29 March 1686 of the 6th Era, Goldmann and Partners, West District

  “Mrs Rogers, it is absolutely crucial that this letter reaches Mr Olason within the next two weeks. Send it with our personal courier if need be!”

  “Of course, Mr Goldmann,” Mrs Rogers curtsied and hurried out of the office with a thick envelope just as Antony and Charlotte walked in. As she passed them and thought herself well out of earshot of anyone important, she cursed under her breath. Quite the elaborate tirade, Charlotte admitted. Even the most experienced of sailors would have stopped whatever they were doing to admire the craftiness.

  Mr Goldmann, an elegantly dressed dusk elf with almost parchment-white skin that rivaled even Charlotte’s paleness, dark reddish-brown eyes, and long black hair presently tied in a low knot, continued to give orders to his underlings. He asked for documents to be brought in or delivered to other lawyer firms. Inquired about approaching deadlines. Reminded someone that they were supposed to be preparing for a hearing. All in all, generally expressed it clearly that he was too busy to notice the newly arrived pair.

  Antony seemed very accustomed to such treatment as he quietly nodded towards a row of comfortable armchairs a bit to the side of the entrance, following Charlotte at a respectable distance. There, the two of them waited till Mr Goldmann finally decided he was done with the theatrics.

  “Oh, and Mr Francis, please don’t forget that Lady Carter’s birthday is tomorrow. She is a most valued client of ours and I want the best basket of flowers to be delivered at her doorstep. Write the card yourself if the florist is illiterate. I do not want a repetition of last year’s incident.”

  “Of course, sir,” Mr Francis bowed and hurried to get away from his employer before the latter decided he had more tasks that the poor lad could attend to.

  “Ah, Mr Levy,” Mr Goldmann finally turned to greet them. “Truth be told, I was expecting to see Lord Blackwater when I was answering your inquiry. Have you finally had enough of his antics?”

  “Far from it,” Antony bowed deeply. “I don’t think I’d ever want to search for a new employer. The challenges are manageable and exciting, the pay fully compensates any effort I have to put in, and the Royal Alchemy Society in general is a great workplace. With the exception of the occasional teleportation accident, perhaps.”

  “I know those all too well. I’ve been to that building a fair number of times, and each time I end up helplessly lost, unless I demand a guide to be at my side.

  “And those malfunctioning teleports. You must have the courage of a lion to work at that place. Why, only last month I heard that Ms Redbranch got swallowed by one and ended up,” Mr Goldmann stopped midsentence, regaining his composure. “Apologies. Surely people complain about the teleportation system as often as they do about the weather. If it’s not a matter related to Lord Blackwater, then…”

  “As I mentioned in my letter,” Antony’s voice became overly official, “the matter is rather delicate and requires a certain level of privacy as it involves one of your clients. The request is obviously not mine,” he turned to Charlotte, who had been quietly listening to the short exchange. “Lady Charlotte Dawntreader, may I introduce to you Mr Franz Goldmann, senior partner at the Goldmann&Griebel law bureau.”

  “A pleasure. I am grateful that you found some time for me in your busy schedule, especially considering the very short notice,” she gracefully nodded to Mr Goldmann. Charlotte admitted to herself that she did want to know more about Ms Redbranch’s misadventures, but that had to wait for now.

  “Pleased to meet you, too,” Mr Goldmann politely bowed in return. “If the matter is as delicate as you make it out to be, I believe it is best we discuss it in my office. Please follow me. Mrs Rogers, I am not to be disturbed for the next thirty minutes,” he shouted to the poor woman who had just returned from her errand.

  He led Antony and Charlotte to the second floor and down a corridor full of small offices meant for his assistants and junior partners, as well as several meeting rooms. Charlotte heard the diligent shuffling of papers, quiet conversations most likely regarding some case or other, and scribbling of quills. Here, too, Mr Goldmann gave a few orders to the passing clerks. Only then did they proceed to his office, quite easily distinguished from the rest due to the large ornamental double doors made of redwood. To leave no place for doubt, the golden tablet to the side had his name on it.

