THE LADY OF FOXWOOD

This is an old-fashioned tale of intrigue. Please comment nicely!

After the funeral, Lady Simms spoke crisply to Harding the butler. "Miss Benton will be staying at Foxwood for quite some time. Pleas have her things taken up to the large guestroom at once."

Joy Benton was still sobbing on the sofa, her shoulders shaking with grief. For the young, flame-haired waitress with the warm smile and abundant figure it was a double tragedy. Not only was Sir Hubert Simms gone forever, but Joy realized now that she had never really known him. They'd had so many friendly chats, yet back in London he'd never spoken of his wealth or his vast estate. Joy genuinely enjoyed her work, but old Sir Hubert had always been her favorite customer. Now she would never share a joke or a morning cup of coffee with the silver-haired banker ever again.

"My husband was a wonderful man," Lady Simms said softly, joining Joy on the sofa. "He was generous, caring and courteous to everyone he met. But he was very foolish about one thing."

"W-what was that?" Joy sat up on the sofa, pawing at her red and swollen eyes and struggling to stop the flowing tears. Lady Simms was pouring tea from a silver teapot into a delicate china cup.

"Hubert never updated his will. When we first married, the person next in line for the estate of Foxwood was our second cousin in America, a baby at the time." Lady Simms sipped her tea, sitting up very straight on the sofa. "We hoped for children, of course. But the years passed, and the will was never changed, and the cousin was reported missing in a plane crash in South America."

"That's dreadful!" Joy fought against a foolish wave of fresh tears. "But if this other person is gone, who gets the estate? Did he or she have a family?"

"He was a bachelor, apparently quite wealthy in his own right."

"Oh." Joy sipped her tea, frowning as she thought. "Lady Simms, don't you inherit everything automatically? As his widow, I mean."

"I do not." The elegant, silver-haired woman held her head high. "Nothing is more disgusting than greed, my child. I only wish to live out my days here at Foxwood. But now I have been informed that a man claiming to be Hubert's second cousin has resurfaced. Grant Callahan will need to prove his identity, of course. But he could take both the land and the house unless we stop him."

"How can we do that?" Joy felt determined. She was ready to fight just as hard for Lady Simms as she would have for Sir Hubert.

"This man Callahan is in London," Lady Simms said, smiling at the look of resolve on Joy's tear-stained and freckled face. "But when he comes here, we will tell him there has been a mistake. We will explain that the new owner of Foxwood is already here."

"But I don't understand! Who is the new owner?"

Lady Simms took Joy's empty teacup and carefully placed it on the tea table facing the sofa. "That would be you, dear. We are going to save Foxwood by putting you in Grant Callahan's place. We will present you to the world as the new heiress of Foxwood!"

"But I'm not an heiress!" Joy's face went pale. "I mean, I'll do anything to help, but cheating like that must be against the law!"

"The real Grant Callahan is dead," Lady Simms said crisply. "This man is merely an impostor. And you were dear to Hubert's heart. If he had only thought to change his will . . . but you and I must fight. If we put up a bold front the man may never even press his claim. But we must be strong! Can you be strong for me, dear?"

"Okay. I mean, yes, my lady." Joy Benton tried to sound confident. But deep down she knew she was making a big mistake.