The Big House at Maple Grove
Earlier Today...
"You wanted to see me?" Desmond asked as he poked his head through the doorway of Old Man Granger's study. He had no idea what his great uncle wanted to see him about, but he assumed it was more than likely business and not pleasure.
Humphrey looked up from his newspaper and over his bifocals at the sound of his great nephew's voice, who he'd been expecting any minute now. He removed his glasses, folded them carefully, and laid them on the desk, a warm smile for his nephew, and a wave of a gnarled hand to usher him inside. "Come in, lad. Have a seat."
Desmond did as he was told, lowering himself into one of two black leather chairs across the desk from the patriarchal head of the Granger family.
As far as Humphrey could tell, the younger man looked the epitome of good health. He'd never know from looking at him that less than a month ago, he'd had a close brush with death, so close that the family had feared they might lose him. "How are you feeling" I presume Piper has been doing her damnedest to keep you out of trouble."
The mention of Piper brought a smile to Desmond's face. He brought his hands to rest against the arms of the chair and crossed one leg over the other. "She let me out of her sight long enough to come here."
Humphrey chuckled. "She knows better than to deny an old man's requests."
"You're not that old," Desmond remarked, frowning slightly. He had no idea how old Humphrey was, but he was still as sharp as a tack. Without a father figure of his own, it was no secret that Desmond had grown fond of the older man, and the feeling was clearly mutual.
Humphrey laughed again, deeper this time, but with a slight rasp. "Oh, I'm old, all right. Older than dirt, but I didn't ask you here to talk about my age. I have a small favor to ask."
Desmond arched a curious brow, wondering what this was all about. Whatever it was, he knew he couldn't say no. He owed Humphrey a debt of gratitude for welcoming and accepting him into the fold. The truth was he'd do just about anything Humphrey asked of him, so long as it was legal. "What is it?"
"It seems Caroline has a sick child to tend to, and I was wondering if you would take her place at the Governor's Advisory Council meeting tonight. Just this once."
"Me?" Desmond asked, wondering why the man had chosen him of all people. He, Caroline, and Humphrey had discussed the possibility of Desmond working for Granger Conglomerate at some point in the future, but as yet, no decision had been made either way. "I'm a criminal lawyer, Humphrey, not a corporate lawyer."
"A lawyer's a lawyer," Humphrey argued, though he knew that wasn't quite true. "You don't have to do anything. Just represent Caroline and fill her in on what was discussed. Anyway, this isn't a business matter. It's more political than anything else, and I can't think of anyone in the family who knows politics better than you."
As much as Desmond hated politics, he couldn't argue the matter. What he really enjoyed was putting criminals in jail, but until he sorted out his personal life, he wasn't sure what he was going to do with his professional life just yet. For now, he was supposed to be resting and recuperating, but he thought one meeting wouldn't tax him too much. "You know I can't say no."
"Bollocks!" Humphrey exclaimed, folding his arms to take a lean against the desk, a pleased smile spreading across his face. "Of course you can, but Caroline and I would greatly appreciate the favor."
Desmond nodded, privately wondering what the old man had in mind for him. There was still the matter of Oliver Hudson Granger, Junior, and his brother Jonathan had approached him for advice about a civil matter, but he hadn't yet made any decisions regarding his future career plans. "All right. Just this once. I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm trying to take Caroline's place."
"Nonsense. No one will think that," Humphrey reassured him as he leaned back in his chair. "Now that that's decided, let's have some tea."
The next two hours or so were spent enjoying tea and cookies over a game of chess, while Humphrey subtly poked and prodded about how things were going with Piper and Lyneth and what Desmond's plans were for the future. By the time Desmond left, he wondered if Humphrey wasn't a craftier lawyer than he was.
"You wanted to see me?" Desmond asked as he poked his head through the doorway of Old Man Granger's study. He had no idea what his great uncle wanted to see him about, but he assumed it was more than likely business and not pleasure.
Humphrey looked up from his newspaper and over his bifocals at the sound of his great nephew's voice, who he'd been expecting any minute now. He removed his glasses, folded them carefully, and laid them on the desk, a warm smile for his nephew, and a wave of a gnarled hand to usher him inside. "Come in, lad. Have a seat."
Desmond did as he was told, lowering himself into one of two black leather chairs across the desk from the patriarchal head of the Granger family.
As far as Humphrey could tell, the younger man looked the epitome of good health. He'd never know from looking at him that less than a month ago, he'd had a close brush with death, so close that the family had feared they might lose him. "How are you feeling" I presume Piper has been doing her damnedest to keep you out of trouble."
The mention of Piper brought a smile to Desmond's face. He brought his hands to rest against the arms of the chair and crossed one leg over the other. "She let me out of her sight long enough to come here."
Humphrey chuckled. "She knows better than to deny an old man's requests."
"You're not that old," Desmond remarked, frowning slightly. He had no idea how old Humphrey was, but he was still as sharp as a tack. Without a father figure of his own, it was no secret that Desmond had grown fond of the older man, and the feeling was clearly mutual.
Humphrey laughed again, deeper this time, but with a slight rasp. "Oh, I'm old, all right. Older than dirt, but I didn't ask you here to talk about my age. I have a small favor to ask."
Desmond arched a curious brow, wondering what this was all about. Whatever it was, he knew he couldn't say no. He owed Humphrey a debt of gratitude for welcoming and accepting him into the fold. The truth was he'd do just about anything Humphrey asked of him, so long as it was legal. "What is it?"
"It seems Caroline has a sick child to tend to, and I was wondering if you would take her place at the Governor's Advisory Council meeting tonight. Just this once."
"Me?" Desmond asked, wondering why the man had chosen him of all people. He, Caroline, and Humphrey had discussed the possibility of Desmond working for Granger Conglomerate at some point in the future, but as yet, no decision had been made either way. "I'm a criminal lawyer, Humphrey, not a corporate lawyer."
"A lawyer's a lawyer," Humphrey argued, though he knew that wasn't quite true. "You don't have to do anything. Just represent Caroline and fill her in on what was discussed. Anyway, this isn't a business matter. It's more political than anything else, and I can't think of anyone in the family who knows politics better than you."
As much as Desmond hated politics, he couldn't argue the matter. What he really enjoyed was putting criminals in jail, but until he sorted out his personal life, he wasn't sure what he was going to do with his professional life just yet. For now, he was supposed to be resting and recuperating, but he thought one meeting wouldn't tax him too much. "You know I can't say no."
"Bollocks!" Humphrey exclaimed, folding his arms to take a lean against the desk, a pleased smile spreading across his face. "Of course you can, but Caroline and I would greatly appreciate the favor."
Desmond nodded, privately wondering what the old man had in mind for him. There was still the matter of Oliver Hudson Granger, Junior, and his brother Jonathan had approached him for advice about a civil matter, but he hadn't yet made any decisions regarding his future career plans. "All right. Just this once. I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm trying to take Caroline's place."
"Nonsense. No one will think that," Humphrey reassured him as he leaned back in his chair. "Now that that's decided, let's have some tea."
The next two hours or so were spent enjoying tea and cookies over a game of chess, while Humphrey subtly poked and prodded about how things were going with Piper and Lyneth and what Desmond's plans were for the future. By the time Desmond left, he wondered if Humphrey wasn't a craftier lawyer than he was.