Read Online The Bride Hunt by Jane Feather - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jane Feather
Ads: Link
Malvern,” Prudence put in. “He’s seeing us next Thursday. We were wondering if you knew him, Max.”
Instead of answering her, Max demanded, “How are you going to keep your identities secret in a court of law?”
“We don’t know yet,” Constance said. “We were rather hoping that this Sir Gideon might have some idea.”
“Yes.
Do
you know him, Max?” Prudence pressed. “He’s a member of the Middle Temple and—”
“Yes, I know that,” her brother-in-law snapped.
Prudence glanced at her elder sister, who shrugged with a gesture of resignation. They would get nowhere by resenting Max’s tone at this point. They needed what enlightenment he could offer them.
“Would you like a whisky, Max?” Chastity invited with a conciliatory smile.
He regarded her with narrowed eyes, then let his gaze drift to her sisters, who were clearly struggling with the need to placate him while surging with indignation at his high-handed approach to their problem. He grinned suddenly. It was a moment to be savored. One rarely got the better of the Duncan sisters.
“What’s funny?” Constance demanded, all suspicion. “You look like you did in the mews with Father’s Cadillac.”
“The only other occasion when I felt that I had the upper hand with the three of you,” he said, his grin broadening.
“All right,” Constance said. “You’ve had your fun at our expense. Now tell us what you know of this barrister.”
“Do you have any idea how much a barrister like Malvern is going to cost you?” he asked with mild curiosity.
“We’re not without resources,” Prudence said tightly, her myopic gaze fierce behind her spectacles. “We have emergency funds, Max. Not that it’s any business of yours,” she added, and immediately regretted the addition. “I’m sorry.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I didn’t mean to be ungracious. I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed.”
“You’re not dealing with this alone, Prue,” Constance said swiftly. “I know you bear the lion’s share of the business management, but we’re all in this one together.”
Prudence managed a faint smile. “I
know
that. I just can’t imagine what will happen if we lose.”
“Well, Gideon Malvern can go a long way to ensuring that you don’t,” Max said, offering the brisk reassurance that he knew the sisters would appreciate more than sympathy. “He has the reputation of being the most innovative and able KC in the Inns of Court. He rarely loses a case.”
That was all very well, Prudence reflected. Exactly what they wanted. But how the hell were they going to pay for what they wanted? For all her bravado, she could see no possible way of managing a top barrister’s fee. The initial fifty guineas was going to be hard enough to find. If it weren’t for the indigent spinsters’ charity, she’d be wracking her brains for something to pawn.
Her sisters knew this intellectually, but sometimes she felt they didn’t grasp the realities as clearly as she did. The management of the family finances was her responsibility. Naturally enough, since she was the bookkeeper, the mathematician, the obviously practical one of the sisters. She didn’t resent the responsibility but sometimes she felt she carried it alone.
“He might suit you, because he likes challenges,” Max continued. “He picks and chooses his cases; he can afford to do so,” he added, watching them, not at all fooled by Prudence’s defensive statements about hidden resources. “He has been known to take a case pro bono if it really appeals to him.” He saw three pairs of green eyes sharpen with interest. “Or he’s been known to come to a contingency agreement whereby if he wins he takes a share of the damages awarded to his client.”
“Seems fair,” Prudence said, frowning. “He gets paid to win.”
“You’ll have to persuade him that there’s sufficient interest and challenge in the case to make it worth his while.”
“Well, I
Instead of answering her, Max demanded, “How are you going to keep your identities secret in a court of law?”
“We don’t know yet,” Constance said. “We were rather hoping that this Sir Gideon might have some idea.”
“Yes.
Do
you know him, Max?” Prudence pressed. “He’s a member of the Middle Temple and—”
“Yes, I know that,” her brother-in-law snapped.
Prudence glanced at her elder sister, who shrugged with a gesture of resignation. They would get nowhere by resenting Max’s tone at this point. They needed what enlightenment he could offer them.
“Would you like a whisky, Max?” Chastity invited with a conciliatory smile.
He regarded her with narrowed eyes, then let his gaze drift to her sisters, who were clearly struggling with the need to placate him while surging with indignation at his high-handed approach to their problem. He grinned suddenly. It was a moment to be savored. One rarely got the better of the Duncan sisters.
“What’s funny?” Constance demanded, all suspicion. “You look like you did in the mews with Father’s Cadillac.”
“The only other occasion when I felt that I had the upper hand with the three of you,” he said, his grin broadening.
“All right,” Constance said. “You’ve had your fun at our expense. Now tell us what you know of this barrister.”
“Do you have any idea how much a barrister like Malvern is going to cost you?” he asked with mild curiosity.
“We’re not without resources,” Prudence said tightly, her myopic gaze fierce behind her spectacles. “We have emergency funds, Max. Not that it’s any business of yours,” she added, and immediately regretted the addition. “I’m sorry.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I didn’t mean to be ungracious. I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed.”
“You’re not dealing with this alone, Prue,” Constance said swiftly. “I know you bear the lion’s share of the business management, but we’re all in this one together.”
Prudence managed a faint smile. “I
know
that. I just can’t imagine what will happen if we lose.”
“Well, Gideon Malvern can go a long way to ensuring that you don’t,” Max said, offering the brisk reassurance that he knew the sisters would appreciate more than sympathy. “He has the reputation of being the most innovative and able KC in the Inns of Court. He rarely loses a case.”
That was all very well, Prudence reflected. Exactly what they wanted. But how the hell were they going to pay for what they wanted? For all her bravado, she could see no possible way of managing a top barrister’s fee. The initial fifty guineas was going to be hard enough to find. If it weren’t for the indigent spinsters’ charity, she’d be wracking her brains for something to pawn.
Her sisters knew this intellectually, but sometimes she felt they didn’t grasp the realities as clearly as she did. The management of the family finances was her responsibility. Naturally enough, since she was the bookkeeper, the mathematician, the obviously practical one of the sisters. She didn’t resent the responsibility but sometimes she felt she carried it alone.
“He might suit you, because he likes challenges,” Max continued. “He picks and chooses his cases; he can afford to do so,” he added, watching them, not at all fooled by Prudence’s defensive statements about hidden resources. “He has been known to take a case pro bono if it really appeals to him.” He saw three pairs of green eyes sharpen with interest. “Or he’s been known to come to a contingency agreement whereby if he wins he takes a share of the damages awarded to his client.”
“Seems fair,” Prudence said, frowning. “He gets paid to win.”
“You’ll have to persuade him that there’s sufficient interest and challenge in the case to make it worth his while.”
“Well, I
Similar Books
