She took the letter into the parlour and put on her spectacles. Quite honestly she was surprised to receive it, since so few people corresponded with her. But after scanning the first few lines, she gave a gasp of surprise, removed her spectacles to polish them, then put them on again and studied the writing more carefully.
Dear Miss Summerby,the letter began.
I represent the legal firm of Lloyd and Freeman. I am writing to inform you that you have been named as a beneficiary in the will of Miss Jemima Honeywood, lately of Clematis Villa, near Brighton…
‘Oh, my goodness,’ Kate exclaimed. She carried the letter to the window where the light was better. ‘This must be a mistake!’ But it didn’t appear to be a mistake. It was indeed a letter from a lawyer, and in it he told her that she had inherited a house in Brighton, where long ago she had spent the happiest times of her life.
She read it again then folded it up and summoned the twins inside. They were so grubby that, despite their squeals of protest, she asked Harriet, the young housemaid, to give them a bath. Poor Harriet looked dismayed but said bravely, ‘I’ll do my best, Miss Kate.’
Then Kate sat down again with a strong cup of tea.
Jemima Honeywood was her mother’s sister, and when Kate was a girl, she had often gone with her mother to stay there. Monica went rarely because she preferred London, but Kate treasured her memories of those visits. They had ended ten years ago when her mother died and no letters came from heraunt, even though Kate wrote often to her. And yet Jemima couldn’t have forgotten her—the news from her solicitor made that all too clear!
Kate wandered out into her sister’s garden, still stunned by it all.I should have gone to Brighton to see her,she berated herself. But she’d had no money for the journey, and she hadn’t even known if her aunt wished to see her anymore…
‘Kate. Kate! Where are you?’
It was her sister, back from her tea party. Kate, still clutching the lawyer’s letter, went back into the parlour and within moments Monica joined her.
‘I have had such a busy afternoon!’ Monica exclaimed as she untied the ribbons of her expensive bonnet. ‘It really was quite exhausting. So many friends to catch up with…’ She looked around. ‘Where are the twins?’
‘Harriet is giving them a bath upstairs,’ said Kate.
‘Harriet!Then no doubt pandemonium will ensue. And what have you been doing all afternoon?’
Kate braced herself. ‘Actually, I’ve had a letter. Quite a surprising one.’
She handed it over, and moments later, Monica’s brow darkened. ‘This is impossible,’ she said. ‘Or some kind of joke.’
Kate met her glare steadily. ‘I don’t think so. The letter looks quite genuine to me, and I’ve heard of the firm of solicitors.’
‘But it’s ridiculously unfair! Why on earth should our aunt Jemima leave her house to you and nothing to me?’
‘Believe me, Monica, I’m just as surprised as you. Of course I shall visit Mr Freeman at his office as soon as possible and find out as much as I can. I’m sorry none of us were able to attend Aunt Jemima’s funeral. She was a lovely lady.’
‘I know you were fond of her long ago, but she was an oddity, Kate! Living by herself, in that funny old house on the hillside.You surely can’t want to follow her example. Besides, you’d be moving away from London, away from your family!’
At that moment Kate heard the sound of the twins arguing upstairs and poor Harriet’s desperate efforts to make peace. So she said absolutely nothing, and Monica, having rung the bell for some tea, was still protesting about the ludicrousness of the legacy when her husband arrived home from his office.
‘Edward,’ declared Monica, ‘Kate cannot possibly go to Brighton. Show him the letter, Kate! Aunt Jemima lived a most peculiar life and Kate must not follow her example. Kate, I hope you will realise the sense in what I’m saying? How could you, a single woman, live in that house alone?’
‘Aunt Jemima did.’
‘She was thirty years older than you! And anyway—’
Monica’s tirade was interrupted by a series of renewed shrieks from the twins upstairs, and moments later Harriet burst in with her dress and apron absolutely soaked. ‘Ma’am,’ she said to Monica, ‘ma’am, I’ve managed to get the children dressed. But while I was looking for fresh towels, they’ve been throwing the bath water everywhere.’
‘Then mop it up,’ scolded Monica. ‘Heavens, Harriet, have you no control over them?’
Poor Harriet looked utterly crestfallen. ‘I’m sorry, ma’am. But they really are a handful.’
Edward spoke up suddenly. ‘That’s it,’ he said. ‘Harriet, you’re dismissed. You always were incompetent anyway.’
Harriet looked terrified. ‘You—you mean I’ve lost my job, sir?’
‘Indeed I do. Pack your things, girl.’
‘But sir, I haven’t a reference…’
