Chapter Six
Grau was true to his word and there early to pick them up. "I have got some things to take up with Mr. Charles myself" he grinned.
It was a chilly morning with light flurries. They bundled up with blankets in the surrey for the trip. The snow was not sticking but it gave the ride an ephemeral vapor to the air.
Jo wore a fox cape with a matching muff and hat. "You won't find many times to wear that at home. You look like a beautiful Russian princess. " He kissed her on the cheek.
She leaned over to Jarrod and whispered, "From my experience, all I will be wearing is peignoirs for you at home."
Jarrod reared his head back and laughed heartily. "You know I love you, Mrs. Barkley" He had taken to calling her that in their private moments. They smiled at each other and cuddled for the rest of the ride to Auguste's home.
Jarrod loved the directness of his beautiful woman. The whole world thought her reserved and aloof. Little did they know what a minx, he and he alone had waiting for him.
They stopped and picked up Auguste. The spry 70-year-old was itching for a fight too. "I have all the documents we will need. I hit the midnight oil and found more of the Admiral's documents if we need them to evict the lick-spittle."
"Excuse my language, Elizabeth"
"Ha! I have used worse language about Charles. Ask Jarrod if you don't believe me. I am BlackJack's daughter after all."
Jarrod, "I will not incriminate myself." They all had a good laugh.
An hour later, they arrived at the stone and iron gates of Admiral Jean Beaufort's manor. Jo took a deep breath and measured all of her 5'3 inch frames to give a command to open the gates for Madame Elizabeth Beaufort.
The guard was surprised and opened them quickly. He didn't even send word to the chateau; he wanted to be far away when the Beauforts clashed and it would be a clash.
The Admiral's Majordomo opened the doors and was startled to see the Madame of the house with Auguste and a handsome man in a well-tailored suit. He got over his shock quickly and ushered them in out of the cold.
Jo took control. "Take our coats, please. Who is currently in residence of MY home? The emphasis was clear and the attorneys were here to back up her claim.
"Your cousin, his wife, and Monsieur de Valla..and his mistress".
"Perfect. You will have them in the drawing-room immediately." "All of them"
Jo looked around the main room and took note that several Dutch masterpieces of Jean's were missing along with two Ming vases. The Venetian mirror from the Versailles was not in the foyer either. It had been a gift from one of the French kings to her Beaufort ancestors. Her mother's portrait was of course gone from above the massive marble fireplace. Thankfully safe in San Francisco.
While they waited, she went into the library directly off the drawing-room. It did not appear to be looted yet. Charles est un imbécile. He probably doesn't realize what some of these first edition manuscripts are worth. I shall be sure to send JP several for his collection. He will keep them safe for posterity at least.
She opened the cabinet. Damn, his coin collection is gone too. Some of those dated back to antiquity.
Her anger continued to rise as she heard people coming down the stairs in hushed voices. She went back into the drawing-room with Jarrod and Auguste on each side of her with Grau positioned at the door.
Jo was ready for the fight.
McColl picked up Eugene from the afternoon train. Heath was busy with some cattle that got out in the North Pasture with a downed fence. Nick, Jay, and BlackJack were due back today from hunting. The ladies were at the house waiting for Eugene. One was especially anxious.
Audra had invited the Wheelers over for supper too after her morning visit. Carl said they would be pleased to come. Grace Anne had missed her Uncle Nick.
Victoria greeted Eugene. Adrienne smiled demurely across the room and played lightly on the piano keys. They kept stealing looks across the room while he visited with Victoria. Audra came down and said Isabella was napping and would be down by supper. They continued to chat with Eugene on all of the news of the Valley.
He excused himself to check on his horse. Adrienne left a few minutes later to see if Silas needed any help in the kitchen. They met up in the barn. "I thought we would never be alone" and Eugene took Adrienne in his arms for a kiss.
