“What criteria?”

“That depends,” he said again. “Did the man’s wife know it was a false name at the time they wed?”

“She did not.”

“And did the vicar? Or any of the witnesses?”

“No, indeed.”

“Then yes, the marriage would be legal.”

Julia’s brows knit. It was too convenient. Almost too good to be true. She didn’t dare trust it. “How can it be? Surely, it’s fraud or some other crime?”

“On the husband’s part? Probably. But the husband’s crime does nothing to invalidate the marriage. When you wed, you marry a person, not a name.”

A person, not a name.

She wanted desperately to believe it. “You’re certain of this?”

“I am,” he said. “Providing the license and all the other preliminaries were in order, the woman would be the man’s wife.”

Her hands tightened in her lap. “And any children arising from their marriage?”

“They would be legitimate.”

Relief coursed through her. But her conscience wasn’t satisfied. Not yet. “What if . . . What if the name the husband used wasn’t only false? What if it belonged to another?”

“Many people share the same name, Mrs. Blunt,” Mr. Finchley said gently. “A name isn’t unique.”

“Yes, but . . . what if, in taking the name, he’d also taken the other man’s property?”

“And deprived the man of it?”

“No. That is . . . the man whose name he took is dead.”

“So, he’s deprived the man’s heirs?”

“Quite the opposite.” Julia thought of Charlie, Alfred, and Daisy. Of what might have happened to them if James Marshland hadn’t assumed the identity of Jasper Blunt. “In taking the man’s name, he’s made right a great wrong. Even so, if something is against the law—”

“The law is a strange beast,” Mr. Finchley said. “We must respect it and abide by it. Our society couldn’t function if we didn’t. But laws aren’t synonymous with justice.”

“You believe there’s a distinction?”

“I know there is.” His expression was solemn. “Laws are made by men and, therefore, fallible. Justice is something greater. Most of us—the poorest and the weakest—won’t see it on this side of the grave. But sometimes, on rare occasions, someone manages to balance the scales. It can be difficult to reconcile it with the law. That doesn’t negate the rightness of it.”

She frowned. “You don’t oppose it, then? Someone taking matters into their own hands?”

“In the scenario you’ve proposed? I can see no harm in it. That doesn’t mean there aren’t circumstances that would alter my opinion.” He smiled. “For that, however, I’d have to know the whole of the facts.”

Julia had no intention of sharing the facts with anyone. She was too protective of Jasper and the children to risk exposing them.

She stood. “You’ve been very helpful, sir.”

Mr. Finchley rose from his chair. “I trust I’ve managed to set your mind at ease.”

“You have.” She fumbled with her reticule. “Please allow me to—”

He stayed her hand. “That won’t be necessary. I don’t charge for consultations. Certainly not hypothetical ones.”