  The interior was what Charlotte expected and then some. Dark wooden panels covered the walls and the ceiling. The floorboards were fully hidden underneath a deep velvety carpet that made their footsteps almost inaudible. A large, intricately designed bookcase stretched the entirety of the eastern wall of the room, and the collection displayed on the shelves was worthy of a queen’s parlour: treasure bindings, intricate silver and gold statuettes, tomes that could probably date all the way back to the Third Era… One could only imagine how much all of that cost. There was a separate section with a slightly more modest looking assortment of books that, by the looks of it, actually saw use. And no wonder, as those were mostly on law, forensics, and alchemy.

  Mr Goldmann proceeded to his armchair behind a large writing desk made of rosewood, its work surface covered with expensive velvet, with intricate gold decor running along the edges of the frame, and pointed towards a pair of armchairs meant for his clients.

  Charlotte calmly took her place, and Antony unhurriedly followed, being the last to sit down. It did not escape her that his gaze stopped on the writing utensils carefully arranged on Mr Goldmann’s desk. Even she knew to appreciate the craftsmanship that went into those. The ink bottle was of a unique design made of crystal glass. The sun shining through the window situated behind Mr Goldmann fell on it, refracting from the many facets and adding a myriad colours to the dark liquid inside. The quill next it was masterfully crafted out of a feather of some exotic bird. Sharp and sleek, it looked iridescent under the bright light. Both were placed on a gilded plate that had Mr Goldmann’s name engraved in an elegant script.

  Surprisingly, apart from that, the desk was absolutely empty. No papers, folders, not even a stack of letters. Come to think of it, the same could be said about the entirety of the room. It was pristinely clean, almost speckless.

  “Well now,” Mr Goldmann looked at the two expectantly. “I must admit, my knowledge of Lundhaven’s nobility is somewhat limited, but the House of Tornbury is influential enough to have made a name for itself across the entire continent, reaching Enua. I had the pleasure to meet your father during the signing of the Trade Treaty. A wonderful man. Very knowledgeable. And the more surprising… Forgive me for the intrusive question, but what is the connection between the two of you?”

  “Mr Levy happens to be a friend of a former colleague of mine from my university days, Mr Goldmann,” Charlotte explained. “He agreed to assist me with an investigation I am presently conducting.”

  “In what capacity, my lady?”

  “As a Cardinal of the Church of the Lady of the Dead Moon,” she calmly placed a small wooden symbol with a single red lily on the table.

  Mr Goldmann examined it carefully, then returned it with a satisfied nod, “I heard that you became part of the church, but that you were that high up… Not surprising, given your father’s position. Either way, I am at your disposal.”

  “I will do my best to be brief. Mr Goldmann, on behalf of the church I am presently looking into Lord Welz’s untimely demise. If my information is correct, just before the tragedy he retrieved the only existing copy of his last will, the one that was kept in your office.”

  “That is unfortunately correct.”

  “Do you know the reason for his actions? Also, I understand that there is a level of trust between a solicitor and their client, but if you or any of your employees happen to remember the contents of the will, even in broad strokes, I need to hear it.

  “Finally, do you remember if Mr Brook accompanied Lord Welz on the day when the latter came to retrieve the documents?”

  Mr Goldmann fell silent, carefully considering his answer. The large brass clock on the wall opposite the bookshelf quietly ticked away the seconds, then a minute, then two more. Charlotte silently sat in front of him, her face not betraying her own thoughts or expectations on the matter, while Antony seemed to have turned into a salt pillar, being quite accustomed to such moments of boredom.

  “Can I hope that what I say will remain between us and not reach, say, Lord Blackwater’s ears?” Mr Goldmann uttered finally.

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  Charlotte looked at Antony, who stood up and politely bowed, “I understand your concerns. Even though I know how to be discreet, it might indeed be best for all involved if I am not part of this conversation.

  “I will wait for you downstairs,” he left the room, making sure to firmly close the door behind him.

  “My apologies,” Mr Goldmann lowered his head. “I trust the man just as much as Lord Blackwater trusts him, but…”

  “No need to apologise. Mr Levy is helping me to schedule appointments and find the right people, there’s nothing more to his involvement. Well, perhaps he also makes sure I don’t get lost in this city, seeing that it is my first visit.”

