Behind them, one of the movers dropped a metal crate onto the driveway.

The clatter made Charles jump.

“Tell them to stop loading that truck,” Arthur said.

“I will do no such thing,” Victoria replied.

“Then you are actively committing a conversion of estate assets,” Arthur said.

He unzipped the leather folio.

The rain began to fall harder, large drops dimpling the surface of the paper inside.

Charles took a step back, looking toward the house.

“Victoria, maybe we should just call the lawyer,” Charles muttered.

“We don’t need to call anyone,” Victoria said, her grip tightening on her umbrella.

She stared at Arthur with a fierce intensity.

“They have nothing, Charles,” she said. “They are bluffing.”

“I don’t bluff, Victoria,” Arthur said.

He pulled a folded white paper from the folio.

It was stamped with a red wax seal at the bottom.

“What is that?” Charles asked, his voice rising a register.

“This is an emergency petition,” Arthur said.

He did not hand it through the gate yet.

“You have no standing to file an emergency petition,” Victoria said, though her voice lost some of its edge.