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"The
established family solicitors of Cordless, Cordless & Fraser have existed
in the heart of Edinburgh's old city for over 200 years. In the Summer of 1980,
the young Clerk who looks after the basement archives of the firm, informs the
Senior partner; Sir David Fraser, that it’s time to deliver the old document
pouch to the address marked upon it - except the pouch was lodged with the
Solicitors way back in 1780; to be delivered on its Bicentennial year! Mr.
Tibbs is now on the case."
“All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical figures, are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are entirely fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the entirely fictional nature of the work. In all other respects, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
[1] The original Title for this episode was: ‘LATE DELIVERY.’
[2]
This episode is one of the author’s favourites!
[3]
A ‘Jericho Tibbs’ original story.
[4] "CORDLESS, CORDLESS & FRASER (SOLICITORS.)” This episode, was conceived and written by the author. Copyright © 2011-2025 Stephen Williams. No reproduction of any part without written permission. The episode's illustration is an original drawing created by the author. It is copyright ©2011 - 2025 Stephen Williams. No reproduction of any part without written permission.
"ALEXANDRA INVESTIGATES CORDLESS, CORDLESS & FRASER (SOLICITORS.)"
[6] For the background information regarding Scotland in the 1780's, please see the 'WIKIPEDIA' entry for 'Highland Clearances' HERE.
Episode details:
Concept date: 12th January 2019
First published: 19th June 2019
Status: COMPLETED & PUBLISHED.
Location: BOOK SERIES 1 – EPISODE 8.
Revisions: 5 [last revised January 2021]
Version:
Final.
Published
Episode No. 08
Previous
episode: “Hobbs Abby and the Devil’s
graveyard.”
Next
episode: “Pharaoh Amenhotep V and the
mirror of time.”
Age
recommendation: 15+
Average
reading time: Approximately 75 Minutes.
Angel-in-charge: Margret
Team Assigned: Team 74
Mission: 6 - 479134 - 1 – 1780
Episode Preview:
1. "EDINBURGH CITY." (LATE SEPTEMBER 1780)
The pair threaded through the busy traffic of people, horses and carriages looking for a specific street and set of offices. The taller one pointed down an alley and nodded. 'Cable Street' was their destination and they slowly passed down the narrow thoroughfare until stopping before a little wooden sign, hanging above a dark entrance, which declared: 'John Cordless - Solicitor'.
They exchanged smiles and dismounted, shaking snow from their long coats and the taller of the two old men, pulled a canvas sack from his saddle bag and patted it like a puppy dog. "John Cordless is young, hungry for business and won't ask too many questions." He grinned broadly, showing only a couple of remaining yellow teeth - most had been knocked out by an English musket; smashed into his face at the battle of Falkirk Muir. But Willy McKenzie knew that the injury he received, had actually saved his life; because he missed the slaughter at Culloden Moor.
Whereas, old Danny Brown had fought on that dreadful Moor and lost an eye in the process - he escaped being shot by English soldiers, as he lay upon the battlefield, with nearly two thousand other dead and wounded Highlanders.
A woman camp follower called Edith Ross braved the bullets and bayonets of the English to drag him and her younger brother from that bloody field. Later that year he married the woman and had seven children by her - her young brother sadly died of his wounds, just days after the battle - he was sixteen.
The two battered old warriors stared at the sign hanging above their heads and nodded in agreement - they headed up the stairs to the office of young John Cordless, who greeted them with some enthusiasm, especially after they slapped the bag of Spanish Doubloon coins upon his desk - they would be worth thousands upon thousands of pounds today.
So impressed with his 'clients' was John Cordless, that he actually produced a bottle of whisky to seal the deal. With his eyes hardly leaving the sack of gold coins, they discussed what was required: Now that did make John sit a up and take notice.
John Cordless sat sipping his whisky; watching the two old men throwing glass after glass of his precious whisky down their throats. Willy McKenzie leaned across Johns polished [and quite empty] desk and pulled a large, leather document pouch from the canvas bag slung about his shoulders.
"You understand that no-one must open the pouch whilst it's in your care. That you'll care for it until it's delivered by hand to the addressee, which has been sewn onto the bag and it must be delivered on or after the day shown. This transaction between us and your company must remain totally confidential - we are paying you a good deal of money to EXACTLY carry out our instructions. Do you understand lad?"
John Cordless quietly accepted the bag which had little weight and nodded his agreement; he would draw up a contract, so that all the pair stipulated would be done under law. He stared at the address and coughed a little; "Wasn't Lord …."
Willy McKenzie stopped him in mid sentence and smiled; "Aye, we know the good Laird [Lord] was hung by the English at Fort William, but this fellow will." Willy corrected himself and continued; "is a relative who will inherit his title."
John finished his whisky and scribbled more into his note book and looked up to see Danny Brown refilling the glasses. "Well, I have everything I need except the date you wish the commission enacted." He lifted his glass in salute and again watched the two men empty the glasses in one swallow.
Willy grinned; "By enacted, you mean delivered?" Both old men exchanged a glance and John nodded; yes. He picked up his quill and waited to write in his notebook.
Danny wiped his mouth and nodded to the document pouch; "Your firm will deliver the pouch on 30th September nineteen hundred and eighty."
John started to write, but stopped suddenly; "Sorry Mr. Brown, but just for a second there, I thought you said nineteen hundred and eighty?"
Both men grinned and Willy McKenzie spoke softly; "Aye, you heard right lad, that's why your company has been given a big bag of Spanish gold; to pay for it's rest in your hands until the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty."
Everyone sat in silence for some seconds until John Cordless, staring at the bag of gold coins [yet again!] spoke; "All what you wish will be done as you specify gentlemen." The three men shook hands upon the deal and John told them to return in three days and sign the contract, which he would draw up himself.
John stood at his small window and in the gathering gloom of snow and nightfall, watched the strange pair depart upon their plodding horses. They would stay at the 'Crown Hotel' until the contract was ready to be signed.
John Cordless poured himself another - large - whisky and started to laugh.
With such an amount of money, he could now marry young Mary and set up a fine and proper household for her. He would also spend some on the offices and employ more clerks; John Cordless Solicitors would be a law firm of note in Edinburgh, in Scotland and quite possibly, the British Empire. All because two crazy old men wanted a pouch delivered in the hereafter!
He walked back to his desk and picked up the pouch; "Well gentlemen, thank you for your trust and whilst a Cordless runs this company, your wishes will be adhered too." He chuckled to himself and placed the pouch into the small safe, which was hidden inside a large and imposing set of drawers. Sipping his whisky, John picked up his notebook and read again, the date specified by the pair; Nineteen hundred and eighty. That was exactly two hundred years hence - two hundred years!
He sat thinking about the bags contents; how relevant could anything written [he assumed it contains papers because of the weight - or rather lack of it] in the year seventeen hundred and eighty would be two hundred years later?
Still, he pushed the little mound of gold coins about his desk, feeling each in his hands and fingers, grinning broadly. He lifted his glass and said quietly; "Well Mister Brown and McKenzie, none of us will surely be around when the bloody thing is delivered!" Laughing, he gathered up the coins and secured them in a leather bag, which he placed in his frock coat. Jauntily, he slapped his hat on and wound a scarf around his neck against the chill of the night. John Cordless walked home a happy man that night - and now a rich one!
This complete episode is Copyright © 2011-2025 Stephen Williams. No reproduction of any part without permission.