Page 57 of A Sense of Turmoil
‘Nothing of value, I’m sure. I don’t think she had much to leave. But whatever it is, I shall treasure it.’
She sensed Remus floating around her as she joined the rest of the family in Luke’s library. Mary smiled and indicated a spare chair beside her. Romulus got up and trotted across to her in search of a good ear-scratching. Flora duly obliged, sensing Remus’s sharp intake of breath as she did so and concealing a smile.
Mr Elliot, the family’s solicitor whom Flora had seen once before when he called upon the countess, was a tall thin man. He sat across from the assembly of family and friends and gave them all a benevolent smile.
‘A sad occasion, ladies and gentlemen, but I have my client’s strictest orders to warn you that she will come back and haunt any one of you who dares to mope over her demise.’ That forthright instruction was so typical of the countess that it made everyone smile. ‘She reminds you that she was perfectly capable of making your lives difficult when she was alive if she felt so inclined, and has no intention of reforming her character now that she is dead.’
‘I for one don’t doubt that in the least,’ Charlie said.
‘She left a small legacy for Miss Sandwell,’ Mr Elliot said, adjusting his spectacles and peering myopically down at the document spread on the table in front of him. He named a figure that Flora thought far from small that reduced Sandwell to tears. ‘And there are a few charitable donations to local causes she approved of.’
Flora wasn’t surprised when none of them had anything to do with the church. She expected that she would be mentioned next, given that Mr Elliot was dealing with the non-family bequests first, but instead he moved onto the family members.
‘Her ladyship had her own fortune, as you know,’ he said, addressing the comment to Luke, who inclined his head. ‘She has asked me to divide the residue between her six grandchildren.’ He paused and gazed at Flora over the top of his spectacles. ‘With another equal share for Miss Flora Latimer.’
‘What!’ Flora felt shaken. ‘That cannot possibly be right. I had no expectation…’
She assumed that the family would be annoyed to have their portions reduced; especially when she was told the amount involved, which made her blink very hard and wonder if Mr Elliot had got his figures right. Far from being resentful, they all nodded and smiled at her. Even Luke. Especially Luke. His gaze seemed to linger on her for longer than the others and she would have given a great deal to know what thoughts were passing through his head at that moment.
‘She left letters for you all,’ Mr Elliot added, ‘and a request that Miss Latimer take responsibility for her cat, Zeus.’
‘Of course,’ Flora said, struggling to get the words past the lump in her throat. ‘He has already adopted me anyway.’
‘Her ladyship has given specific instructions about the disposal of her jewels between her granddaughters and the wives of her grandsons. I have a list here. She also left her string of pearls to you, Miss Latimer.’
It was too much. Those pearls were exquisite. The countess wore then often, and Flora had frequently admired their lustre. She broke down in tears, oblivious to the fact that she was surrounded by people, and felt Mary’s hand rubbing her shoulders, comforting her.
‘Well,’ Archie said to her later that evening when the family sat down to dinner. ‘You are now a lady of independent means, Flora. What do you intend to do with yourself?’
‘She doesn’t have to do anything yet,’ Luke replied acerbically. ‘She is welcome to remain here for as long as she would like.’
Flora smiled and thanked him, but knew she wouldn’t do that. Later, when she was alone and could find the courage, she would open the countess’s letter and absorb its contents. No doubt it would be full of both sound advice and half-baked suggestions. Flora managed a wan smile at the prospect. Yes, she would read it tonight, and then tomorrow she would start looking for somewhere else to live.
Chapter Sixteen
‘I have singled out half a dozen possibilities for you,’ Paul told Flora when she asked him if he had found any suitable properties for her inspection. ‘I could widen the net if you like, now that you are wealthier than you expected to be.’
‘Thank you, Paul, but my needs are modest. I shall look at the ones you have found for me first. I am sure they will be more than adequate.’
‘I’ll arrange it for tomorrow, then. It will take you all day. I’ll have one of Luke’s grooms drive you in the curricle.’
‘That’s very kind of you.’
‘Most of them are within ten miles of here. Fox Hollow in Lyneham is the only exception. It’s more than twenty miles away, further than you wanted to be, but it sounds ideal. I’m sure it will be worth taking a little more time to look at it.’
‘Thank you for going to so much trouble.’
‘Think nothing of it. Happy to oblige.’ He smiled at her, a mild-mannered man who had made sacrifices, kept secrets and become his best friend’s gatekeeper. But he would tell anyone who asked that the sacrifices in question, devastating at the time, had ultimately proved worthwhile in bringing him into contact with Mary. Flora envied them their felicity. ‘I hope you find what you are looking for.’
‘So do I,’ she returned his smile. ‘Just as soon as I find out what it is.’
‘Mary will come with you if you…’
‘No, it’s fine. Thank you, Paul, but I won’t have her traipsing all over the place in her condition. Besides, this is a decision that I need to make alone.’
‘Of course.’
Flora turned towards the stairs, automatically thinking that it was time to check on the countess. She experienced a painful jolt when she recalled that she would never do so again. With time on her hands, she thought of riding, but there was rain in the air, so she dismissed the possibility. A walk was out of the question for the same reason.
