Page 65 of A Family Affair
‘Okay, I get that but what if I don’t want to sell. I like it here and I have nothing to go home for so maybe’s I’ll stay. Put down roots.’
Tristan really did think he was going to faint but held it together. ‘But why on earth would you want to settle here when you could have homes all over America if you sold this place? Imagine a beach-front in Malibu, an apartment in New York, a chalet in Vermont, anywhere you fancied. You could even buy your own ranch! How wonderful would that be?’
When Chuck’s face broke into a smile and his eyes lit up, Tristan could have wept.
‘Well, I s’pose when you put it like that… but there’s still something botherin’ me.’
Tristan tried not to show his impatience and asked, ‘Really, how so?’
Chuck folded his arms and screwed up his eyes, a quizzical expression complementing his question, ‘Even if Miss Clarissa signs in my favour, it could be years before I get to inherit the estate. I for one hope she lives for many a long year, so if your guy is impatient now… then he’s not gonna want to wait forever, is he?’
Tristan had had enough. There was only so much he could take. The coke-monster was at his door, not to mention how pissed off Ion would be and how incompetent Tristan would look if it all went pear-shaped.
But there was no way he could come right out and say to Chuck that the second his name was on the will, Clarissa’s days were numbered. On the other hand, it could potentially put an end to the questions… No, it was too risky, so he had one more attempt.
‘Okay, I get that… good point old man, so, let’s just say we take it one step at a time. The most important thing is you’re named as benefactor and then I can introduce you to my associate who will make everything clear. I’ll hang around and we can do the DNA test when Clarissa wakes up. I’ll take it with me and get it fast tracked. At my own expense. I’m sure Jennifer won’t mind…’
The click, from somewhere inside the room interrupted Tristan mid-sentence and he was further distracted by what looked like part of the wall opening. And, oh fuck. Clarissa and horse-features appearing from within like a pantomime double act.
‘I assure you that Jennifer will mind, and so will I!’ Clarissa spoke as she was wheeled towards him her face like thunder.
Tristan was dumbfounded and looked towards Chuck who was rising from his seat wearing an expression to match Clarissa’s. Jennifer stood beside her employer who hadn’t finished.
‘Yes, we heard it all. Every word.’ She turned briefly to Chuck and said, ‘Thank you, dear man. You did an excellent job of getting the truth out of this scurrilous individual. I’m so proud of you.’
Then once again her glare rested on Tristan, who was about to face-plant the parquet floor – and knew it was going to hurt. He didn’t dare stand, because that would be further to fall.
‘It seems clear to me, although you’d never admit it,orwho your associate is, the grand masterplan was to wait until the ink was dry and soon afterwards, I’d meet a sticky and untimely end. Am I correct?’
Clarissa paused for a nano-second while Tristan’s lips froze shut.
‘Hmm, I thought so. Well, I can tell you now that once you have left my home, I will be speaking to your father and severing all ties with your practice forthwith. And had I proof that you were in league with those who sought to cause me harm, then I’d have Jennifer phone the police.’
Tristan was going to be sick.
‘However, I have a much better way to deal with the likes of you. I will make damn sure everyone who needs to, understands why the Chamberlain Estate has sacked their most trusted solicitors. How your poor father deals with you is his own business. So goodbye Mr Henderson. You know where the door is.’
Tristan could barely move, but when the hulking giant took a step forward, his fists clenched, self-preservation kicked in. Moments later he was in his car, sobbing the length of the drive, not knowing which way to turn when he got to the end.
Left meant home, and back to Diana or right, towards the office to face his father.
Instead he went straight ahead, across the road, ploughing his Jaguar through the bracken hedge and into the field beyond. Past the grazing sheep who didn’t even look up, not caring about the crazy man who was tearing up the grass. And seeing as his life was about to go tits-up, neither did Tristan.
CHAPTER49
HONEY
The television in the background was distracting Honey from her nerves. She was being ridiculous because if Levi’s family were anything like him, they’d all be lovely.
All she had to do was remember who they were because, to be fair, he had a right old crew of relatives living under one roof. Then, there were about a hundred aunts and cousins going to the party, too. Plus half the street, friends from far and wide, and every member of the care team that came in throughout the week.
It was overwhelming, though, because coming from a family with only three members – two really because she hardly ever saw her mum – facing the whole Robinson crew was daunting.
The thought of her mum made Honey smile and touch the photograph on the dresser, and she was glad that since their heart-to-heart weeks before, they’d turned a bit of a corner in their relationship. Keeping her word, after the headstone incident, Honey had called her mum and, during a soul-searching and honest conversation, they’d exorcised the phantoms that had blighted many years and made a pact to move on afresh.
If only her grandad could do the same. It had been a tough month or so and it didn’t look as though his mammoth brooding session was going to come to an end soon. Honey had tried to bring him out of himself, but it was clear he just wanted to be left alone either at his allotment or at home, where she imagined him staring at the photos of the parents he never knew.
Honey had the tiny images of the people in the locket enhanced and enlarged, then put into art deco frames, joined by a clasp in the centre so they looked just like they were inside the locket. Her grandad had come over all emotional when she’d given it to him, and the frames now had pride of place on his mantelpiece.
