‘Aw, that’s a lovely name.’

‘Tell me about your walk.’

Chapter Twenty-Five

Just before lunch on the day after the meeting with Stacy and Elise, Angus picked up the mail from the hall.

‘Oh, damn!’ It was another letter from the council. He tore it open and scanned the page quickly. They weren’t giving up on visiting Saffron Lane, then … as a precursor to a compulsory purchase, no doubt. Well, they’d only get hold of those houses over his dead body!

He rang the lawyer’s office and explained to the head clerk what had happened, then he scanned the letter from the council and emailed it to Russell Alexander.

Five minutes later, his phone rang. ‘Ah, Mr Denning. I have Mr Alexander on the line.’

There was a brief silence, then the lawyer came on. He didn’t waste time. ‘It’d be best for me to be there with you and also a structural engineer with no affiliation to the council.’

‘I had the place surveyed by one before I started work and have the report. I’m quite sure the houses are sound.’

‘Good. But get a different engineer along this time, then you’ll have two opinions and he’ll be there to counter their comments, if necessary. Never hurts. Fortunately, I can make the time they specified for the visit, so I’ve pencilled it in. Let my secretary know when you’ve confirmed it.’

Angus put the phone down and immediately rang Hedley Preece who had surveyed the Saffron Lane houses before, and explained what was going on. Hedley was angry at this waste of time and public money, as well as the slur on his abilities. ‘I’ll be taking a legal interest if they impugn my skills, believe me.’

He gave Angus the name of another structural engineer, and luckily this guy could make the appointment time as well. But Angus sighed as he put down his phone. The charges for both a lawyer and an engineer’s time would no doubt be steep. Money was pouring out of his bank account at the moment, and on things other than the ongoing renovations to the big house.

And he still hadn’t heard from the heritage people. Well, they would have to wait until he’d sorted this out, even if they did want something.

He went to find Nell and bring her up to date, then rang Hobkins to agree to the time.

‘Um … we’ll be bringing a structural engineer with us, Mr Denning.’

‘You’d better clear that with my lawyer first.’

‘We don’t need to clear it. We have the right to make sure your houses are safe.’

‘I see. Well, don’t bring Dorling with you. I’m not having him on the premises.’

‘He wasn’t coming anyway. This is council business.’

‘As if.’ He heard Hobkins sputter indignantly and cut the connection on him and his lies. Then he let the lawyer’s secretary know that there would definitely be a structural engineer there from the council.

When he discussed what was going on with Nell, she was even angrier than he was. ‘How do they get away with it?’