“It is clear that my reputation goes before me,” Cavell said.
“You are a thief!” I countered.
“I would honestly see myself as more of a Robin Hood, than an outright swindler. Most of what is printed in the news sheets is pure fiction. Stories about me appear to sell papers!”
“I’m sure they do!”
“The items I take were all originally obtained by deceit and murder. The individuals who employ me do so to redress the balance, as it were.”
“So you are a benevolent thief? How very droll.” I said coldly.
“Not one person has ever been harmed by any of my thefts. The victim does not suffer anything but a bruised ego from the loss, not like my clients. And they always have a wonderful story to tell at dinner parties!”
“Why am I here? What is this warning you speak of?” I was growing tired of this charade.
“Do you know the particulars of Lord Ardmillan’s Last Will and Testament?”
“Only what was said in the missive that invited me here.”
“I have seen a copy of the full Will and it makes for interesting reading. Lord Percy stated that his personal collection was to be sold exactly one year after his passing.”
“Aye, that is what my invitation stated”,
“As we know he was a Commanding Officer for the 16th Regiment of Light Dragoon Lancers and his regiment was sent out to India in 1822. He collected many things on his travels, as well as a reputation for brutality.”
I nodded in agreement, I’d heard many stories of his butchery, and not just of the animals he hunted for sport.
“Lord Ardmillan penned a list of collectors of fine art and antiquities that he knew would pay handsomely to own items he had gathered—You were not on that list. In fact, there was a clause in the Will that stated that Mr. Benedict Hannan is to be barred from bidding on anything at all from the Estate.”
“What? That’s preposterous. You must be mistaken!”
“Sadly, I am not. I read the details with my very own eyes. Lord Ardmillan seemed to dislike you greatly. Did you know that?”
“I… I …I,” Words would not form in my mouth such was my horror at hearing what Cavell was telling me.
“He stated that you were the sodomite who led his son and heir astray, therefore you are not worthy of owning any of his treasures.”
My eyes widened. “Whaat? He stated that in his Will?” Since The Principal Probate Registry was established in 1858 a copy of every Will proved in England or Wales was on record. If any of my enemies decided to look into my past, connected me with Euan and saw that clause in Lord Ardmillan’s Will my guilty secret could be made public, and the shame would ruin me. What I could not fathom was why the Late Lord abhorred me so. I had been a thoughtful guest when invited for the shooting season. I had not gotten underfoot of him and his high and mighty friends. I wondered, had we been indiscrete and found out? Euan never said anything about exposure to me. Could this be the true reason why Euan disposed of me some weeks later and never spoke a word to me for years afterward? The whole situation confused me greatly.
“Why would I be invited here if I was not—ahh!” The penny dropped. Euan had a desperate issue that he wanted to fix and he’d decided that as his ex-lover and confidant, I was the man to help him. He had invited me privately because his father was no longer around to look down upon his choice of intimates, and also so that I could attend to his ritual. Damn the man! Damn him to hell with his father.
“Did you not notice the look that passed between Lord Ardmillan and Mr. Buchanan at dinner? When introduced to you the solicitor appeared vexed, to say the least. No matter what, it is intended that you will leave this house empty-handed. The solicitor will ensure that you are unable to purchase the Staff of Asklepios or anything else from the collection.”
Little did Cavell know that the Staff was no longer for sale, or so I’d been told? I did not know the truth of this matter but Euan’s over-friendly behavior today had unsettled me. We had initially parted in the most distressing manner and not kept in touch for the longest of times. And then on reacquainting, Euan was back to slipping into my bed as if we were reckless boys again. This was not lordly behavior, and there was a touch of desperation in the way he had seduced me. Euan needed me to be compliant. He needed to be in my good graces as he believed I would be able to help restore his virility. Maybe giving me the Staff as a gift would circumnavigate the clause in the Will, and Euan had been too worried to tell of his father’s hatred of me? Just as I was near convinced that Cavell was a lying scoundrel and Euan was trying his best to please me and adhere to the contents of the Will, Cavell said,
“There is more—”
Oh Gods, no! I took a gulp of Port to steady my nerves.
“Am I correct in my belief that Lord Euan wishes you to sell canvases from his father’s Fine Art collection?”
I had spoken to Euan about this only once, and arrangements had not yet been finalized.
