Dirty Aristocrat

He picked up the document and began to read it.

‘I, Robert James Maxwell, Barrington House, Bedfordshire, England, make oath and say as follows:

For a long time, the words the solicitor was reading seemed like wind in the trees. A rustle. I heard a gasp of surprise and then a grateful sniff from the housekeeper and I vaguely

heard the butler’s name mentioned. Of course, he made no discernable show of joy.

One by one the drone of the solicitor’s voice referred to the relatives I did not even know existed. I only pulled out of my daze when I saw Dr. Jensen jump up from his chair.

‘After twenty years. After all I did for him,’ he spat. Shaking his head in disgust he stalked out of the room. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe that Robert had not rewarded him. He was

so loyal to Robert. I frowned wondering why Robert had done that to him. To the best of my knowledge Robert never once mentioned that he did not intend to properly reward him. The door

slammed.

I looked at my stepchildren. Their eyebrows were raised and they were exchanging surprised glances with each other.

The solicitor cleared his throat.

I started listening carefully. The next person was Rosalind. The solicitor read out the stipulation that Robert’s trust would pay her a lump sum settlement of a quarter of million and

twenty thousand pounds monthly for life when she interrupted him furiously.

‘Twenty thousand pounds per month? Is this a joke?’

The solicitor looked up, his face impassive. ‘Mrs. Montgomery, please be assured that everything you are hearing is the last will and testament of your father. I have arranged for a copy

of the will to be couriered to you.’

She jerked her chin towards him. ‘I’m not staying for this farce. I’ll contest this. It is perfectly obvious that he was not of sound mind.’ She turned towards me, her eyes burning with

pure hatred. God! She looked as mad as a mule chewing on bumble bees. She stood and began to walk away, but then changed her mind and headed towards me. She stood over me. ‘Well, well,

how clever you have been,’ she shrieked.

I said nothing. My face was flaming with embarrassment. Everybody was looking at us.

‘You think you’ve won? You think you’ve got it all?’ she spat viciously.

‘I haven’t got it all,’ I said softly.

‘He left crumbs for us, his blood children, and the big prize for his trailer park child bride.’

She swung her hand suddenly and it was so quick I did not have time to move my head, but the blow never came. I turned my head and Ivan had her hand in his grip. His face was like stone.

She twisted her head and looked at him, her chest heaving with fury. ‘Stay out of this. You’re not even part of this family.’

‘That’s my ward,’ he bit out. ‘I’ve been entrusted with her well-being.’

‘Let go of my arm,’ she gritted.

He released her arm. ‘Don’t force me to take an injunction out on you.’

‘She cheated him. He was ill,’ she cried.

‘He wasn’t ill, Rosalind. You may have been able to make that argument if you had not tried to have him declared incompetent six months ago, but he passed the battery of tests your team

of doctors had run with flying colors.’

‘He became more ill after that.’

‘He wrote his will two years ago.’

She frowned and then gasped. ‘As soon as he met her.’ She looked down at me and screeched, ‘What did you do to him, you little conniving bitch?’

‘That’s enough, Rosalind. Your husband is waiting outside. You should go home.’ Ivan’s voice was so cold and hard I jumped.

‘This is not the end of it,’ she promised before she stalked off. Bianca ran after her, but Dorian remained to hear that he too had been left exactly the same as Rosalind. A lifelong

income of twenty thousand pounds and a quarter of a million pounds.

He turned to look at me and sardonically raised his empty glass as if in a toast. I looked away.

Then it was Ivan’s turn, and I was utterly surprised to find that there was no money for him at all. Not even a small token sum. All he had been left was a painting that he admired as a

child.

After Ivan it was my turn.

The solicitor confirmed what Robert had told me. I had been given everything else. The entire Maxwell fortune.

CHAPTER 6

Tawny Maxwell

The wake was a great success. It was exactly how Robert wanted it, with a sumptuous spread of food, champagne, singers and even fire-eaters performing on the snow covered grounds.

In all the gaiety, music and people, I suddenly realized that I couldn’t feel Robert anymore. This was his house and this was a wake for him, but his spirit seemed to be nowhere.