Page 48

T he station platform was still shaded and cool when Silas arrived, his satchel in hand. Standing on the platform, he watched the sky beginning to colour, warm and soft. Caught up in the movement of light, he didn’t notice the man appear at his side.

“Morning, Larke,” Mr. Bone murmured, tipping his hat briefly.

“Morning, sir,” Silas replied, his eyes still on the sky. “Appreciate you making the trip with me today.”

“Ah, well, it’s been years since there’s been a need for my lawyering, and I’m only in Bess’s way at the farm now that she’s got it all set up. I was glad you came to speak to me about all this. It’s good to be of use.”

They stood silent while the screech of the engine faded to a mechanical wheezing and then boarded. Silas hadn’t splurged for first-class seats, but the cars were mostly empty, and they took seats next to each other facing the front of the train.

“So,” began Mr. Bone, “I thought we might begin by looking over whatever papers your mother has at the house to see whether there’s anything to suggest Blackwood might have cause. Seems more than likely to me that it’s nastiness.”

Silas blew a long breath out, steadying his nerves. He knew what kind of nastiness Blackwood was capable of and didn’t feel much like chancing it while his family hung in the balance. “So what do I, we, do, then?”

“Well, if it is as you think, a hundred-year lease, I would guess your mother has more than a decade before she’d need to renegotiate.

So my suggestion is that we call a spade a spade, as it were.

” The older man’s hands settled on the leather letter case on his lap.

“There’s usually a provision in the case of a death to assume the tenancy, provided the remaining family is able to keep the land worked or the animals profitable, so I propose we call his bluff. ”

“Do you think that’s wise? I don’t want to complicate things for my mother?—”

“Silas, that man owes you a good deal more than just fulfilling his legal obligations to your family. By God, he’s lucky we haven’t brought the constabulary with us.”

Silas nodded, grateful for the fatherly vigor.

He actually felt a bit sick at the idea of setting foot on the estate properties again, but there seemed to be only one way of making the things that had been weighing him down right.

He wanted to know his mother was safe in her home, Samuel given the option to continue running the farm.

He and his brother had never spoken in detail about Samuel’s plans, but he did know that Sam loved farming and the land he had grown up on.

It wasn’t only settling the score with Blackwood that Silas looked forward to though; he was eager to sweep away the final obstacles to his committing to Ophelia.

She deserved a partner that could come to her without shadows hanging over him, and for himself, he wanted to be able to consider their future clearly, not under threat or secrecy.

Being able to understand his own needs and work out what he truly felt about marriage could only happen if he wasn’t looking over his shoulder or worrying about who might know what.

He was done letting Merritt Blackwood run his life, and for the first time since he had been sent away by the man, exemption papers unsigned, he felt close to relief.

It hadn’t been easy to approach Mr. Bone for help, and it had really only come about when Bone’s career as a lawyer came up in conversation one night during dinner.

When he had realized the man’s former profession might be an answer to his conundrum, Silas pressed Bess and Mrs. Darling for more information.

Bess hadn’t known much about his work, but Mrs. Darling had said the former lawyer had worked for many years as the village solicitor and was likely quite familiar with wills and tenancy issues.

Silas had noticed an unusual tightness around her mouth when she spoke about Mr. Bone, but she had praised his diligence and work ethic.

Hopeful, Silas made time to visit him and soon enough, the older man’s sharp tongue and quick mind had drawn out the salient facts, and the former lawyer was on the case.

After writing to his mother, he had spoken with Ophelia about confronting her father and when she had agreed to the idea, he had asked Mr. Bone to look over the papers in person. Before Silas could think better of his plan, they were on their way to settle things.

“I do appreciate all you’ve done for me about this, Mr. Bone,” Silas said before passing the man a packet of sandwiches that he had wrapped up in the dark kitchen that morning. “I wasn’t entirely sure how to approach all this, as I said when we first met.”

“’Tis naught.” Bone took the bread and cheese with a nod.

“I’ve never had a stomach for bullies, though it’s been years since I ’ad the chance to go up against one.

