The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer

and a shabbier set of fellows you’d be hard put to it to find than most of ’em! Such jobbery!”
    “Oh, now you are back at Bedlington!”
    “Hun, and some others. Lord Bedlington!” John enunciated scornfully. “And why, pray?” “Distinguished military career,” murmured Carlyon.
    “Distinguished military fiddlesticks!” snorted John. “A.D.C. to the Regent! Pander to the Regent, more like! But, there! I do not know why I am boring on in this way. Will you be able to bring Nick off safe, do you think?”
    “Yes. Though Eustace would have been glad to have injured him if he could have done it.” “What a damned fellow he was!” John said warmly. “I should like to know what harm Nicky ever did him!”
    “Well, he seems to have treated him very roughly tonight,” Carlyon pointed out. “But it was not Nicky he meant to hurt so much as me, through Nicky. Fortunately Greenlaw sent the nurse away as soon as Eustace began to talk, so there’s no harm done.” “Oh, you had Greenlaw there, had you? Well, he’s a disrespectful old dog, but safe enough! Td give something to know what he must have thought of your freaks this night!” Carlyon smiled. “Oh, I tried his civility too high, and he got to remembering helping me down from the church steeple, and digging the shot out of your leg, John, that time we stole one of my father’s fowling pieces, and I peppered you so finely—do you remember? He was within an ace of giving me as stem a homily as you have probably given Nick.” “Impudent old rascal!” John said, grinning. “I wish he had done so! But, Ned! This will! Is it in order? Might it not be contested?”
    “I believe it is legal enough. I shall certainly not contest it.”
    “Not you, no! But Bedlington must be next of kin to Eustace, and it occurs to me that he might try to set the will aside on that score. For once Eustace was married—”
    “No, you are. forgetting. By the terms of the original settlement, in default of appointment by Eustace, the estate must have devolved upon me. To invalidate the will would not benefit Bedlington.”
    “True, so it was! Did you think to name an executor?” “Yes, myself and Finsbury.”
    “That was a good thought, to bring a lawyer into it,” John approved. “But I must say I wish you were well out of the business!”
    “Why, so I soon shall be, I trust,” Carlyon said, setting down his empty glass and rising to his feet.
    “It seems to me you are left with this widow on your hands!”
    “Nonsense! Once probate has been granted I dare say she will sell the estate, and I hope she may be able to live very comfortably upon the proceeds.”
    “It has been so mismanaged since Eustace came of age that she may find it hard to find a purchaser,” John said pessimistically. “Ten to one, too, there will be so many charges on it that the poor girl will find herself in a worse case than ever. Was he in the moneylenders’ hands, do you know?”
    “I don’t, but I should think very likely. His debts will have to be paid, of course.” “Not by you!” John said sharply.
    “Well, we shall see how it goes. How long are you staying with us, John?” “I must be in London tomorrow, but I shall come back, of course, now that things have turned out in this way.”
    “You need not.”
    “Oh, I don’t doubt you will manage it very well without me!” John said, smiling at him. “But that young rascal will have to give his evidence at the inquest, and naturally I shall not stay away at such a time.”
    Carlyon nodded. “As you please. Snuff the candles if you are coming to bed—I told the servants they need not sit up longer.”
    “I have a letter I must finish first. Good night, old fellow!”
    “Good night.” Carlyon picked up the branch of candles that stood on one of the tables and went to the door.
    John had seated himself at the desk again, but he looked round. “I don’t know why I should be surprised at Nicky’s wild ways, after