# The Talleyrand Maxim — Chapters explained

> Chapter companions for The Talleyrand Maxim by J. S. Fletcher.

- [I: Death Brings Opportunity](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/i-death-brings-opportunity.md): Linford Pratt, a senior clerk at Eldrick & Pascoe, is alone in the office when old Antony Bartle arrives with a startling discovery: he has found the last will and testament of John Mallathorpe, who died intestate two ye
- [II: In Trust](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/ii-in-trust.md): Linford Pratt discovers John Mallathorpe's will, which leaves the bulk of the estate to the Mayor and Corporation of Barford for education, and only small sums to the family. He hides the will and decides to use it for h
- [III: The Shop-Boy](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/iii-the-shop-boy.md): Pratt meets Bartle Collingwood at Eldrick & Pascoe's office and recounts the circumstances of Antony Bartle's sudden death. Collingwood then visits his grandfather's shop in Quagg Alley, where he speaks with the housekee
- [IV: The Fortunate Possessors](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/iv-the-fortunate-possessors.md): Collingwood visits Normandale Grange to inquire about his grandfather's last letter to Mrs. Mallathorpe. He meets Nesta and Harper Mallathorpe, observing their contrasting attitudes toward inherited wealth. Mrs. Mallatho
- [V: Point-Blank](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/v-point-blank.md): Pratt visits Mrs. Mallathorpe at Normandale Grange, revealing that he has discovered John Mallathorpe's will, which would dispossess her family of their wealth. He proposes a scheme to suppress the will in exchange for b
- [VI: The Unexpected](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/vi-the-unexpected.md): Pratt is confronted by James Parrawhite, a disreputable clerk who witnessed him steal John Mallathorpe's will and the death of Antony Bartle. Parrawhite blackmails Pratt, demanding a share of the profits from the will. A
- [VII: The Supreme Inducement](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/vii-the-supreme-inducement.md): Pratt, having killed Parrawhite, frames him for theft from Eldrick & Pascoe by stealing money and cheques from Eldrick's unlocked drawer. He then visits Parrawhite's lodgings to cover his tracks, paying off the landlady.
- [Terms](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/viii-terms.md): Mrs. Mallathorpe, realizing the seriousness of Pratt's discovery of John Mallathorpe's will, attempts to buy the document from him for cash. Pratt refuses all monetary offers, insisting instead on being appointed steward
- [Until Next Spring](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/ix-until-next-spring.md): After Antony Bartle's funeral, his grandson Bartle Collingwood settles the estate, sells the bookshop, and becomes richer by £25,000. Eldrick advises him to leave London and practice law in Barford, suggesting he might a
- [X: The Footbridge](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/x-the-footbridge.md): Collingwood, preparing to leave for India, reads of Harper Mallathorpe's fatal accident on a rotten footbridge at Normandale Grange. He rushes back to Barford to offer support, meets with Eldrick, and visits Nesta. At th
- [XI: The Prevalent Atmosphere](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xi-the-prevalent-atmosphere.md): Collingwood attends the inquest into Harper Mallathorpe's death, which is brief and formal, returning a verdict of accidental death. He senses an underlying mystery, heightened by village gossip suggesting the footbridge
- [XII: The Power of Attorney](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xii-the-power-of-attorney.md): Collingwood decides to stay in Barford instead of going to India, motivated by his feelings for Nesta and his suspicion of Pratt. He settles into local life and work, while Pratt continues to insinuate himself into the M
- [XIII: The First Trick](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xiii-the-first-trick.md): Pratt reveals to Eldrick that he has obtained a general power of attorney from Mrs. Mallathorpe, giving him control over her personal affairs. Eldrick, Robson, and Collingwood discuss the implications, and Pratt defends 
- [XIV: Cards on the Table](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xiv-cards-on-the-table.md): Nesta Mallathorpe confronts Linford Pratt in his office, accusing him of blackmailing her mother. Pratt remains calm and evasive, hinting at a secret that could ruin Mrs. Mallathorpe. He recounts events leading up to Har
