Free Parthena's Promise by Valerie Holmes Page B

way to survive as we all must. You focus on moving the sale through. I will give you another month and then I expect to be able to bring in my men and start work on this backwater to make it pay handsomely.” Charles sounded definite as if he was drawing the conversation to a close. Jerome heard his chair move back also.
    “Yes... Yes… Of course! I was just thinking aloud. Everything will be ready. Do you wish to stay at the Hall tonight?” Bertram asked.
    “No, I have other business partners to see. I will meet you back here in four weeks to the hour and the day. Have everything ready for me, or I will buy land elsewhere. Progress stops for no man, Bertram!” His words were abruptly snapped out.
    “Of course, I fully understand,” Bertram grovelled as the man returned to his coach.
    Jerome watched as the vehicle drew away and Munro cursed his so-called business partner. He then headed off in the direction of Leaham Hall, and Jerome could almost wish to be there to see his face when he returned to it. However, he had to re-acquaint himself quickly with an old colleague. Glad that he had never taunted the man about his family’s new money, Jerome stood and walked purposefully over to the offices of Messrs. Blackmore, Hide and Stanton.
    They had some catching up to do, rather quickly, and also the possibility of helping each other at the same time. Fate, Jerome again pondered, was indeed a lovely thing. He knocked on the highly polished black door and waited to be announced. One word told him that things were definitely on an upward turn when Mr Geoffrey Stanton stood up as he entered the man’s immaculate office and greeted him with a kindly word, “Welcome!”

 
     
    Chapter 9
     
    “I am so pleased that you remember me, sir. If you recall, we were in the Inns at the same time…”
    Mr Geoffrey Stanton shook Jerome’s hand as if he was genuinely pleased to see him. He took Jerome’s hat and placed it carefully on a stand as the door to the office was closed. “I never forget the face of a friend, or in your case, sir, a friendly face. You were always a gentleman, Mr Fender – Jerome wasn’t it?”
    “Yes,” Jerome replied, slightly embarrassed that he had obviously made a stronger impression on Mr Stanton than Stanton had on him.
    “I know I am right, sir. I pride myself on my memory of faces and names.” He smiled.
    Jerome nodded. “An excellent memory, sir, and one that will serve you in good stead in our profession.”
    “Oh, well, I’ll be honest with you. I have every reason to remember you, since you stopped Giles Baglan from giving me a kicking. I admired you from that moment onwards and I have followed your career with interest. Now that the war is over, we can pursue our chosen paths once more. I served in the 95th, sir. Only a lieutenant, but I did my part.” He held his head high as if he had proved himself able to fight and defend not only himself but his country.
    Jerome was momentarily speechless as he had forgotten that he did give Baglan a kicking himself for picking on the new boy. However, Jerome could well understand the impact his intervention had had on the younger Geoffrey’s life. Jerome smiled even more broadly – “one good deed” was the phrase that came to mind. They exchanged rank and anecdotes for a few moments with enthusiasm, and then there was a slight pause in the conversation.
    “So tell me, what brings a London barrister all the way to this backwater?” Stanton took his seat again after offering Jerome a glass of sherry from his cabinet.
    “Justice, Geoffrey, or lack of it, is why I am here. I am for reform, so that the punishment is more fitting to the crime. Also, those crimes can and should be prevented whenever possible. But first tell me, are you unhappy here?” Jerome saw the pensive look on his colleague’s face turn to curiosity when Jerome tried to wrong-foot him with his last question.
    “I too am for reform, but these things take time,