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The man clears his throat, studies the papers before him—more to avoid our eyes, I’m sure.
‘If one of you leaves before the year is up, the estate goes to the other party.’
‘And if we both leave?’ Edward presses.
‘Well, then it becomes a bit more complicated. Katherine has outlined a careful segregation of the estate, detailing specific areas that are to be donated to local businesses and charities. The—’
‘Glenrobin will be segregated?’ Edward chokes out the last word with the same shock I feel. Was I wrong about Katherine? Had she been mentally unsound? Had I missed it? Paid too little attention?
The guilt rises as Edward continues, ‘But that castle, that entire estate, has been in my family for generations.’
‘And of course Katherine would like it to remain that way.’
McAllister actually smiles now as he stacks the papers neatly—is the man delirious?
‘So, as you can see, it is in your interests to adhere to the terms set out in the will.’
‘And what happens after a year?’ I ask. ‘What then?’
‘After you have lived there for one year you can do whatever you wish with your share. Sell it to the other party, donate it, keep it—so long as you both agree.’
‘This is ridiculous.’
‘That’s the first sensible thing that’s been said all morning...’ Edward mutters, and I flick him a look—not helping!—before going back to McAllister and the problem at hand.
‘So, just to be clear, Edward’s mother inherits a cash sum and the house in London. The rest—the estate, the staff, the heirlooms of Glenrobin—she’s bequeathed to us?’
‘Along with a sum of money to supplement the income the estate generates to aid with its running costs. The sum should be enough to last for many years to come.’
I nod, numbly. ‘A fifty-fifty split between Edward and me?’
‘Precisely.’
Edward clears his throat, his eyes pinning the other man down. ‘And what if she decides to sell it to the highest bidder when the year is over?’
My stomach rolls at the very idea. Rolls even more at his obvious belief that I would do such a thing.
Does he not realise I’m on his side? I know I don’t deserve this inheritance. I don’t even deserve to be sat in the same room as him, hearing Katherine’s last wishes. For all my love for her, I wasn’t her blood. I wasn’t her true family. No matter how much she tried to make me so.
‘I asked you a question, Charles.’
But McAllister is watching me. Worrying about me. I can see it in his sympathetic grey eyes. Something else I don’t deserve—the man’s sympathy.
Unease creeps down my spine...goosebumps break out across my skin.
‘Charles!’
The man comes alive, his eyes flicking to Edward, admonishing him. ‘In that case you can refuse, as would be your right. Any sale of the assets must be agreed between the two of you.’
Edward nods. ‘And the money that comes with the estate? How exactly does that work?’
McAllister stares at Edward long and hard. ‘I’m sure you will find a way to make it work, Mr Fitzroy. Katherine asked me to be involved as much or as little as you need. That includes tracking expenditure if it will help you to focus on setting up home amicably. But Katherine did hope that, given time, you would be quite capable of managing it all between yourselves.’
‘“Setting up home”?’ Edward’s upper lip curls, and his voice is devoid of any depth as the phrase revolves around my mind, races through my heart.
I don’t have a home. Never have, never will. Glenrobin Castle was the closest I ever got. Eighteen months I stayed. Grew attached. To the grounds, to the people, to Katherine...to Edward.
And then it started to suffocate me. The panic. The When will it end?
