A Vengeful Reunion

There was a brief, awkward silence, then Jess plunged into a humorous anecdote about her flatmate in London. After the pudding plates were cleared away, and Fenny had been allowed to watch a cartoon video in the study, they were drinking coffee when Tom Dysart told his family that there was more to this family lunch than usual.

‘Now that I’ve got you all together for once,’ said her father, after exchanging a glance with his wife, ‘I think I should tell you I’ve had an offer for Friars Wood.’

There was dead silence for a moment, as several pairs of eyes stared at him in utter consternation.

Leonie was the first to recover. ‘You’re not serious, Dad!’

Her father smiled at her wryly. ‘I don’t joke about Friars Wood, my love.’

‘Who the devil wants to buy it?’ demanded Adam, incensed.

‘That isn’t important for the moment,’ said Tom Dysart. ‘The point is, how do you all feel about it? Discounting the offer—which is staggeringly generous—you must face the fact that one day your mother and I will no longer be here.’

‘Daddy, don’t!’ said Kate, her eyes filling with tears. ‘I can’t bear it when you talk like that.’

Jess squeezed her hand, and turned anxious eyes on her father. ‘Are you short of money, Dad? You’re not ill or anything, are you?’ she added in sudden alarm.

‘No, nothing like that,’ said Frances quickly. ‘But this place takes a lot of upkeep. We thought it best to ask now if you’d prefer us to sell up and buy something smaller. The alternative is to carry on as we are and trust that at least one of you will be in a position to keep the place on when the time comes.’

Leonie felt winded. In Italy it had been a constant source of comfort to know that Friars Wood was there to run home to whenever she wanted.

‘The thing is, Dad,’ said Adam, looking suddenly older than his twenty-one years, ‘I won’t be in a position to take it on for a long time yet. And unless Leonie and Jess marry millionaires or win the lottery they won’t be able to either, not to mention Kate and Fenny.’

Tom Dysart filled his pipe with deliberation, then outlined the plan he had in mind to provide security for his family and the home they all loved so much. The sensible course, he told them, was the one his father had taken. The property had been arranged so that it had remained in the possession of the senior Dysarts until one of them died, afterwards to pass jointly into the hands of the surviving parent and Tom, who had been designated heir to the house. ‘Originally your mother and I restored and redecorated the Stables, meaning to live in it ourselves, but when it was ready your grandparents liked the result so much they persuaded us to let them live there instead, and left the care of the house to us. After both parents died I was to provide Rachel with a sum of money to the value of half the property. Fortunately they both lived to a good age, so I was in a position to do that fairly comfortably when the time came, however much Rachel protested she didn’t need it all.’

‘Then can’t you do that with Adam?’ said Leonie quickly.

‘I had only one sister,’ her father pointed out.

Leonie shivered. ‘I’ve always taken it for granted that Adam would inherit Friars Wood. Look, Dad, I’d willingly forgo my claim to any money as long as he’s able to hang onto it.’ She gave her brother a wry little smile. ‘And lets us all come home to roost from time to time.’

‘I feel the same,’ said Jess fervently.

‘I hate this,’ said Kate in despair. ‘I just want Friars Wood to stay in the family.’

‘So say all of us,’ said Adam, and looked at his father squarely. ‘We’ll do anything it takes to secure that, Dad.’

Leonie gave him a teasing smile. ‘What happens if you fall for someone who doesn’t fancy sharing with four sisters?’

‘I’ll send her packing,’ said Adam promptly.

Everyone laughed, lightening the atmosphere slightly as Tom Dysart went on to explain that this arrangement would help with inheritance tax, but it also meant that when one parent died, whoever was left in joint ownership would be obliged to look after the survivor.

‘Which is not as much of a problem as it might be because of the Stables,’ said Frances briskly. ‘Either one of us would be quite happy to move in there, even both of us together at some stage, just as my in-laws did.’

‘Adam’s the obvious choice to inherit,’ said Leonie firmly. ‘He’s the only son, and he’s also going to follow you into the auction house, Dad, so in the normal way of things he’s the only one certain to remain in the area.’

