Page 98 of Snapdragons
Penelope smiled ever more broadly. “I’m explaining it poorly but only because I’m so pleased that there is a third option, just like we decided to believe there would be.”
Niles looked out at his friends, hoping someone would explain it plainly.
Aldric took up the task. “Fairfield is not subject to an entailment, which not only means that Mag’s great-uncle was able to leave it to her but also that it does not have to remain intact. The owner of the property is free to do with it as she sees fit.”
“And sheasked us if it was possible for a piece of the estate to be portioned off and sold,” Digby continued the explanation, “and, assuming it was possible, if the requirement to own land in order to serve in Parliament dictated how much land a person had to own.”
“It doesn’t,” Niles said. Anticipation spread like a bubble in his chest, the way it did when one was on the cusp of something significant.
Penelope sat up a little straighter, looking more directly at him. “There is a corner of Fairfield, a small clearing amongst some trees. It isn’t near the stables nor part of the lawns or the kitchen gardens or the area where the horses would be running. What if you owned that part? You would own land, but it would be part ofourhome, adjacent to where you lived. Then, when you find your place in Parliament, you would be living among the people you would serve without having to live away from... me.”
“There might be some question whether or not it is actually mine.” He didn’t want the possibility to lodge itself in his mind before he knew if it was, in fact, both possible and advisable.
“That is why it is important that you actually purchase it,” Aldric said. “If the deed to the land is in your name and there is record of a purchase, it would be undeniably yours.”
“Are you certain?”
“Believe me, I have spent a great deal of time these past months studying what it takes to make apermanentclaim on an estate.” Aldric had been given the use of one of his father’s many estates but not ownership of it. It made sense that he was keen on discovering the exact ramifications of that.
“And,” Digby added, “you could erect a building on the land, perhaps make it look like a cottage or some such thing so it didn’t draw attention, but inside, you could hang bags of hay and keep strips of fabric for wrapping up knuckles.”
“My very own boxing building?”
The Gents all nodded. Niles looked at Penelope and saw eager agreement on her face as well. Could this work? Could it truly work?
“Land in that area of Surrey comes dear,” he reminded her.
“We did talk about that,” Penelope said. “Paying a fair pricewould be important should any questions arise about your ownership, so I worried that that might make this impossible. But the Gents don’t think so.”
“If one is buying an entire estate with a house and significant land, then the price would be quite steep,” Aldric said. “But you would be purchasing a very small parcel, without any roads leading to it, without buildings or improvements. A fair price for that would be well within your ability to purchase.”
He wanted to believe it. “Henri, you are Archbishop for a reason, and I’m counting on you to live up to that moniker by not lying to me. Is all this doable and fair?”
“I have spent years searching for a place to call home,” Henri said, “and I know the price of land and the intricacies of what determines that price better than almost anyone. And I can say with certainty that this is, by all accounts, both a fair and ingenious idea.”
Niles held tighter to Penelope’s hand, no matter that it made his hand ache all the more. This was the miracle they needed.
“There is one difficulty though,” she said. “Don’t look so crestfallen,” she quickly added, apparently seeing his countenance drop. “It isn’t insurmountable, by any means. For me to retain ownership of Fairfield, my brother has to sign the marriage contract that he initially negotiated with your grandfather, but to make certain there is no question of legitimacy to the sale of the parcel, you would need to purchase it before the contracts are signed; yet, if we are to catch my brother before he leaves for Ireland, we have to go directly to Cornwall.”
“Where are your trustees located?” Niles asked.
“London.”
That was not precisely on the way to Cornwall. “What do we do?” he asked the room in general. “Penny and I cannot be in two places at once.”
“We have a plan,” Lucas said.
“Four words that strike fear into the bravest of hearts,” Niles said under his breath.
Penelope leaned against him once more. “It is a good plan, I assure you.”
“You and Mag write up letters of intent to buy and sell respectively, requesting that my brother-in-law act as your representative,” Kes said. “I’ll take the letters to him in London. He is a barrister and, thus, is in a position to meet with Mag’s trustees on your behalf in a way that satisfies the law. We can see to that while you two make your way to Cornwall.”
“Can your brother-in-law sign on my behalf?” Niles didn’t think so.
“No, but he can have all the papers drawn up, have Mag’s trustees sign them, and entrust them to me to deliver them to you in Cornwall for the final signature.”
“And once you do, I can sign those papers and then the marriage agreement without adding a question mark to the land purchase?” Niles ventured.
