitia gave him a vague smile and seated herself
by the fire.
    “I think it would
be best to get the reading over with,” proposed Lord Exencour. “Lady Morgan is
fatigued by the events of the past few days, and I expect she would like to
begin to get her affairs in order.”
    Mr. Linkwall
assented and gathered his papers as the rest of the party disposed of
themselves about the room. The will itself was far from complicated; it had
been drawn up shortly after the birth of James, and left all to him, with his
mother as guardian. Letitia was left in possession of her jointure and the care
of the children.
    The reading done, Mr.
Linkwall gave Lady Morgan a shrewd glance. “Your jointure is quite generous, my
lady,” he said. “Your father was clearly determined that you should not be left
wanting if you were widowed. Still, it was intended to support an elderly lady,
not a very young woman with small children and encumbered estates. You will be
able to live on it comfortably, if you are careful, but you will in no wise be
able to free the estate of the mortgages, nor will it supply much money for the
schooling of your son or the dowry of your daughter. These things should have
been provided by the estate, which is clearly impossible.”
    Letitia twisted her
handkerchief in her hands. “I am aware that my finances will be quite
straitened, and that will not be a great difficulty for me, as I am accustomed
to it,” she said. “My most urgent concern is the