Page 94 of The Laudanum Ladies' Society

‘Miss Salisbury may speak out, too. She has powerful friends who will not wish to be connected to a squalid brothel, I am sure. I suspect that a letter from a solicitor representing the victims may soon find its way to her, making it clear her part is known and her reputation is threatened. Then we will see how loyal she is to Mrs Charles,’ Gwen said. ‘I am sure that her first loyalty is toherself and that will be enough to see her choose her allegiance carefully.’

Their manner suggested this had been discussed already, and Jenny felt a sense of relief that Gwen would have a bright future in his company.

Mr Parry gave Jenny a warm smile. ‘Now, let us turn to your problems. How much did you say your father left you in his will, Miss Rosewood?’

‘Three hundred and twelve pounds, I believe.’

‘You say your uncle gives you an allowance, yes?’

Jenny named the sum. Mr Parry raised his eyebrows.

‘He’s very generous. At least, I always thought he was, but the way your expression has changed now makes me doubt it,’ Jenny said.

Mr Parry drew out a pocketbook and pencil. He put on a pair of spectacles and made a few calculations.

‘Probate is an area I am very familiar with, and the sum you talk about should provide an income of at least ten pounds more than you receive. I do not believe that your bed and board should total more than that. Your uncle invested your money in his business, I would imagine. He would be foolish to invest in anybody else’s, wouldn’t he?’

He put the notebook away. ‘Miss Rosewood, let me offer you some advice. Ask to see the will and ask to see the accounting. Your uncle may have control, but as you are the legatee, it is within your right to see the documentation. It may be that there are better ways of investing your money.’

‘Jenny. Go home now and ask Mr Rosewood about your affairs,’ Gwen said. ‘We can wait here.’

Jenny was not convinced. Her own conscience felt like lead at the thought that she was biting the hand that fed her. Nevertheless, she walked back to the house. Uncle Conrad was in his office when she arrived, and having ordered coffee to be sent, she walked straight in.

‘Jenny, what is it?’ He put down his pen.

‘Uncle Conrad, I would like to see the accounting for my investments. Coffee will arrive shortly.’

Conrad’s brow furrowed. ‘You don’t need to worry your head about that, my dear. Everything is taken care of.’

‘I’m sure it is. However, it strikes me that I have been rather neglectful in learning about my financial matters.’

The coffee arrived. Jenny poured him a cup and added cream.

‘Not to put too fine a point on it, you are ageing, and while I am sure we will have many happy years left together, I will at some point have to throw myself on the mercies of the parish, so I need to know all I can about the finances.’

‘There’s rather a lot to understand,’ Conrad said mildly.

She poured her own coffee and dipped her spoon into the sugar bowl then left it there. She had been trying to wean herself off it since the first visit to Miriam’s home.

‘I do not expect you to itemise it yourself. If you would write a letter of recommendation to your banker, allowing me to discuss the portions that are relevant to me, that will suffice.’

‘Why now?’ Uncle Conrad asked. He sipped the coffee and frowned.

‘Why not?’ Jenny asked, giving him an innocent smile. ‘Really, I should have done this many years ago, but I’ve been toocomfortable and lazy to bother myself. If I needed to untangle my finances from yours, I wouldn’t know where to begin.’

‘I don’t particularly see how or why you would untangle your finances from mine,’ Conrad said.

‘Oh dear, that is rather a problem, isn’t it?’ Jenny furrowed her brow. ‘What if I married and need it as a dowry, or my husband were to become my legal guardian instead?’

‘I find that very unlikely,’ Uncle Conrad said, rather cruelly in Jenny’s mind.

‘I suppose never having met a young man who could tempt me away has something to do with it,’ she said, feigning regret.

A few faces flickered across her memory. There had been potential suitors, not that she’d ever found any of them particularly appealing, but it struck her now that none of them had pursued her long enough to properly get to know them, and she wondered how much Conrad had had to do with that.

‘Well, if nothing else, I would like to see my father’s last will and testament,’ she said, clasping her hands together and steepling her fingers.

‘I don’t have it,’ Conrad said. ‘I don’t believe those documents need to be kept after probate.’