Lawrence walked through the door of Oxfordshire train station and onto the flagstone pavement outside. He smoothed his tie before putting on his hat and scanned the line of cabs ahead of him. He’d had sufficient time on the journey from Bath to formulate his plan of how to approach David, Cornelia’s rat of a husband. Striding forward, Lawrence welcomed the pent-up anger that bubbled inside of him.
David Parker had always fancied himself a cut above other men in looks, intelligence and wit and, as much as Lawrence had been fond of the man, that vanished the moment Cornelia told him of David’s adultery.
Pleased to see three or four horse and carriage cabs awaiting fares, he hurried forward and opened the door of the carriage in front.
‘Afternoon, sir.’ The driver turned in his seat. ‘Where can I take you?’
‘Harlington Place, if you will.’
‘Straight away, sir.’
Lawrence settled back in his seat, his jaw tight. Not only had David been unfaithful, he’d chosen a lover who would inherit a pretty penny in due course. The man was, and always had been, Lawrence now realised, a social-climbing leech. When he’d married Cornelia, it had been a mutually beneficial match for both David’s family and the Culfords.
From the Culford’s point of view, the Parkers were wealthier, and from the Parker’s point of view, the land Lawrence’s parents owned adjoined the Parker estate. It was their fathers’ ambition for the two estates to eventually join.
With no siblings, David stood to be a very wealthy man one day.
Lawrence gripped the bar in front of him. He could not imagine for a moment that David’s lovely mother and father had taken kindly to their son’s infidelity and Lawrence hoped they disinherited him and left the estate to his and Cornelia’s sons, Alfred and Francis. Justice would then most definitely be served.
Whether or not that happened, after Lawrence had seen David today, the cad would understand in no uncertain terms that Lawrence expected David to ensure his family were taken care of. According to Cornelia, it had been weeks since David had as much as telephoned or written to the boys, let alone seen them. That in itself was enough for Lawrence to see red. Their father had clearly moved on to a new life without as much as a backward glance.
‘Here we are, sir. Which house would you like to be dropped at?’
Lawrence looked at the houses alongside him. Cornelia and David’s home stood at the far end. ‘Just here will be fine.’
The driver drew his horse to a stop. ‘There you are then, sir. That will be—’
Lawrence passed the driver a note that more than surpassed the fare. ‘Here. Keep the change.’
‘Much obliged to you, sir. Have a good day now.’
Lawrence opened the door and stepped onto the pavement. He stared towards Cornelia’s house, his heart beating a steady rhythm and his hand fisted at his side as the cab drew away, the horse’s hooves clip-clopping against the packed earth of the quiet, suburban road.
He’d taken a risk not telephoning David first to make sure he was home, but an element of surprise was needed to knock his brother-in-law off-kilter.
Taking a deep breath, Lawrence strode along the pavement, his mind whirling with a hundred scenarios of what might happen when he came face-to-face with David.
Oxfordshire was picturesque any time of the year, but, in the summer, it became picture-postcard perfect. The quiet street was lined with stone houses, their terracotta roofs shining and their latticed windows glinting. He passed gardens filled with shrubbery and blooming flowers, their small grey-stoned pathways leading to the pristinely painted doors and spotless doorsteps. The scene was quintessentially English, and Lawrence could fathom no idea why David had been so ignorant in the beauty of his home and his family. The man was a buffoon. A buffoon who would soon be stepping up to his responsibilities.
Reaching the Parker home, Lawrence pushed open the wooden gate and walked purposefully to the front door. Lifting his knuckles, he sharply knocked before flexing and relaxing his fingers as he waited.
After a few seconds, footsteps sounded behind the door and then it was pulled open. Cornelia’s housekeeper, Mrs Green, started, before her round face burst into a huge smile. ‘Mr Culford. Well, I never. How are you, sir?’
Lawrence smiled, a little of his anger temporarily abating. ‘I’m well, Mrs Green. How are you?’
‘All the better for seeing you.’ She glanced behind her and, when she faced Lawrence, her smile had vanished and her gentle gaze was darkened with disquiet. She lowered her voice. ‘Is Mr Parker expecting you? Only, you do know Mrs Parker is not here at the moment?’
‘Yes, I know. She, Alfred and Francis are staying with me and, no, David is not expecting me, but, if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to come in anyway if he’s here.’
‘But—’
‘I’ve come a long way; Mrs Green and I won’t be leaving until I’ve spoken with him.’
Her cheeks flushed pink and she stood back, the anxiety in her blue eyes escalating. ‘You’d better come in then. Mr Parker is in the garden, reading his newspaper.’
‘Excellent.’ Lawrence brushed past her. ‘I know the way.’
‘Would you… Shall I make coffee, sir?’
‘That would be most welcome. Thank you.’
Lawrence removed his hat and walked along the narrow passageway, through the kitchen and into the back garden. As soon as he saw David lounging back in a cushioned seat, Lawrence’s anger ignited once more. The man smiled at something he read in the paper, his posture relaxed and repulsively content.
Stepping onto the small terrace, Lawrence walked along the path to the outside seating area. ‘Good afternoon, David.’
His brother-in-law jumped and lifted his head. The colour immediately drained from his face and he abruptly stood. ‘What the devil are you doing here?’
