#17 wall flower
#3 illegitimate
#25 heiress
#17 sisters
#47 lawyer
#1 dowry
"It couldn't be me," says Tess. "Frankly I agree. There's no way you could have been his daughter. Too stiff. Too innocent to be his offspring," mocks Lyons.
Lyons Ducane, a...
And Lyons Ducane is a respectable prosecutor now. The people love him. He gives justice to poor folks. Sometimes he even did it for free.
Defender of the poor.
The newspapers gave him the nickname.
Lyons is studying to be a judge. Donnelly complaints that the next promotion might be snatched by him. Lyons Ducane, his subordinate.
They are like rivals until the end. Now they compete who sent most criminals behind bars.
Tess is happily married to Lyons Ducane. Her father said he always knew they would be together. Lyons' pranks were his ways to make her notices him. To attract her attentions.
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Tess smiles.
Lyons treats their child with great care. Seeing them sleeping together like this. She knows she has chosen the right man for the rest of her life. The man she loves. And their baby girl, Violet Ducane.
She gave birth to her more than two months ago.
A knock on the door.
A solicitor from Lyons' old law firm has suddenly visited them. Tess has gone to brew some tea for them.
Lyons rubs his eyes. He hasn't get much sleep since the baby was born. But he loves his daughter, Violet very dearly. When Tess' tired, he would rock the baby until she's fallen asleep in his arms.
The solicitor looks tense. He asks, "Is it true you two have a baby?"
Lyons greets, "Long time no see, Donald. Oh, wait! We did meet last week. When I won the case against you."
Donald smirks and he says, "Boss couldn't find a silver tongue like yours, Lyons. Losing you is a big loss to our law firm."
"What? He regretted kicking me out?" mocks Lyons.
"You know we couldn't accept you back. After you humiliated Sir Dunwoody publicly," says Donald while pulling his collar nervously.
Lyons drinks his cup of tea. Donald does the same.
Tess carries her baby. Rocking her to sleep when she's nagging in her arms.
Donald praises, "Cute baby. We always thought you would be bachelor to the end. Married to money."
"Well, she showed up and tempted me," teases him.
Tess stares him with a warning in her eyes. Lyons only smiles widely.
Donald says, "Congratulations. You two just earn 3,000 pounds."
Lyons burps out his tea. Straight to Donald's face. His ex-co-worker stares him angrily.
"Sorry... You shocked me. What money?" apologizes him.
Donald wipes his wet face with his handkerchief.
And he explains, "Our late client, the Duke Worthington knew about your past relationships with his daughter, Theresa Matthews. So he made a hidden clause in his will."
Lyons protests, "There's no hidden clause. I've read the will with a magnifying glass. Words by words."
"Oh, it's written in invisible ink. He's a cunning man after all. He feared you would marry her for her big dowry. Knowing you, we all feared the same. So, when you threw away 1,000 pounds to marry her. It shocked Boss. Almost gave him a heart attack."
Lyons is still silent.
Tess looks at him worriedly.
Finally Lyons says, "Let me make it clear. I never married her for money. No, Tess. I never knew about it."
Tess nods.
Lyons has changed a lot these past years. Money isn't number one in his list anymore.
It's family.
He has been contacting his parents in countryside. Inviting them to London in springtime. Even when the old Baron (his grandpa) kicked him out of his will for a reunion with his parents. He never flinched. Not even once.
Donald says, "The hidden clause stated the money shall be granted if you loved her with all your heart. And after a baby was born."
Lyons stares her and she smiles to him.
"Congrats, Ducane. 3,000 pounds is a lot of money. Meet Mr. Jack Smith, the banker to cash in this cheque," says Donald while giving him the cheque.
Lyons is still stunned. Unable to process what just happened.
"Good luck, Mr. Prosecutor. And I will win our next case."
Donald has left their small cramped room.
Tess sits next to him and kisses his cheek.
She asks, "Are you afraid this is just a good dream? Let me help you..."
"Ouch! Tess! It isn't a dream!"
His wife just pinched his cheek very hard.
Tess asks, "What are you going to do with it?"
"Buy this house from my landlady. I like this elegant looking house. It's in good neighborhood too. Close to courthouse."
"Lyons, you can't kick an old lady out of her own house!" scolds her.
"Of course not! She could stay in her room for free. And be Violet's guardian, her third grandmother."
Tess smiles widely. She says, "I always like her. She always let me in to see you. Even when you didn't want me."
"I was a fool. Thinking money is everything. Now I got you two. I don't need anything else."
Violet has fallen asleep. Tess puts her into her baby box.
And she says, "I'm a bit hungry right now."
"What do you want to eat? I will get it for you," asks Lyons.
"You. Let me eat you, Ducane," teases her while pushing him down to the bed behind him.
Lyons falls down like a log.
He asks worriedly, "Are you sure? You just gave birth..."
"It has been more than two months, you worrywart. And I really miss you. A lot!"
Lyons smiles and holds her hand. Pulling her down to the bed too.
He whispers, "I miss you too, Tess. Don't moan too loud and wake Violet..."
