Billionaire Flawed 1(79)

“The Mrs. Dansby, I presume?” The man who stepped out was plump, with a clean shaven face and wrinkled forehead. It seemed an unusually ordinate sight on the humble orchard estate of Joshua Dansby.

Cora did not reply, and the man stayed below the steps, and tipped his hat.

“Perhaps Joshua Dansby hasn’t spoken of me? I’m Walter Howell. His father was my cousin, and dear Joshua is a beloved nephew of mine.”

“I may have heard of you.”

His eyes squinted, as if not being able to peer under the bright sunlight. He looked Cora up and down, and she felt uncomfortable.

“If you’re looking for Joshua,” she said. “He’s not here right now. I can tell him you stopped by.”

“Oh, yes, of course. Well, we are all family now,” his arms swept open to illustrate. “Do tell Joshua that I’m looking forward to the hearing in a few weeks. Oh, and perhaps I should also mention that there have been a few new discoveries…” he toyed at his walking stick, and raised an eyebrow. “Regarding the will of his grandfather’s estate…”

“You can let him know yourself,” Cora’s brow furrowed, and she felt uneasy. “He shouldn’t be long.”

She dealt with many a rat in her day, literal and not, on the streets of New York City, and he gave her the same feeling: a complete and utter distaste.

“It does involve you too, mind you,” he smiled slyly, “So you should benefit from the news as well. It turns out, in the fine print, that Joshua Dansby mustn’t only be married, but he must be married for at least five years before the estate is turned over from the board to him. In such time as he is not in a consensual and lawful union  , the estate will be turned over to the next closest heir. Which is indeed myself, madam.” Walter brought his hands to straighten as his suit collar.

“But that shouldn’t be a problem…” he smirked. “Especially as in love as you two obviously are. Why, practically beaming. There’s no possibility for it to be a sham or contractual obligation….bribery that would invalidate...oh, me. I seem to be getting carried away now. Let young Joshy know I stopped by.”

Cora’s eyes grew wide, and her fists balled at her side.

He knows, she said.

Walter got into his carriage and strode away, leaving an even deeper pit in Cora’s stomach.



Chapter 6

“Joshua!” She called into the orchard, lifting her dress from draping along the muddy and wet grass. The shade of the trees was cool and moist, but she had begun to grow increasingly worried. Where was Joshua? Meeting his despicable uncle was no help to the growing anxiety she felt pierce her within. She hadn’t known Joshua long...but she knew him long enough to see how much he cared for this land. From the way he treated his horse, to how passionately he reasoned to save his inheritance…

Whatever Walter Howell wanted, could only amount to no good.

“Joshua!”

Nothing.

She continued to trace along, when out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a shadow in the distance, lying among the grass in the shade of a tree.

Her heart began to beat fast.

“Joshua!”



“Come on, stay with me,” Cora placed the cool wet cloth on Joshua’s forehead. Her dress was ripped and muddied, her sleeves scrunched up, her braid letting out unkempt wisps of brown hair.

Joshua laid on the couch in the library and study, his face red and body covered in sweat.

Cora was completely exhausted from having found him passed out in the orchard shade. She knew there was something wrong that morning, and she chided herself for not following her instinct sooner. It was a struggle getting Joshua back to the house, but thankfully he hadn’t been too far off. He must have been on his way in for lunch when the fit began. She didn’t bother trying to get to the second floor bedrooms, and opted for the flat couch-chair in the study.

Being a butcher’s assistant came in handy, Cora laughed to herself, attempting to lighten her own dark thoughts.

“You’re burning up,” Cora felt at his forehead, as he writhed, breathing heavily.

Cora had already removed his hat and shoes, and had been trying to cool him down with water.

She eyed at his chest, and for a moment, grew red.

“No,” she corrected herself. “I’m sorry,” she reached for his shirt. “I have to do this.”

Cora managed to sit Joshua up enough to pull the shirt off, undoing his suspenders. She blushed when her hands felt the ripples of his bare body, and she quickly laid him back down, bringing a cool rag to continue to pat him down.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she murmured. He seemed to still be unconscious as she continued to tend to him.