Free Parthena's Promise by Valerie Holmes Page A

never happen as an estate needs a gentleman to run it effectively, not a simple-minded girl or a labourer,” he scoffed. “The address she gave me was false and no one seems to have any knowledge of where she is now. Who, of any breeding, would even look twice at her now,” he sighed.
    Geoffrey spoke, and it was the words he heard that convinced Jerome that it was definitely his fellow student. “I am most bemused that she has been so bold. However, until we can locate Miss Munro, should we not delay the sale of the estate, lest there be any challenge made? After all, is it not possible she may have eloped, in which case she could challenge everything?”
    “What! Preposterous! There is no suitor and, besides, her father never bothered her with the detail of the will. Why would he? So what challenge could she make? It is highly unlikely that she will announce an engagement under the circumstances. No, I am afraid Miss Parthena Munro has thrown her last tantrum. The paperwork is explicit and Charles has other options to consider. We must move forward with this. Likewise, I have wasted enough time here. I need to return to Kent. Mother will be most anxious that things have been sorted out, and quickly.”
    “Indeed,” Charles added. “The girl is irrelevant. Bertram has inherited the estate and we have an agreement. Now I expect the paperwork to be finalised by the end of this month. If it is too big a job for you, Stanton, then I will consult my London lawyers...” he allowed his voice to trail off.
    “I think our business is done here. I will see to the paperwork and will be in touch,” Geoffrey Stanton pushed back his chair, scraping it on the floor. “Mr Munro, Mr Tripp, I bid you good day. I too have much to do.” He stood up.
    Jerome watched Geoffrey leave, and smiled. Good, they had upset him. He would not like the jibe about him being inferior to the London lawyers. He had fought prejudice all through his studies as his father had made his money through trade. This meant that they may have lost the loyalty of the man. If Jerome went to him now, with care, it could well play into his hand. Bertram had obviously not seen Thena yet, but he was busy painting a very different image of her than Jerome knew to be true. He turned his glass around on the table. What they did next had to be carefully thought out. Bertram was lying. He was hiding the truth from Thena, but he had carefully left a position where there was only her word against his. Had she left without his blessing? The letter she had of introduction to the family, the one he had read as she bathed, said that she was sent by Bertram but it was the only proof she had that he arranged it. Yet, Jerome now realised that in hindsight he could challenge this as the signature upon it comprised only of two letters – it could be said to be a forgery.
    Jerome was about to stand up and follow Stanton when he heard Bertram’s voice rise again. “It concerns me that my man could not confirm what had happened to her. I expected a report that would give us surety that the girl could be no more trouble to us. Despite her having no other means to survive that are, shall we say, reputable, she managed to completely disappear, Charles. I tell you, this has been an ill thought-out affair. We should have been bolder,” he said.
    “Bertram, good fortune has smiled on you here; do not cast a shadow over it by tainting it with the blood of an innocent. I will not be party to that.”
    “But you said to send her away and be done with her,” Bertram snapped out.
    “I may have made an offhand comment. You could have sent her to a convent, had her sent overseas to have her education finished, anything. How you chose to interpret my words is down to you, but you have interpreted them badly and the consequences of them will be yours if she emerges as an embarrassment to either of us.” Charles sighed as Bertram protested.
    “But…”
    “Listen, man, she will have found a