Adam gave his parents a very sober, thoughtful look. ‘You mean that some time in the future—hopefully a very long time in the future—if the property comes solely to me, the value of it, and any money you leave us, would all be divided into equal portions, and I’d hand the girls’ shares over.’

Jess shook her head. ‘Impossible with so many of us. No one could expect you to do that. It was different for Dad with only Rachel.’

‘I couldn’t do it right now,’ Adam agreed, a stubborn jut to his chin, ‘but when the time comes I’ll make damn sure I can.’

‘Or,’ said his father, ‘I could accept the offer and buy a smaller place, and have a lot more money in the bank afterwards.’

Four pairs of eyes gazed at him in horror.

‘You don’t mean that, do you, Dad?’ demanded Leonie.

‘I’m just mentioning it as an option. An option which isn’t open for long,’ he added. ‘I’ve been given a week or two to consider it before it’s withdrawn.’

‘I’d rather you didn’t consider it at all,’ said Adam, his young face stern below the mop of curly black hair. ‘I’ve got Finals coming up. I’d rather not have this hanging over me when I go back. Couldn’t we settle it now?’

‘I’m all for that,’ said Jess quickly. ‘If this is a democratic meeting, are we allowed to vote?’

Tom smiled wryly. ‘Of course you are. Hands up all those in favour of staying, and letting Adam take over Friars Wood one day, along with all its responsibilities.’

Five hands shot up, and Tom grinned at his wife and followed suit.

‘Unanimous,’ said Leonie with satisfaction, and gave her brother a reassuring smile. ‘Don’t worry, Adam. When the time comes we won’t dun you for the money.’

‘Amen to that,’ said Jess, slumping in her chair. ‘You can have my share, Adam, as long as you hang onto Friars Wood.’

‘Mine too,’ said Kate thankfully.

‘Thank you, ladies, but if I can possibly manage it no sacrifices will be required. Who knows? Perhaps I’ll discover a hidden Rembrandt one day and sell it for millions,’ declared Adam, jumping up with some of his usual energy restored. ‘Time I was off. By the way, Dad,’ he added, ‘who made the offer?’

‘A London company,’ said his mother, getting to her feet. ‘Now then, Adam, get a move on, or you’ll be late back.’

After Adam had been waved on his way, Leonie suggested her father took Fenny for a walk with the dog, and sent her mother off for a rest while she and Kate saw to the clearing up. The still-suffering Jess was ordered to sit down and save herself for the drive back to London later, an instruction she complied with gratefully.

‘Thanks, you two. I don’t mind telling you I’m a bit bushed,’ she admitted. ‘A busy week followed by last night’s party, with Dad’s bombshell on top of it—’ She blew out her cheeks. ‘I’m in a state of shock.’ She heaved herself out of her chair. ‘But this won’t do. I’d better get my stuff together so I’m ready for the off when Mother gets up.’

Jess’s loud cry of indignation a minute later sent Kate and Leonie running upstairs to ask what the matter was.

‘Mother isn’t resting; she’s tidying our rooms,’ Jess said wrathfully.

Frances smiled unrepentantly. ‘I’m just changing the beds. Mrs Briggs will do the bedrooms properly in the morning.’ She gave Jess a stern look. ‘And mind you get an early night when you get back, Jessamy Dysart. You’ve got dark rings under your eyes.’

‘Yes, Mother,’ said her daughter meekly, flushing slightly as she intercepted a sparkling glance from Leonie. ‘In bed by ten, I promise.’

In the evening, when Kate was finishing off homework in her room, and Fenny was fast asleep in bed after the exertions of the night before, Leonie settled down on a sofa in the study with the dog snoring gently on the rug beside her. Not quite ready to collapse in a heap, as she’d told Chris Morgan, she was tired enough to put her feet up as she looked through the Sunday papers while her parents watched a serial they were following on television.

Pitying her siblings on their respective motorway journeys, Leonie relaxed, feeling deeply glad of her unexpected break at home. Adam rang at one stage to say he’d arrived safely, and eventually Jess reported in with the same message.