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As with her inheritance from Toby, the last thing she needed was another family dispute over property. Abigail watched the solicitor open his briefcase and get out an official-looking document. She took a deep breath and listened as he began reading the will. It turned out that Sidney had purchased the house from the council twenty years earlier, and with soaring prices in London, that decision would benefit his family enormously. The housein which he and his late wife had raised their two daughters, he’d left equally to them, and his savings he’d bequeathed in equal shares to his four grandchildren.
Abigail glanced at Letitia, feeling relieved for her that her youngest son had not been cut out of his grandfather’s will, despite what had happened.
Abigail breathed an audible sigh of relief when she realised he hadn’t left her any money. In fact, she was wondering if the family had made a mistake. There was nothing in the will for her. That would be just perfect.
‘Now the last thing is unusual, and I hope it doesn’t cause any … issues.’
Abigail’s sigh of relief caught in her throat. The solicitor was looking at her.
Abigail stared at the solicitor, thinking,oh, Sidney, what have you done?
‘The last item belonging to Sidney …’ The solicitor was interrupted by Ulysses trotting over and jumping up, his front paws on the solicitor’s knees.
‘Ulysses, down!’ Letitia shouted. She turned to her son. ‘I thought I told you to keep the kitchen door shut!’
‘Sorry, Mum. I heard the doorbell and forgot.’
Abigail threw Ulysses a sympathetic look as he slunk off, looking for a fuss. She was thinking,poor boy, he must miss Sidney terribly.
Seemingly aware he wouldn’t get any from a family member, he sidled over to Abigail and sat by her feet, sad eyes looking up at her. Abigail stole a glance at the family and smiled at him, thinking,how could you get cross with a face like that?
‘Now, talking of Ulysses,’ said the solicitor.
Abigail looked up.
‘Sidney has left his dog to Abigail Forrester.’
There was a collective,‘What?’
Abigail stared at the solicitor, and blurted, ‘You can’t be serious.’
Ulysses put a paw on Abigail’s knee as if he understood.
She looked down at him.
‘And Sidney left you a letter.’
She looked up sharply, catching the solicitor putting a plain white envelope down on the table. Abigail sighed.Not again.She was thinking of the letter Toby had left her with his will. She glanced at Ulysses. ‘What am I going to do with a dog?’ She could barely take care of herself just then.
‘Perhaps there are instructions in the letter?’
The solicitor looked around the room. ‘Well, that’s everything.’
One grandchild started to cry. ‘I don’t want the lady to take Ulysses.’
‘Look, this is a mistake.’ Abigail took Ulysses’ paw off her lap. ‘I really don’t want to take him away from the family.’
Stanley’s daughter stepped in. ‘To be honest, Abigail, I for one am relieved.’
There were murmurs of agreement from the adults in the room.
‘I knew we couldn’t just take him to Battersea Dogs Home, but we haven’t got time for a dog. We were wondering what we could do with him. I know it’s mean, but we were thinking of re-homing him. But we’d much rather he go to someone Sidney knew. Even better, that he named the person who he’d like Ulysses to go to.’
Abigail shook her head.
‘He must have had his reasons …’
Ulysses sat up again. His paw appeared again on her knee, big brown eyes staring up at her, melting her heart. Abigail sighed and reached down to stroke him. ‘Good boy.’
