Betrayal of Innocence (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 1)

“She wouldn’t surrender the life she has always wanted without a fight. She wouldn’t give up,” Graham murmured, this time with less bluster. “It is safe to say she isn’t living there now.”

“Maybe she has gone to stay with friends for a while but didn’t get the time to tell you?” Justin offered helpfully.

Graham was already shaking his head. “Geraldine has never shown any interest in travelling,” he replied. “There is no reason to believe she would do so now. She had made it clear to us both that she was unhappy, and there were difficulties between her and that husband of hers. Of course, we never trusted him one bit – never served in the army, you see? Not even when we were at war with the frenchies.”

“Was he old enough?” Justin asked.

“Aye, he was old enough, he was just too weak to fight,” Graham snorted.

“He is a farmer.”

“A farmer’s son, aye, but he still didn’t fight,” Graham retorted.

“He must be strong, though.”

“Physically, yes. Mentally? Not a chance. Being physically strong

still doesn’t qualify him to take over a farm of his own, though, does it? No, I think Bennion heard that Geraldine was going to purchase a property of her own and decided to swindle her. That’s what he has done. He decided to try to take it as his own. His father made it clear he wanted him out of the house. What man at six and twenty still lives with his mother? All Curtis knows is farming. It stands to reason that he would see Geraldine as the answer to his prayers. Of course, once they were married he thought everything that was hers would be his and he could do what he liked with it.”

“That isn’t the case,” Justin stated. It wasn’t a question. He paused when a crafty look appeared on Graham’s face. “What?” His gaze flew to Vanessa, but he found it difficult to read the impassivity on her face.

“I warned Geraldine she would be a fool to purchase a farm herself,” Graham admitted.

“Oh? She hasn’t bought it?” Justin frowned.

“She did,” Vanessa sighed only to pause herself when her father shook her head.

“She put the money up for it, but the property is officially owned by me. She met with a few raised eyebrows when she went to the solicitor and told him she wanted to purchase the farm, I can tell you. She came back a little worried, so I told her to put it in my name. As far as everyone was concerned, that farm is hers. Geraldine even told Curtis she owned it. There was no reason for him to know the truth,” Graham explained.

“But why? I mean, why did Geraldine not trust her husband, even at the beginning of their marriage?” Vanessa cried.

“I didn’t trust Curtis,” Graham replied. “I told her to protect herself because Curtis was relatively unknown to us, and that farm is worth an absolute fortune. Her inheritance – the farm and her money - is looked after by me as head of the family. It has nothing to do with Curtis Bennion, even though he is her husband. There is a clause in her grandmother’s will that means the money can never be touched by her husband should she ever marry.”

“Is there much left? Money, I mean?” Justin asked.

“Enough to see her through to the end of her days,” Graham replied, naming an amount that made Justin look at him in surprise.

“Geraldine took my advice because of the reaction she had received at the solicitor’s office. She wasn’t married then, but so desperately wanted the farm that she was willing to do anything she could to get it.”

“So, she got you to help her purchase the farm, then she married Curtis,” Justin murmured thoughtfully.

“She only receives ownership of it when I die. Of course, we had hoped she would be a happily married woman by then, and it wouldn’t be a problem. We never anticipated something like this happening to her.”

“So, Curtis cannot take over ownership of the place, even though he is her husband?” Justin repeated.

Graham nodded.

“Why have you allowed him to stay at the farm then?” Justin asked.

“Because I don’t know if Geraldine is coming back,” Graham replied honestly. “If she doesn’t, we will have to get the solicitor to make Curtis leave and sell the farm. Until then, we are going to carry on as we were and hope she comes back at some point.”

Justin watched the old man shake his head sadly. “You suspected something like this was going to happen, didn’t you? Why did you give your blessing for the wedding then? Did the man not ask you for your daughter’s hand?”

“He did, and I told him I had my reservations. He promised me that he would take care of her, and meant to do right by her, but there was something in his manner that just didn’t ring true. During the interview, the man was belligerent, and had an attitude that would never have been allowed in the army. I warned Geraldine to be careful. The man’s family aren’t rich. He didn’t bring anything to the marriage other than his knowledge of farming. Now, two years later, having pestered Geraldine to sever her ties with us, and hand the rest of her fortune over to him because he is her husband and should be the one to control it, she suddenly vanishes. It’s too convenient, if you ask me. Now, there are rumours in the village that he is tupping that parlour maid of theirs.”

“Do you believe it?” Justin asked.

“Aye, I do. She is a sly one, that one, and wouldn’t shy away from selling herself to the highest bidder if it meant she could improve her standing.”