She stared out the window while Constance's maid looked on with worry. Amelia Mason was a good girl with a good heart, and it was sad to see her in such a state of mourning for Constance Harlowe. Or was it something else? She sighed and exited the room to go speak to the other staff about it. It wasn't considered gossip if it was said out of worry, was it?

Amelia was aware of the quiet footsteps as they faded away down the hallway. She didn't move when the clock chimed at the hour the lawyer was supposed to arrive for the reading of the will. The staff would be there and she would be there only as witness.

Or so that was what she was told anyway by way of letter.

She did not turn away from the window even as the clock finished the nine chimes, indicating the hour that the man was supposed to arrive.

Nate arrived at the agreed address at the appointed hour, and banged the knocker on the front door. Rebuilding his career had meant a modest office and accepting any legal matter that would pay. He felt like he'd taken a giant step backward in his career and was a harassed junior at the bottom of the table all over again - referring to the tradition of dinners at the Inns of Court in London where the most junior members had to sit at the bottom of the long tables, closest to the doors. They were largely ignored and had to dain to be recognised, usually forced into degrading toasts or standing on the table themselves for the amusement of the seniors.

Today's case, a simple reading of an inheritance. Always fun.

Usually, the family was present at these. Outwardly respectable people in their 'Sunday Best', but Nate knew better. They could transform into a crowd of familial vultures were ready to descend on the assets of the deceased, to see what they would get out of the game. Nate, as the lawyer, would manage a middling cup of tea at best; leaving before the teapot was thrown across the room in rage.

The butler ushered the man in and to the parlor where Amelia sat with a small group of people all dressed in livery. They were all somber-faced as they stood or sat in a semi circle. It was clear that the will was being read to staff and not family. Amelia in particular was the main focus, which confused her so. Why had she been the one contacted by the court? The young miss found herself staring for a moment too long at the handsome man who entered the room.

"You are Mister Appleton, I presume?" asked the young woman. Without waiting for him to answer, she said, "Please just... get it over with so we all know what we are to do." They would likely find new jobs, she thought.

"As you wish, Miss." Nate answered. He moved into the room and produced a sealed envelope from his coat pocket. A letter opener magically appeared, and he used the point of the blade to crack the seal. There a single sheet of paper with immaculate, yet flowing handwriting. It was yellowed with age, having been written some time ago.

"This is the last Will and Testament of Constance Harlowe." He began, in case there was any doubt of who had died. His voice was clear and precise. "Being of sound mind and body, I bequeath all of my earthly belongings to one, Miss Amelia Mason, including the money, the lands, and home in which you are standing to read this will."

There it was, the final decision as to who got what. Given it was just staff here, they presumably did not expect much. Nate frowned.

"There's an additional clause here." He paused to decipher the writing, his eyes widened at what was written on the page. "I must apologise in advance for the language used by Miss Harlowe, but these are her words 'However, she must find someone to marry within 90 days of the date of the reading or the properties will be forfeit to my closest living relative, Magnus Carrington, who I must state that I'd rather rot in hell than let him have my lands. Please do everything in your power to make a sound and friendly match between my companion, Amelia, and a good man.'"

There was absolute silence on her part as he read the will. Her eyes widened as he read the part about the money. And then there was the part about her wedding a man who she didn't know, to get the money and lands in question. The servants all stared as well and a pin could be dropped to end the silence and it would have clattered more like a fucking horse shoe. She slowly stood and moved to the lawyer's side, grabbing the document, though not pulling it out of his grasp, but rather, moved it closer so she could then read exactly what he had just said. Sure enough, it was written word for word what Mister Appleton had just said.

And then she read the bottom, "There are more than enough funds to keep the current staff in jobs," which she read aloud, "Most of which have been with me since I was a young woman. I wish for them to serve her as well as they have served me." She looked to Mister Appleton and said, "I don't understand... She wants me to have everything and marry too? I..."

"It would appear so, Miss. But I am just a lawyer, not a matchmaker."

"And I am not asking you to be," she said, and then she sighed, "I have to choose between being destitute for a time and marrying to receive money, what is this?" She sounded panicked at the moment. Amelia looked at him and swallowed heavily, "Does she say why I have to marry?"

The simple answer was no, but it was probably a loophole she had to jump through to appease the family she'd be inheriting the money over. She took a deep breath and let it go.

The real intent behind the words was known only to Ms Harlowe, but as she was no longer living, the truth would never be known.

"Afraid not. Well, Miss Mason, that concludes my visit here today. I am happy to assist you in my capacity as a lawyer."

The marriage part... that was all on her.

"W-wait..." she said, even as the baffled servants left the room but for the housekeeper, who was keeping a protective eye on the girl. "I am not asking you to help with my marriage, which may not happen, but that is a lot of money and property she bequeathed me and I... I have never had money like this before, how is this supposed to work? I marry a man I don't know before the 90 days are up and then what?"

"Well, Miss, according to this, the money is yours. Under the Married Women's Property Act of 1881, you will not lose your money and property if you get married. You must merely find a man and agree to marry him in 90 days. Though actually being married before then would be best."

There was definitely some room for opposing legal opinions to dance around the precise intent of this language, but it was the best answer Nate could come up with on the spur of the moment.