Page 82 of Not Exactly Mr. Darcy
“I’m sorry, but the negotiations with the Saudis mean they are wanting to purchase the property now.”
His gut wrenched. “Now?”
“Immediately.”
“Since when? Why was I not informed about this?”
“I have been trying to reach you for days.”
Those missed phone calls. He’d thought they’d concerned Lord Atwood’s demand to attend this meeting in London. “I didn’t realize—”
“Well, now you do,” Lord Atwood snapped. “So, as we’ve discussed before, we need you to sign a few documents, and then the burden of this will no longer be yours to carry alone.”
He sat back in his seat, glancing at both men, each man looking away. How he wished Derek Wheaton-Smythe was here. He might’ve talked sense to the other two. But even so, a clause in the trust deed allowed for majority decision-making, so his opinion didn’t always matter.Lord?
Then his godfather’s last words filtered in. Alone? He wasn’t alone. For the first time in years he had a team of people who were standing with him, doing all they could to save the Hall. They believed in him. They believed with him. The people who would save the Hall might be of humble stock, or even have come from far away, but it felt like God had brought these people to stand beside him, at this precise moment. “For such a time as this,” he murmured.
“What was that?”
Liam looked at them, as a peace he didn’t understand enveloped his heart. “No.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You are wrong. I am not alone. I have people who want to see this succeed. And wewillsee it succeed.”
“Amateurs. Charlatans—”
“Do not speak about anyone who works at the Hall like that. I trust them,” he said, suddenly realizing that was true. He trusted them. More than he trusted the men here, anyway. “None of them have any motive but to see the Hall succeed so it can be a blessing for the village.”
“Blessing?” Sir Humphrey scoffed. The man had never claimed faith, although he might attend church to make a business deal.
“Blessing,” Liam repeated firmly. “And my answer to the other proposal is a firm no too. I will not be signing away the Hall to the Saudis or anyone else.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“No.” Although his father might’ve been to have trusted the Fitzbrowne legacy to these unscrupulous men.
“We began these negotiations two years ago, when it became obvious the Hall was beyond help.”
Back when Liam had no strength or purpose, reeling from the shock of yet another unfaithful woman. He was a different man now.
“You have left us in an extremely embarrassing position,” his godfather thundered.
Lord Atwood and Sir Humphrey, maybe. Liam had never met any of the Saudis. Which, now that he thought about it, was odd …
“William, I have known you since you were a child. Are you serious? Tell me this is a jest.”
He crossed his arms. “No.”
“Then I’m afraid you leave me no choice.”
Liam cocked an eyebrow and waited, his heart hammering. But thunder as he may, what real power did Sir Humphrey hold?
“I am advising that we don’t release another penny until the financial records have been audited.”
“Audited? That will take months.” And the Orangery’s roof would likely fall in with the next big wet.
“You obviously cannot be trusted to do the sensible thing, so we will have to take measures until you do.”
