Review, Edit and Update:Once more the sparseness of the surroundings for the dialogue was in need of 'setting the scene' and clarifying who is speaking. I guess I'm still learning this craft! There were no typos to fix, thankfully.
They Dare
The three women met outside the newest office building in Hartley. Eleven stories, the coppered glass windows reflected the buildings opposite, parked cars, and, at street level, the still distancing passersby, some of them masked. Masks of plain black, Canadian flag masks, cat whiskered masks - all manner of designs. Pigeons lined the top of the buildings, swooping down as a flock when crumbs or seeds seemed possible. The three women stood in line waiting to be admitted to the imposing building. Occasionally one would turn, speak to the others and the others would reply. A security guard stopped each person and spoke with them, then ushered them into the building. The first of the three women was next. Went she entered the building, a container with hand sanitizer was her first stop. Quickly following, her two companions arrived through the doors, stopped for hand sanitizer and joined her at the gleaming bank of elevators.
Emelina called out to Brigitte “What floor is he on?” Brigitte, the first to arrive at elevators, opened her tablet. “Let me look at his email……his law office is on the tenth floor.” Brigitte was stepping into her new role as Emelina's personal secretary as confidently as possible. She indicated a stark white sign with black and red lettering set above the elevator buttons “Look. That sign says only two people allowed on the elevator at a time. Miss Em, you and Dez go first. Maybe the other one will come more quickly than waiting for this one to come back.” Brigitte came prepared and had her tablet device with her. “I have your cell number Miss Em, and the office number, if it's taking me too long to get there.”
Emelina replied “Brigitte, we’ll wait for you so we can all go to the office together.” Each of them were just a little nervous about this meeting. Emelina had met the lawyer before but only vaguely remembered him. It was in the weeks following Michael’s death and all of those weeks were lost in a fog. Emelina didn’t really know when the fog lifted and even then it had seemed to swirl around her constantly. She was very grateful for her sister, Dez and for Brigitte. She felt like she could falter at any moment. Dez was completely unfamiliar with this side of Emmie's life and the Beaufort Estate. She would rather have been in the kitchen with Cook, or out in the orchard. Brigitte, still learning this personal secretary role, didn't know what she was supposed to do once they were actually speaking with the lawyer.
Emelina spoke up. “Look for office number 1014……..there it is down that way.”
Opening the door, they walked into a cavernous room. There was no receptionist at the desk. From a dark hallway lined by closed glass doors, well dressed man approached them. He was clean shaven and thick skinned. His white wavy hair had the just trimmed look that so many were sporting in the late days of Covid19. “Good afternoon ladies. Mrs. Beaufort, so good to see you again. I’ll not shake your hands. As you know, there are still many precautions being followed. I am only just coming into the office to meet with clients, and then only a very limited amount.” Brigitte was secretly relieved. Emelina was obviously the person to take the lead.
“Hello, Mr……Mr. Donahue is it? I’m sorry, I actually had to ask my butler for your name and contact information. I recall little of what may have been discussed five years ago.” Emelina had spoken again with Digby, reassuring him that his position was secure. She had sensed that their discussion earlier in the week had unsettled him. When he said ‘that’s what you’re paying me for’, Emelina heard an edge to his voice that she seldom heard.
Mr. Donahue indicated an open door on the other side of the reception area, and led the way. “We’re going to meet in the Board room so we can maintain distances. If any of you would be more comfortable wearing a mask, please feel free." Once they were all seated, Mr. Donahue at the head of the long shining oak table, Emelina, Dez and Brigitte around the opposite end in rich leather padded swivel chairs, the lawyer spoke "And who do we have here?”
The three women maintained their own separation with one seat between them. Emelina introduced Dez and Brigitte “Pardon me, Mr. Donohue. This is my sister, Dez Eliot and this is my Personal Assistant, Brigitte Smithson. This Board room is perfect. I’ll not wear a mask. Dez? - No. Brigitte? - No. Brigitte will be taking notes to make certain we’re all on the same page. Dez is here for moral support, but will also be doing some work on the Estate. And please, call me Emelina.”
Once they were past the introductions, Emelina felt a bit more at ease. Dez had already decided she would really just observe and listen. She wrote down questions related to the development of the orchard or an apiary. Her iPhone was her personal secretary. Brigitte didn’t want to miss a thing, but she had learned that trying to get down everything had the reverse effect. She missed out on too much. Mr. Donohue, sitting at the far end of the board room table, looked at the three women. He was impressed. He remembered Mrs. Beaufort as rather helpless and vapid woman. The Mrs. Beaufort that he was seeing today was self assured and confident. Her sister was really an unknown to him, but seemed as confident. He hadn’t even known that Mrs. Beaufort had any family. Brigitte - He thought maybe he’d seen her before but couldn’t quite place her. She always seemed focussed on her tablet, but he had no misconceptions that she was not paying attention. They had come today to review the junior Mr Beaufort’s will.
~~~~~
In a small park a block from Mr. Donohue’s building, Emelina, Dez and Brigitte talked over the meeting. “I was so nervous!” Emelina was still shaken. “My mouth was so dry I was sure he could hear my lips cracking.”
“Here, Emmie, have some water. You were great. That guy was a bit of a pompous ass if you ask me. Treating us like little women without any brains. That oily smile of his. I never knew Michael, but how could he have him for a lawyer!” Dez was fuming.
Brigitte took over. “Just calm down, both of you. I spoke with Digby about him. Mr. Donohue has been the family lawyer for years. His father had been their lawyer before that and, according to Digby, never dealt with any of the women. Old Mrs. Beaufort was fine with that as long as the bills were paid and he wasn’t skimming any money from them. She had Digby, Sr. run interference with him.” Brigitte needed them to keep level heads if they were going to proceed with the few plans they had, mainly the upkeep of the apple orchard and developing an apiary. “Miss Em, is there anyone else you can talk with for advice? Digby is kind of caught between loyalties and the strain that family history puts on him. You may even want a second opinion to see what your rights are. Mr. Donohue did give me a copy of the will to hold for you that will help us figure this out. It may be that we don’t even need to worry.”
“Thank you Brigitte. You’ve always been my voice of reason.” Emelina touched Brigitte's arm lightly.
“Listen…..do you hear that.” Dez was suddenly on her feet. “Do either of you have cash? That’s an ice cream truck!” Emmie and Brigitte stood as one. “Ice cream! It’s coming toward us. Let’s meet him and change the subject for a while.”
“I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies instead of
rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters all our lives.”
~ Jane Austen, Persuasion
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