“Yes. It does not sound at all like what it is. But perhaps we’ll understand better our situation when it is done,” Audrey said.
“Our situation?” Augusta frowned. “What does that mean?”
Audrey inwardly sighed. “Our situation, Mother. What money Father left behind. How we will be able to live. If we will even be able to keep our servants,” she explained. She had little knowledge of their finances.
“Our situation will be very much the same, Audrey. Your father had an excellent living as the parish priest. He was well-regarded and well-liked,” she reasoned.
“That’s very true. But he is no more. He is no longer the vicar. He no longer has a church. And whatever Father might have had, he has none of it now. Therefore, we have nothing now,” she said quietly.
Augusta sighed. “For all that fancy education of yours, you don’t understand the basics. Your father was a vicar, and he was paid well. Even our cottage was given to him through his vicarage. They will not simply throw us out, and Ezra was very sparing with his coin. So, let’s talk no more of this situation until we speak to the solicitor,” she said condescendingly.
The carriage arrived a short time later to the small law office of Felton and Cobb. Mr. Felton was an elderly gentleman in his late sixties while Mr. Cobb was much younger. Mr. Cobb looked admiringly at Audrey, and then she and her mother were ushered before the white-haired Mr. Felton.
“My dear Mrs. Wakefield.” He took her hand in his and then glanced over at Audrey. “Audrey, my child, you grow lovelier each time I see you. I must say, Ezra’s passing was a shock to us all. He seemed in such good health.”
“Yes,” Augusta agreed.
“You have my sincere condolences,” he told them both. “Ezra was a good man.” The elderly man pushed several sheets of paper aside and sifted through others until he came upon the one he wanted. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Thoughtless of me. Would you ladies care for tea?” he said suddenly.
Audrey was about to shake her head, but her mother nodded. “That would be nice. The carriage ride was so dusty.”
Felton rang a small bell at his right hand, and when his younger associate entered, he said simply, “Tea, Cobb.”
The younger man disappeared, and Felton went back to his voluminous papers. “I must put these in order. The paperwork piles up higher than the bodies that they represent.”
Audrey and her mother said nothing, and Felton didn’t seem to realize his comment might be construed as tactless.
“I remember the last time I saw Ezra. He seemed in fine spirits,” Felton commented. “He mentioned you, Audrey. But then, he always mentioned you. He was quite proud of you. My daughter has received a certificate from Queen’s College, he would tell me.”
Audrey smiled lightly. “It was an education for a governess, but that never materialized.”
“I recall years ago when he asked my thoughts on sending you to Queen’s College. To be honest, I thought it daft. But he wanted you to go. He wanted you to see the world. He said your feathers were too bright for this small village.” Felton smiled kindly at her.
Audrey bit her bottom lip to stem the tears. “It was very kind of him to allow it. I did want to learn.”
“An education is a bit of nonsense, isn’t it, Mr. Felton?” Augusta interjected. “After all, Audrey needs only to find herself a decent husband, and that will be that. No need for a certificate then, hmmm?”
Audrey didn’t speak, and she saw Mr. Felton nod. “Maybe. But even when she marries and has children, she might use her education to teach the little ones. Mrs. Felton and I were never so blessed. But she does love those damn pugs of hers.”
The door opened, and Cobb entered carrying a tray with three teacups. He handed the cups and saucers to the two women and a final cup to his employer.
“That’s all.” Felton waved the young man a
way. “Ah ha! Here it is!” He held up a black leather folder. “It was buried far below at the bottom of the stack. Buried like so many of my clients, more’s the pity.” He sighed.
Audrey watched as he opened the folder and moved several papers about. He seemed to be studying them and looked up only once at her mother and then back to his documents.
“When Ezra first came to me over fifteen years ago, he had a tidy sum, and he left everything to you, Mrs. Wakefield and Miss Wakefield,” he directed at them both, and Augusta beamed.
He took a long sip of his tea and then replaced the cup into its saucer. “But over the years, he appeared to lose most of his savings, and when he made his final codicil four months ago, all that was left now was fifty pounds.”
Augusta gasped and looked at her daughter and then back at the solicitor. She placed her teacup aside. “Fifty pounds? That might not even last us the year. There must be some mistake.”
Felton shook his head. “There’s no mistake. As I said, he came in four months ago and wanted everything ready. He said his circumstances had changed, but he didn’t elaborate how. I thought maybe he bet on the horses.”
“Ridiculous!” Augusta snorted. “Ezra wasn’t a gambler.”
“Mother,” Audrey said, trying to soothe her. She placed her cup aside as well.