Nick rode in with a sleeping Jay in the saddle. BlackJack was guiding his horse and the other mare with two does and a buck from the hunt. They came upon Adrienne and Eugene leaving the barn.
"Hey little brother, I didn't know you were here." He motioned to Eugene to take the sleeping Jay down from his horse. Adrienne ruffled the hair on her sleeping nephew. They carried him upstairs and put him to bed. Eugene snuck another kiss in the hall before they went downstairs. Nick and BlackJack got the deer to the smokehouse and came inside to change.
Carl, his father, and grandfather rode up a few minutes later. Audra took Grace Anne and Victoria walked her guests to the dining table. Carl couldn't help thinking how beautiful Audra looked holding his daughter.
"Well cousin Elizabeth, you could have visited at a more reasonable time of day. I need a drink" as he walked across the room. All four of them were dressed hastily and appeared hungover.
"I am not a visitor here. This is my house."
"Uncle Jean always made me welcome here. His home was my home as such".
"Well he isn't here and you are not welcome here. I expect you out of here within the hour."
"Let's talk, my dear. Your lover promised me $100,000 to leave this estate alone my dear. He didn't carry through with his promise so his little brother did." Jo looked at Jarrod confused.
Jarrod walked over and pushed Charles in the chest. He fell backward into the silver service and it hit the floor with a clang. "As I remember our conversation, you demanded $100,000 out of the trust and my cooperation. There was never a promise. My brother never signed those papers to take control of Isabella's part of the trust and I can prove it."
"We have a notarized contract dated the day of the wedding that says otherwise. The DeLand attorneys filed it and it was notarized in Stockton. All legal sir. There is no need to go cowboy on me. We, French, are civilized. Let's sit down and talk like men. There is plenty to go around. Like Elizabeth. You don't seem to mind that she's been passed around a lot of men as I hear like her mother. She must be pretty good in the boudoir.."
Jarrod smashed Charles in the face with his fist and broke his nose. Blood spattered around the wall and began to soak the carpet. Charles grabbed a metal spittoon and hit Jarrod in the cheek. His eye began to swell immediately. Melanie screamed and Antoine lunged forward at Jarrod with a poker. Grau grabbed him from behind and dropped him on the floor. He put his large boot on his chest like he was squashing an insect. Antoine didn't dare get up and his mistress slunk up the stairs to get her things.
Melanie was hysterical and screaming vile things at Jo and Jarrod. "Let my husband go. You will be sorry. Heath signed those papers and Phil Archer notarized them. My lawyers were there."
"I know for a fact that Heath did not sign them and we will file forgery charges with the magistrate."
Antoine smirked and Auguste spoke," and not the deValla office but the provincial one. My clerk filed charges this morning and you are to cease and desist the sale of contents and vacate Madame Beaufort's property immediately." The smirk was gone.
"Prepare the carriage and get out of my house" shouted Jo.
Grau let Antoine up and Melanie went to help Charles staunch the bleeding. They went upstairs to pack.
"It's not over." Charles turned and spat out blood on the Persian carpets.
Jo waited until their carriage left the property and she flashed her temper at Jarrod. He was icing his knuckles and Auguste was going through papers on the desk.
"And when were you going to tell me that you and Charles talked behind my back about the trust? How dare you negotiate for me with that ass?"
"Jo, it's not like that. He came to the house when Isabella was critically ill and you were...indisposed with grief. I never spoke for you. I was only trying to find out what he knew about the annulment. I led him to think I would give him money but I would have never done it. I wanted him to trust me so I could find the truth."
"Why then didn't you tell me later? We have had months together since then. You could have told me instead of letting me look like a fool today. I am not a child and I WILL NOT be treated like one."
"I didn't want to upset you. I am sorry."
"So am I, Jarrod Barkley" and she stormed out of the room.
Auguste looked at Jarrod and shook his head. Jarrod ran his fingers through his hair and closed his eyes in a grimace. I need a drink.