‘I’m afraid so.’
‘With that in mind, Lady Virginia, I am bound to ask, do you have two million pounds available to pay Mr Grant, which would avoid him having to issue a writ and all the attendant publicity that would undoubtedly attract?’
‘No, I do not, Sir Edward. That is the precise reason I am seeking your advice. I wanted to find out if there are any options left open to me.’
‘Are you able to pay a large enough sum for me to attempt to make a settlement?’
‘Out of the question, Sir Edward. I don’t have two thousand pounds, let alone two million.’
‘I’m grateful for your candid response to all my questions, Lady Virginia. But given the circumstances, it would be pointless for me to attempt to play for time and try to delay proceedings, because Lord Goodman is a wily old bird, and will realize exactly what I’m up to. In any case, you would then have the extra expense of both sides’ legal costs to add to your misfortunes. And the judge would issue an order that all legal bills are paid first.’
‘So what do you advise?’
‘Sadly, madam, we have been left with only two choices. I can throw myself on their mercy, which I cannot believe will be met with any sympathy.’
‘And the second option?’
‘You can declare yourself bankrupt. That would make the other side realize that issuing a writ for two million pounds would be a complete waste of time and money, unless Mr Grant’s sole purpose is to publicly humiliate you.’ The lawyer remained silent as he waited for his client’s response.
‘Thank you for your advice, Sir Edward,’ Virginia said eventually, ‘and I am sure you will appreciate that I’ll need a little time to consider my position.’
‘Of course, my lady. However, it would be remiss of me not to remind you that the date on Goodman Derrick’s letter is March thirteenth, and should we fail to respond before April thirteenth, you can be sure the other side will not hesitate to carry out their threat.’
‘May I ask you one more question, Sir Edward?’
‘Of course.’
‘Am I right in thinking that a writ has to be served on the person named in the action?’
‘That is correct, Lady Virginia, unless you instruct me to accept it on your behalf.’
During her journey north the following morning, Virginia gave some considerable thought to her QC’s advice. By the time the train pulled into Salford station, she had decided to invest some of the twelve thousand pounds she was about to collect in a one-way ticket to Buenos Aires.
When a taxi dropped her outside the estate agent’s office, she switched her attention to the job in hand, and how much more money she could accumulate before departing for Argentina. Virginia was not surprised to be ushered into the senior partner’s office within moments of telling the receptionist her name.
A man who had clearly put on his Sunday best suit for the occasion leapt up from behind his desk and introduced himself as Ron Wilks. He waited for her to be seated before resuming his place. Without another word, he opened a file in front of him, extracted a cheque for ￡11,400 and handed it across to her. Virginia folded it, placed it in her handbag and was about to leave when it became clear that Mr Wilks had something else to say.
‘During the short conversation I was able to have with Mr Mellor over the phone,’ he said, trying not to sound embarrassed, ‘he didn’t instruct me as to what I should do about his mother’s goods and chattels, which we have removed from the house and placed in storage.’
‘Are they worth anything?’
‘A local second-hand scrap merchant has offered four hundred pounds for the lot.’
‘I’ll take it.’
The estate agent opened his cheque book and asked, ‘Should this cheque also be made out to Lady Virginia Fenwick?’
‘Yes.’
‘Of course, this doesn’t include the pictures,’ said Wilks as he handed over the cheque.
‘The pictures?’
‘It seems Mr Mellor’s mother had been collecting the works of a local artist for some years, and a London dealer has recently contacted me to say he would be interested in purchasing them. A Mr Kalman of the Crane Kalman gallery.’
‘How interesting,’ said Virginia, making a note of the name, only wondering if she still had enough time to contact him.