Heirs of the Body by Carola Dunn Read Free Book Online

had not interrupted, “‘(a) All existing modes rules and canons of descent, and of devolution by special occupancy or otherwise, of real estate, or of a personal inheritance, whether operating by the general law or by the custom of gavelkind or borough english or by any other custom of any county, locality, or manor, or otherwise howsoever; and (b) Tenancy by the curtesy and every other estate and interest of a husband in real estate as to which his wife dies intestate, whether arising under the general law and (c) Dower and freebench and—’”
    “Stop! All right, I concede. Forget about it unless it turns out to be necessary.”
    “Thank you.” He returned the volume to its place. “If and when, I shan’t lift a finger without taking the advice of counsel. Speaking of which—”
    Tap tap . Miss Watt appeared. “Mr. Pearson, sorry to interrupt but you’re due in court in quarter of an hour.”
    “I’m on my way.” He picked up his briefcase and ushered Daisy to the door, grabbing his hat from the hatstand on the way. As they walked down the stairs together, he said, “I must warn you, less acceptable claimants than Vincent may appear.”
    Daisy sighed. “No doubt. Just keep them from Mother as long as you can. But you will let me know what’s going on, won’t you? And let me talk to them before they go to Fairacres?”
    “I don’t know, Daisy. If you’re going to make them a present of information that could bolster their claims—”
    “Must you harp on that? It was a mistake. I’ve apologised. And I promise to be more careful.”
    It was Tommy’s turn to sigh. “I suppose it will be all right. You have given me one or two ideas.”
    “That,” said Daisy, “is what Alec always has to admit.”

 
    FIVE
    “You’re just in time for tea, darling.” Daisy gladly abandoned her battle with the recalcitrant household accounts. She always tried to cope with them herself but, as usual, she would have to ask for Mrs. Dobson’s help. “I’ll join you. Or would you rather have breakfast?”
    “Mrs. Dobson’s making me a combination breakfast-high tea, bless her.” Alec had just got up. After leaving for work at the usual time yesterday, he hadn’t come home until the birds were breaking into their dawn chorus. “Then it’s back to work.”
    “What’s going on?”
    “Just one thing after another, culminating in a nightclub stabbing just as we thought we were done for the day. All the witnesses and suspects are night owls, so we are, too, perforce.”
    In the dining room, Elsie was setting the table with an eclectic selection of tableware. “You’ll take your tea in here, madam?”
    “Yes, please, Elsie.” Daisy waited till the ever-efficient parlourmaid finished her task and whisked out. “Alec, I simply must tell you the latest from Tommy.”
    “You’ve heard from him again? It’s been a couple of weeks since you made the acquaintance of your Cousin Vincent, hasn’t it? But it’s your family’s business, not mine, thank goodness.”
    “I was hoping for your advice, but if you’d rather tell me all about the nightclub stabbing—”
    “Great Scott, no. I’ll be getting back to that soon enough. All right, go ahead. Has Pearson turned up an heir, or just another new cousin?”
    “Another cousin, Raymond. He’s already on his way from South Africa.”
    “South Africa!”
    “When Tommy got the letter saying he was coming, he wired back immediately to tell him it might well be a waste of time and money, but by then he’d sailed from Cape Town. He’ll arrive in Southampton at the end of next week.”
    “That doesn’t seem to call for my advice.”
    “No, it’s the letter Tommy enclosed. The copy of a letter, rather. He wants to consult me before replying to it.”
    “What on earth makes you think I have anything helpful to contribute?”
    “You probably don’t. Talking about it may help me to work out whether I do.”
    Sighing, he nodded acquiescence, but he cheered up