A Question of Inheritance by Elizabeth Edmondson Read Free Book Online Page A

that Sonia had ordered her to go and collect. ‘Nonetheless, Sonia, he is not going to die. He looks perfectly fit and healthy.’
    Sonia interrupted, ‘I didn’t say he was going to catch the plague or anything like that. Accidents do happen. What are the daughters like? American rednecks? I’m sure they’re quite ghastly.’
    Freya took a deep breath. She wasn’t going to lose her temper with Sonia although she felt like lashing out at her. ‘They’re perfectly civilised. Although the older one has obviously been reading rather too much Sartre.’
    Sonia said, ‘Sartre? You mean she fancies herself an existentialist? Oh, spare me. Anyhow, I shall see for myself, because I’m coming to the Castle for Christmas.’
    She dropped this bombshell without any warning and Freya was left speechless for a moment. ‘Are you sure that’s wise?’ she finally managed to say.
    ‘I’m not going to stab Gus in the back or poison him if that’s what you mean. He invited me to come visit, as he put it, at the Castle whenever I liked. I don’t suppose he meant over Christmas, but I intend to take him at his word. There are things in the Castle that are mine and I want to take them away. Oh, and I’m bringing Rupert with me.’
    ‘Rupert? Rupert who?’
    ‘Sharpen your wits, darling. Rupert Dauntsey. We’re engaged.’
    Another bombshell.
    ‘You must know him. He was father’s Personal Private Secretary for a while before he moved on to higher things. He’s an MP now. Too, too Establishment, but he’s deliciously rich.’
    Freya shut her eyes for a moment. Would it be better to have Sonia on her own or with Rupert? She vaguely remembered a rather charming, suave man, who’d made no particular impression on her.
    Sonia said, ‘I’ll come down on the twenty-third. I’ll bring Oliver with me, as well. He wants to talk to the new Earl.’
    ‘Oliver?’
    ‘Don’t you remember anything, Freya? He works for the auctioneers, for Morville’s. He did the inventory for me at a point when I thought it was going to be necessary. He knows all about pictures and that kind of thing. Gus now has to deal with all the horrendous death duties, not me. So he needs to talk to Oliver, and Oliver wants to talk to him. And there are some paintings of mine in one of the attics, which I want him to look at.’
    Paintings? In an attic? ‘Didn’t he see them when he came in the autumn to do the inventory?’
    ‘No, he didn’t need to; they were never going on any inventory. And, please remember, at that time I expected to inherit everything in the Castle, from top to bottom. That was before you went and dug out the lost heir.’
    Freya said, ‘You haven’t invited Oliver for Christmas, have you?’
    ‘Don’t be silly, darling. He’ll want to be back in London the next day. It’ll just be me and my fiancé for Christmas at the Castle.’
    Fiancé? There had been a distinct note of irony when Sonia said it, and it wasn’t a word she’d normally use. What was she up to?
    ‘Tell Mrs P she’ll have to do something about beds. Is one of those ghastly girls sleeping in my room?’
    ‘I’m sure we can arrange something to suit everybody,’ Freya said tactfully. Barbara was, in fact, in Sonia’s room. That would have to be sorted out.
    ‘Let me know if there’s anything you want me to bring down from London, darling. Until tomorrow.’
    Freya put the receiver back and stood looking at the instrument. That would add to the gaiety of Christmas: a hostile Sonia, a strange Rupert and, at least for twenty-four hours, Oliver. Her mind turned to thoughts of presents and with a glare at the telephone she went to the kitchen to break the news to Mrs Partridge.

Chapter Three
    Scene 1
    Georgia was sitting at the table in the dining room, eating her way through a pile of toast and marmalade. They usually ate in the kitchen, but Mrs Partridge wasn’t having that now the new Earl was in residence.
    Across the table, Polly was eating her toast