Darius groaned as this was so difficult. "I do not know these laws. That is why you are here. I want your assistance in this." He started on the second glass of wine as all of this complicated stuff could hurt his head. And he still had this weird inkling he was missing something important.

"I can try to find out who he works with or talks to that might know? I'm not certain, but I can try."He honestly had little idea who his father dealt with regularly or was social with but now it was important to find out. "I will see what I can do. " So much for paying a lawyer to do all the hard leg work. He started to look over the contract to see if he could find any mention of how much he was paying Zechariah for his time.

Darius’ fortunes were … mixed.

The rates were a couple tiers less than what Darius’ father might expect to pay a solicitor. A far older, more experienced solicitor. It would be fair for a man who actually had experience.

Zechariah was banking on his obliviousness.

What Zechariah did not bank on is how a fellow young, inexperienced client might bank on a retainer contract. His fees were flat rather than by the hour.

“I apologize, Mr. Carrington,” he said again, blandly. “I am still learning your level of experience in these matters.”

Another swig of wine. God, was he actually going to make him earn his damned money?

“The bastardy laws prohibit all but the firstborn son from inheriting, meaning Mr. Magnus Carrington Sr. is proposing something … quite legally unsound. I will follow up with the probate attorney as agreed for the specifics, of course.”

Darius looked up surprised. "Really?" He pushed the papers back over as it seemed fair?

He nodded. "Well this is what I want to hear. I did not know that. " This is why he hired a lawyer, he honestly thought Zechariah would have retained a lawyer more specifically in this but it seems it wasn't needed. "I'm glad to hear it sounds like it won't be a difficult case. The sooner this is over the sooner I can relax and my sister and mother can feel safer." He didn't consider the fact he'd be the target of the rest of his family's anger and violence.

He felt dirty. He felt dirty the same way he used to feel dirty when he laughed at (with) Chris’ cruelty.

It was only temporary. Fuck over a distraught, helpless woman, enable her greedy brother to do it and convince himself it was for her own good, beg her forgiveness once all was done … and scrub this from his skin like he had scraped every part that Simon had ever touched.

(Except his hair. Hair repelled Simon’s Simon-plague, and that was the logic he was sticking to.)

“Your father’s attorney will likely attempt trouble, but I suspect he will be laughed out of court, Mr. Carrington.”

Darius nodded and looked somewhat relaxed. "That is good news. I will tell mother the good news." He wanted to tell Pearl but she might be angry at him for this. He was trying to protect himself too, and she was the one who'd wanted to distance herself from the rest of the family right? He would look out for her, he told himself.

He drank his wine and smiled a little. "Thank you for your help, Zechariah. I will call on you again for other matters if they come up." He shouldn't thank him too much since they hadn't won yet, but it felt very promising.