Cat Carlisle Book 2. Terry Thomas Lynn

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СКАЧАТЬ and insinuated herself into his mother’s good graces. Once the will was read, Phillip intended on setting things right. Beth and Edythe would be living in his home. As long as they remembered that, they were welcome. If not, other arrangements would need to be made.

      Edythe sat with her head bowed, one lock of honey-gold hair coming untucked from her best hat, an expensive felt concoction – purchased on the last trip to London – fashioned in a shade of green that flattered the girl’s complexion. He wondered how much his mother had paid for that hat. Surely Beth didn’t have money for clothes like that.

      Beth started to cry, gentle silent sobs.

      ‘Mum, what’s wrong?’ Edythe put her arm around Beth.

      ‘I can’t believe she’s dead. Who would want to kill her? Why would someone tamper with her brakes like that? I can see her lying there, mangled, wishing someone would come to save her.’ Beth covered her face with her hands and sobbed like a baby. Phillip looked away, uncomfortable with the overt display of emotion. He had little time for female histrionics. His mother was dead. The police were investigating the murder. He had an inkling that he was a suspect, but he didn’t care. The police couldn’t prove anything. There was nothing else for them to do. Sobbing certainly wouldn’t bring her back. He placed a large hand on Beth’s thigh. She recoiled and flicked it off.

      Phillip ignored the slight. ‘I’m sure she didn’t suffer. The impact – it would have been immediate. I’m sure of it. It will be all right, Beth. I’ll help you get through it. I’ll see you’re provided for financially.’

      Beth looked up at Phillip’s words, feeling the heat as her pale cheeks flushed. ‘We don’t want your help, Phillip.’

      ‘I know my mum gave you an allowance, and I know you depend on it. You won’t go without. Neither will Edythe.’

      ‘And what will we have to do in return? Will you make my mum your maid?’ Edythe said. ‘What about our house? Are you going to make us move?’

      Phillip smiled at her. So we’ve come to the truth of the matter. You greedy little bitch. Edythe didn’t care about his mother. She cared about money, and expensive hats from London. He pushed his anger aside. This was not the time.

      ‘What do you expect me to do?’ Phillip said. ‘I need a place to live, and you know it. That’s my childhood home. And although my mum has let you stay with her all this time, surely you couldn’t expect the arrangement to be permanent.’

      Beth didn’t get a chance to respond. David Broadbent hurried into the room, a thick folder under his arm.

      ‘Sorry to keep you waiting. A bit of an emergency.’ His thatch of blond hair and smattering of freckles over his nose and cheeks gave him a somewhat childish air. But the lines on his forehead and the puffiness under his eyes bore witness to his age and – in all likelihood – the stress of a domineering wife and a headstrong daughter. Phillip had never liked David Broadbent, but he pushed his feelings aside as the solicitor sat at his desk.

      ‘Would anyone like tea? No? Then let’s get down to business.’ He took an old document, the pages yellowed with age, out of an envelope and set it down on top of the folder. They waited while he took yet another envelope out of the file, this one newer, pristine and white. He took his time opening this envelope.

      ‘What have you got there?’ Phillip asked.

      ‘Your mother made a new will,’ he said. ‘She just signed it last month. She wished to change the way her assets were distributed. She had grown very fond of Beth and Edythe, and wanted to make sure they were provided for.’ He pushed his reading glasses up on top of his head and studied Phillip. ‘I’ll read the will and give you all the details. But I should tell you she’s left the bulk of her estate, including the house, to Beth and Edythe.’

      Phillip jumped to his feet and slammed his hands on the desk so hard Beth yelped. ‘I don’t believe it. Why would she do that? I’m her son. Did she think I didn’t deserve …’ He let his words trail off.

      ‘Your mother said she vested you with your own money when you came of age, and – as I said – she wanted to make sure the girls were provided for. She was a forward thinker, your mum, and she didn’t want Beth to marry someone she didn’t love for financial security. She—’

      ‘Are you saying I get nothing?’

      ‘Of course not. If you’ll sit down, I’ll explain.’

      ‘I just don’t believe it,’ Phillip said. ‘My father would be furious if he knew what mother had done. Have you thought of that, Mr Broadbent?’

      ‘Sit down, Phillip. I will explain once you’ve sat down.’

      Edythe, eyes agog, stared at Phillip, whose face was now a mottled shade of red. Out of the corner of Phillip’s eye, he saw Beth open her mouth and close it again. As if she wanted to speak but couldn’t find the words.

      Phillip felt the room spin. This couldn’t be happening. This was a joke, some sort of a sick joke.

      ‘I didn’t expect – she never said anything.’ Beth turned to her cousin. ‘I’m so sorry, Phillip. I had no idea.’

      White hot fury flashed before Phillip’s eyes as his rage boiled over. He didn’t dare look at his cousin, for fear he would put his hands around her lily-white throat and choke the life out of her. She had ruined everything, ruined him. He should have known the lay of the land when he arrived home. He took a deep breath and wheeled around to face Beth. ‘Really? No idea? You’ve been angling to inherit ever since you moved in. I have to give it to you, Beth, for being a quick worker. Well done.’

      Beth’s face – already pale – blanched. She wobbled on her chair as though she were about to faint.

      ‘Mum,’ Edythe cried out. She moved to her mother’s side. ‘How dare you speak to her that way?’

      ‘Shut up, you little bitch. You should be ashamed of yourselves, taking what is rightfully mine.’

      ‘Phillip, that’s enough. Sit down right now,’ David Broadbent said. ‘Don’t make me call the police.’

      Phillip hadn’t realized that he had sprung to his feet and was now towering over his cousin. Edythe rose too, and stood so close to Phillip their noses nearly touched.

      ‘Keep away from her,’ Edythe hissed.

      ‘Or what? What will you do?’

      Edythe didn’t flinch. Phillip sat and plucked at a non-existent piece of lint on his trouser leg. He gave David Broadbent a forced smile. ‘She needs discipline. And I apologize. I just wasn’t expecting—’

      ‘Never mind that,’ Broadbent said. ‘Phillip, you’re to get a lump sum payment of one hundred pounds, along with a life income from a trust your father set up when you were born. With careful investing, you should be able to live quite well on that for the rest of your life. Your mother transferred the cottage off the high street into your name months ago. She’s been collecting the rent on your behalf, and those funds will be made available to you immediately. The tenants moved out last week – death in the family, I’m told – and the cottage is available now.’ He held up a set of keys.

      ‘The cottage? The bloody cottage?’ Phillip Billings grabbed СКАЧАТЬ