- [Pratt Offers a Hand](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xv-pratt-offers-a-hand.md): Nesta Mallathorpe confronts Linford Pratt at his office, where he reveals a letter from her mother, Mrs. Richard Mallathorpe, that he claims proves she plotted to kill him by luring him to a sabotaged footbridge. Pratt s
- [XVI: A Headquarters Conference](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xvi-a-headquarters-conference.md): Eldrick and Collingwood hold a strategy meeting after Nesta Mallathorpe reveals Pratt's blackmail and accusations against her mother. They decide to keep their investigation secret, let Pratt believe he is safe, and work
- [XVII: Advertisement](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xvii-advertisement.md): Eldrick and Collingwood discuss Pratt's possible theft of a document from Antony Bartle. Eldrick decides to search parish registers and places an advertisement offering a reward for information about James Parrawhite. He
- [XVIII: The Confiding Landlord](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xviii-the-confiding-landlord.md): George Pickard, landlord of the Green Man at Whitcliffe, visits Eldrick and Byner to share information about James Parrawhite. Pickard reveals that Parrawhite owed him money and claimed he would get it from Pratt, whom h
- [XIX: The Eyewitness](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xix-the-eyewitness.md): Collingwood discovers that his landlord, Cobcroft, witnessed the catastrophic chimney collapse at Mallathorpe's Mill that killed John Mallathorpe, his manager, and his cashier. Through conversation, Cobcroft reveals he s
- [XX: The Green Man](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xx-the-green-man.md): Byner places advertisements in Barford newspapers to pressure Pratt, then visits the Green Man to investigate Parrawhite's disappearance. Pickard shares a quarry worker's account of seeing Parrawhite and Pratt together o
- [The Direct Charge](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xxi-the-direct-charge.md): Byner presents a detailed accusation against Linford Pratt, alleging he murdered James Parrawhite and stole John Mallathorpe's will. Meanwhile, Collingwood visits Nesta Mallathorpe at Normandale Grange, sharing Cobcroft'
- [XXII: The Cat's Paw](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xxii-the-cat-spaw.md): Pratt reflects on his confrontation with Nesta Mallathorpe, feeling confident in his power over her and her mother. However, his complacency is shattered when he discovers advertisements in the Barford newspapers seeking
- [Smooth Face and Anxious Brain](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xxiii-smooth-face-and-anxious-brain.md): Eldrick and Byner investigate Parrawhite's disappearance, with Eldrick visiting Murgatroyd and then Pratt to gauge reactions. Byner decides to involve local detective Prydale, suspecting Pratt's involvement.
- [XXIV: The Better Half](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xxiv-the-better-half.md): Pratt's scheme with Murgatroyd begins to unravel as detectives Prydale and Byner interrogate the watchmaker about Parrawhite's alleged passage to America. Murgatroyd, coached by Pratt, gives false answers but is terrifie
- [XXV: Dry Sherry](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xxv-dry-sherry.md): Pratt, aware that his schemes are collapsing, prepares for flight. He retrieves incriminating documents and money from his office, sends a coded telegram to Esther Mawson, and cycles to Normandale Grange. There, Esther m
- [XXVI: The Telephone Message](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xxvi-the-telephone-message.md): Pratt remains unaware of Byner and Prydale's discovery of Parrawhite's body in the Whitcliffe quarry shaft. Byner and Prydale arrange with retired quarry-owner Shepherd to retrieve the body the next morning. The body is 
- [Restored to Energy](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xxvii-restored-to-energy.md): Esther Mawson drugs Linford Pratt, steals the will and other documents from him, then blackmails Mrs. Mallathorpe into giving her money and jewelry in exchange for the papers. After Mrs. Mallathorpe burns the documents, 
- [The Woman in Black](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_talleyrand_maxim_se/chapters/xxviii-the-woman-in-black.md): Nesta, Collingwood, and Eldrick rush back to Normandale Grange after learning that Pratt is there and wanted for murder. Upon arrival, they discover that Mrs. Mallathorpe has burned the original will, but a duplicate is 

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