  “I am surprised you’re not using your connections within the church.”

  “I am using every channel at my disposal, be it official or not. Forgive me if I say no more on the matter.”

  “A phrase I am fully familiar with.”

  He stood up and walked over to the small window overseeing the street below. It was rather easy to discern that the man was deeply concerned by something.

  “To make the story short, Lord Welz visited me two weeks prior to his death, on 22 January. It was a very unusual visit. He came to the bureau completely unannounced and in such foul spirits that my partner, Ms Griebel, had to take the rest of the day off. He offended her in the worst ways imaginable as he was trying to get a meeting with me.”

  “I take it you were busy with something?”

  “Returning from a day in court. Thankfully I arrived just in time to somewhat save the situation. But only somewhat. He demanded to see the copy of his will that was being stored at our bureau. Which, of course, I happily provided to him, though I wondered why he wanted me to be the one to do that. Just to be clear, he refused to state the reason for his visit, only demanded to see me.

  “He read it in my office, and then said he was taking it with him. At that point I dared not ask him to explain himself. If I may be truthful with you, I just wanted the man to get out as quickly as possible. Besides, the will was his, and there are no laws that prohibit one to take it, even if it’s the only other copy.”

  “Have you ever seen him act like this before?”

  “Never. And to answer your other question, Mr Brook was definitely not with him on that day. He visited a few days later on a completely unrelated errand and was surprised to hear of his employer’s behaviour. Or that there was a visit to begin with.”

  “Did you tell Mr Brook that Lord Welz took the copy of the will with him?”

  “No. That did not concern him, and he never inquired why Lord Welz came to the office. I think the question never even occurred to him. He was genuinely concerned for my staff and apologised profusely. He did ask about the time of Lord Welz’s visit, and a few cursory questions regarding what he said, or how he reacted to a thing or two, but that was it, really.”

  How interesting, Charlotte made a mental note on that. So either Mr Brook knew about the purpose of the visit or, at least, thought he knew. He never mentioned this during their meeting, and avoided her question about there being any incidents. Was there more to this, and if there was, was it connected to the missing will?

  “Now, as for the contents of that document,” Mr Goldmann turned around to face her, “Obviously I do not remember the exact numbers or specific details. All in all, Lord Simon Welz was the main beneficiary, receiving most of the inheritance. His brother, Lord Marcus Welz, would have inherited a fairly large sum of money, while their sister, Lady Ariadne Welz, and the youngest brother, Lord Reginald Welz, would have received a less substantial, but still sizable amount.”

  “Were there any other beneficiaries?”

  “Members of the staff, as is tradition, Lord Welz’s partner in his company. No charity organisations, no hospitals, libraries, or any other organisations of note that I can remember. Not a single penny even to the university his children studied at, or the foundation for equal rights in education that his late wife used to donate to.”

  “There’s one specific item that interests me presently,” so Mr Brook really meant it when he said that Lord Welz wasn’t known for being a philanthropist. “Did the will mention the Northern Star?”

  “Ah, the famed necklace that was supposedly kept in the family for hundreds of years,” Mr Goldmann instantly nodded. “As a matter of fact, there was something about it. Specific instructions, and Lord Welz was very particular about them, checked twice that we wrote everything down correctly.

  “One, the necklace was not to be removed from the safe under any circumstances. A separate clause forbade the new owner of the house to pass it to Lady Ariadne Welz or allow any other woman to try it on, let alone wear it for a prolonged period of time.

  “Two, the safe was not to be opened during nighttime, and during the day, one had to exercise due caution not to let light shine on it. Lord Welz claimed that the pearls adorning the outer rim had become brittle, and prolonged exposure to light could damage them further. Not sure if this claim can be believed though.”

  “Pearls are capricious,” Charlotte carefully observed. “Though they are more prone to break if exposed to drastic changes in temperatures, and with age they might lose their luster if handled improperly.”

  “I’m certain you know way more about these things than I do, though it puzzles me why he wanted the safe to be kept shut during the night. Was he afraid that candlelight could cause harm?”

