Free In Vino Veritas by J. M. Gregson Page B

self-deception. The proof of that is in those pages you have in front of you.’
    â€˜I’m afraid it is indeed, Ms North. Everything in this document is overwhelmingly to Mr Beaumont’s advantage. I can only assume that he prepared the agreement himself, with his own interests pre-eminent throughout.’
    â€˜I agree. What I want to know from you is whether I have any hope of overturning some of those provisions which so obviously favour him.’
    This time he looked genuinely rather than merely professionally disappointed for her. But perhaps that was just one of the skills lawyers developed to justify their fees, she thought. Dolby leaned forward earnestly and said, ‘My only hope was that the other party in this was favourably disposed towards you. Now that you have assured me that that is not the case, I’m afraid I have little comfort to offer you. You put £80,000 into Abbey Vineyards with no clear guarantee of any return. You own one sixth of the business, but with such strings attached that it is a highly illiquid asset. You cannot dispose of your share of the business, nor even withdraw your capital, without the full consent of the major partner.’
    â€˜Which he steadfastly refuses to give me. Beaumont claims that under the terms of this agreement, my investment is made in perpetuity.’
    â€˜Which it clearly is, in the terms agreed by you in this document. It is an eminently one-sided and unfair agreement, in my view, and we could go to law and challenge it on those grounds. The trouble is that you signed your full consent to all these clauses at that time, almost like a wife eager to support her husband’s enterprise. I fear that a plea of sexual infatuation is not one that is readily acceptable in English law. We might win, but I could not guarantee it and it would in any case be a costly business. If we lost, you see, the considerable legal costs of his defence might well be awarded to Mr Beaumont. In these circumstances, I could not recommend you to take this matter to court.’
    â€˜That is what I feared you would say.’ Vanda flicked her short fair hair back over her forehead, resisting a sudden, unexpected wish to cry.
    â€˜In my view, you are probably correct in your assumption that Mr Beaumont drafted this very unfair document himself. It does not have the stamp of a professional legal mind. In particular, it makes no mention of what happens to the business in the event of the demise of either partner, which is a most unusual omission.’
    â€˜And what do you think might happen in such an event?’
    He pursed his professional lips, a move which seemed to take considerably longer than the pursing of mere lay lips like Vanda’s. ‘I really couldn’t say. It would have the makings of a most interesting exploration by industrial lawyers. There are only two partners, and although you are much the junior one, I feel that in the event of either partner’s death, the other one would have a strong case for taking over the direction of the business, probably in conjunction with the heirs of the deceased.’
    â€˜That is an interesting thought.’
    James Dolby gave her his most genuine smile of the morning. ‘It is indeed. And in view of that, Ms North, I would urge you most strongly not to repeat publicly your sentiments about putting a gun to the gentleman’s head.’

SEVEN
    E leanor Hook put the official-looking envelope beside the box of cereal and waited patiently for her husband’s reaction. Bert slit the envelope with his knife, studied the single sheet of contents with an impassive face, then cast it aside. He said decisively, ‘Well, I shan’t be attending
that
.’
    Eleanor picked up the discarded sheet and quickly digested its contents. She said with ominous, wifely certainty, ‘I think you should.’
    â€˜It’s not my kind of thing. You know I don’t like being on