” He chewed thoughtfully. “I think it were partly the reason I went into law in the first place ... I faced my own bully when I was not much younger than you. Though I weren’t strong enough to best that one, I’ve had good results in my career since. ”

“Oh?”

“Funnily enough, it was even in regards to a young woman.” Mr. Bone glanced over at Silas, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners. “If I’m not entirely mistaken, I think a young woman might be at least partly the impetus for this trip?”

Silas nodded. “She’s the best part of the reason, but I’ve let this all hang over me for long enough. I want it cleared up so that I can focus on my future. Despite Blackwood’s best efforts, I’m still alive and I need to remember that.”

Mr. Bone lifted his sandwich to cheers Silas. “A good woman can bring out the best in us,” he said a little wistfully.

“Yes, sir, I believe that as well. Did you ever consider marrying yourself?” he asked after a pause.

“Ah, well,” said Mr. Bone thoughtfully. “I could never quite put my feelings into words when it came to the moment of truth. The law, now I can talk about that damn near all day, but a woman is a different matter. I ’spose I was a prickly young man, in addition to everything else.”

Silas nodded. “Feelings are a tricky business, indeed.”

Mr. Bone huffed a gruff agreement and subsided into quiet.

Silas let himself relax into the movement of the train, shunting more quickly now through the countryside.

It was quiet in the car, the machinery of the engine muffled by the upholstery, and Silas found his head getting heavy.

He closed his eyes and tried to marshal his thoughts before they arrived.

At the Wells station, he and Bone alighted and made their way to the pony carts, managing to secure a ride on a ramshackle vehicle pulled by a shaggy chestnut.

They started off, and the closer the trap drew to his childhood home, the tighter Silas’s chest felt.

He started when Mr. Bone lifted an arm to clap him gently on the shoulder.

“Whatever happens today, you’ll have me at your back. This isn’t something to face alone.”

“I’m grateful, sir. It does give me a good deal of comfort.”

The farmhouse seemed almost exactly the same as when he had left it almost two years ago—the low-slung, honeyed stone building with its small windows and dark wooden door waiting for him as though preserved in amber.

The front garden circled by the low stone wall still protected his mother’s veg garden from the worst of the rabbits, the rose bushes still scrambled up the corner of the house.

Bone indicated that the trap should stop there, and after paying, Silas hefted their bags down.

He took a deep breath before pushing the gate open and indicated that Bone should proceed first. Before they could reach the door to knock, a collie waddled around the side of the house and gave a half-hearted bark.

“Puff!” Silas exclaimed. “There’s a good girl.” He ruffled the collie’s dark ears and patted her rump. “Looking a bit plump there, eh? Is Mother feeding you from the table again?”

“Silas Larke, don’t you be spreading rumours about how I care for my dogs,” came his mother’s laughing voice. She stood at the side of the house, face concealed by the wide brim of her straw hat.

Silas’s heart leaped. “Ma!” he cried and moved to scoop her up in a firm hug. “God, it’s good to see you.”

She felt smaller in his arms than he remembered, but she smelled just the same.

For a second, it felt as though his entire childhood came rushing back, staggering in its clarity.

He hugged her hard, then let her stand again.

She clutched his hand and wiping her watery eyes, said, “Lord, I’ve waited so long to have you back.

You can’t imagine how good it is to see you with my own eyes. ”

Silas could only nod. Remembering that Mr. Bone stood behind him, still waiting to be introduced, he said, “Mr. Bone, this is my mother, Lettie Larke. Mother, this is Mr. Casper Bone. He’s come to help us with the matter I wrote you about.”

Lettie’s face instantly clouded, her mouth going hard. “That man,” she hissed. “May the devil take him.”

“Well, I’ve no affiliation with the devil, ma’am, but I do know my way ’round a legal document, so I hope I may be of some use to you.

Silas has apprised me of the bare bones of the thing, and if I might look through the papers you have, I’m sure we can find some resolution.

Whether the devil is interested in him is another matter, I suppose. ”

His mother laughed and shook Mr. Bone’s hand, ushering them into the house.