  “From his children I learned that he had created a number of bizarre and even senseless rules, and they were to follow them at all times while being in the house,” Charlotte shrugged her shoulders. “Perhaps this was merely a continuation.”

  “I see. Either way, he did not name the person who inherited the necklace. Only had us write down that set of instructions.”

  “Then it would be Lord Simon Welz, seeing that he inherited the manor?”

  “I would say so, yes.”

  “I am not very familiar with the local laws, Mr Goldmann. What will happen now that the will is missing?”

  “It’s missing?”

  “Didn’t Lord Simon Welz tell you?” It was her turn to be surprised. “He said that the will was taken together with the money and the necklace when the safe was emptied. Both the original and the copy from what I understood.”

  “Ah, so that was the reason for his inquiry. I should have known,” Mr Goldmann shook his head, dissatisfied with himself. “They have about two more months to locate it and prove its authenticity. Failing that, Lord Welz’s entire inheritance will be equally divided between his children. He was an only child, so there is no need to account for any other members of the family.”

  “Unless he had an illegitimate son or daughter, or a long-lost brother or sister emerges just as the final decision is being announced.”

  “That would complicate matters, but only if they can actually prove that they are related to the man. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  “On the day when Lord Welz visited you to retrieve his will, did anything else happen?”

  “Not that I can… No, actually, there was something,” Mr Goldmann finally returned to his seat, propped his elbows on the velvet surface of the desk and thoughtfully joined the tips of his fingers in front of him. “We are very particular about scheduling meetings with Lord Welz because he has had previous arguments with his son-in-law, Mr Blacksmith.”

  “I believe I heard something about it,” Charlotte nodded. “Lord Welz managed to somehow offend him a few years ago.”

  “I wouldn’t be so quick to judge who offended who,” Mr Goldmann pointed out. “I’m certain that had he still been alive, he would have told you that Mr Blacksmith had offended him with his unreasonable request.

  “Either way, Mr Blacksmith happened to have an appointment with us on that very same day, and he had the misfortune to meet Lord Welz. The latter was already leaving, while Mr Blacksmith was entering the premises. And seeing what state Lord Welz was in, he instantly lashed out at poor Mr Blacksmith.”

  “Do you remember the conversation?”

  “Apart from the plethora of swearwords flung at that poor man?” Mr Goldmann allowed himself to scoff ever so slightly. “He called him a worthless ungrateful fool incapable of following the simplest of instructions and said something along the lines of ‘now just wait and see, I won’t just leave it at that.’ I have no idea what he meant, and Mr Blacksmith obviously did not see it necessary to explain the exchange, but…”

  “Considering the events, it is somewhat unsettling,” Charlotte nodded. “Did Lord Welz schedule another appointment with you that was to take place sometime later in February, perhaps?”

  “No, he did not. I’ve not heard from him since that day, apart from that one visit from Mr Brook, obviously. You think he was planning to change his will?”

  “It’s one of my theories,” Charlotte stood up. “Thank you for your time.”

  “Always a pleasure, my lady.”

  ******

  “Are you alright?”

  “A bit of a headache,” Charlotte rubbed her temple. “Nothing a good cup of coffee can’t fix. How much did you manage to overhear?”

  They left Mr Goldmann’s office just as the clock on the Jefferson tower struck eleven, which meant they still had ample time to visit Butter Street before proceeding to their scheduled appointment with Mr Fincke.

  “I heard everything I needed to,” Antony adjusted his top hat as he narrowly avoided a collision with a burly hobgoblin rushing somewhere with a crate full of fish. “This is shaping out to be quite the family drama, I must say. Also, the more reason to talk to Mr Brook again.”

  “Let’s see what Mr Fincke has to say first,” Charlotte nodded in agreement. “Maybe he can shed some light on all of this.”

  “Or at least provide us with a couple of missing pieces. Also, while you were talking to Mr Goldmann, I had a nice chat with a few clerks downstairs and… perhaps had a look at a document or two I had no business looking at.”

  “Found something useful?”

  “Your assumption was correct. Lord Welz was having serious financial issues. His company is on the verge of bankruptcy.”