‘Surely you were expecting me at some point, David? I would’ve thought it quite obvious that I’d be paying you a visit once I discovered how appallingly you’ve been treating my sister.’ Lawrence lowered himself into a chair opposite where David stood and waved towards his seat. ‘Why don’t you sit down? Mrs Green is just preparing coffee.’
David’s face turned red as he glared. ‘Get out.’
Lawrence smiled and crossed his arms. ‘I don’t think so. Sit down, David.’
His brother-in-law continued to glare, a pulse jumping in his jaw.
Lawrence continued to smile congenially even as his simmering anger burned ever closer to the surface.
Slowly, David resumed his seat and picked up his paper which had fallen to the grass when he’d leapt to his feet. He folded it and carefully placed it on the arm of his chair. ‘I have nothing to say to you.’
‘Good, because I have plenty to say to you. Ah, here’s our coffee.’
Mrs Green came towards them carrying a tray laden with a silver coffee pot and cups. Her hands trembled ever so slightly as she placed the tray on the table in front of David and sympathy swelled in Lawrence’s chest. Mrs Green had worked for Cornelia since she and David were first married and moved into Harlington Place. She was more of a mother to Lawrence’s sister than their own had ever been and he imagined Mrs Green didn’t enjoy her job nearly as much as she had when Cornelia and the boys were here. Hopefully, they would be able to return soon, and David would be gone.
Mrs Green laid out the cups and a plate of biscuits before nervously glancing between David and Lawrence. She executed a semi-curtsey and hurried back to the house without having uttered a word.
‘I’ll pour, shall I?’ Lawrence picked up the coffee pot without waiting for a response and filled a cup for each of them. ‘Cream?’
‘Black.’
Lifting their cups, Lawrence handed one to David and sat back. ‘So, I’m happy to have found you here rather than at Middleton Park. I would’ve thought that as Sophie’s father is urging you to divorce my sister, you are more than welcome there on such a fine summer’s day.’
David studied Lawrence, his gaze full of venom. ‘What do you want, Lawrence? Cornelia and I are over. Our marriage is an unhappy one and has been for a number of years.’
Barely resisting punching the man square on the nose for his imperiousness, Lawrence gripped his cup and took a long sip. ‘And did that unhappiness start when you took Sophie Hughes as your lover or before?’
‘I don’t have to answer to you.’
‘No? Then you will answer to my sister.’
‘She’s my wife and should conform to my wishes. I do not need to offer her any explanations.’
Lawrence huffed a laugh and shook his head. ‘My God, you really are so damn self-righteous. You bed another woman while still married. You spend more time with your lover than your children and you sit here as though Cornelia is in the wrong. Clearly, part of your brain has fallen out.’
‘How dare you—’
‘Oh, I dare, David.’ Lawrence banged his cup onto the table, his temper snapping. He shot forward so his face was inches from David’s, satisfaction rippling through him when his brother-in-law flinched back. ‘Let me make the reason for my visit very clear. I don’t want you to reconcile or even speak to my sister,’ he growled. ‘If she deems to take a call or reply to a letter from you that’s her prerogative, but, as far as I’m concerned, she has no need of you. However, your sons are a different matter entirely. I understand it’s been weeks since you’ve seen or spoken with them. Is that right?’
David glared. ‘What I do, or don’t do, is none of your damn business.’
‘Is that so?’ Lawrence smiled and leaned back. ‘Well, then, how we proceed from here is simple. You will ensure a generous allowance is paid every month, without fail, into Cornelia’s bank account, which she will be setting up shortly. If she decides to move back here, you will move out immediately. If, on the other hand, she chooses to stay in Bath, you will allow her to live and raise your sons as she sees fit.’
David smiled as he shook his head, his expression filled with unadulterated arrogance. ‘We’re still married. She will do as I say.’
‘I think not, David,’ Lawrence growled. ‘I know my sister very well and I would think her instigating a divorce is imminent. So, again, you will pay her an allowance and ensure she is comfortably provided for. I’ve contacted a solicitor and, once Cornelia and I have met with him, I will instruct that a settlement is sent to you, which you will sign immediately. Not after the divorce. I want everything laid out neatly and cleanly before the judge when the time comes for your divorce hearing. I will not risk you crawling back to my sister if your farce of a relationship with Miss Hughes fails to become what is clearly a social-climbing effort on your part.’
David sat back, his eyes glinting with malice. ‘And how are you going to get me to sign such a thing? Hold me at knifepoint?’
‘If I have to.’
‘Don’t be so absurd, Lawrence. It’s beneath you.’
Lawrence curled his hand into a fist. ‘That’s the deal, David. If I were you, I’d take it while I’m still succeeding in keeping my temper under control.’
David studied Lawrence until he shook his head and raised his hands in surrender. ‘Fine. Send me the settlement. Money is of no consequence.’
‘Not once you marry Miss Hughes.’
David smiled. ‘Exactly.’
Lawrence picked up his hat and stood. ‘Good, then I’m glad you have seen reason. I’ll expect you to return the signed settlement to my solicitor along with a commitment to how often you’d like to visit your sons. If you’re considering never seeing Alfred and Francis again, I will personally see to it that those boys know just how much of a bastard their father is.’
David’s eyes widened and his cheeks mottled. ‘What did you call me?’
‘You heard.’ Lawrence put on his hat and strode towards the house.