The Journey Home

When the main section of the will had been reached, Mr. Ramsey peered at India and Serena over the rim of his glasses.

“To my daughters, Serena Helen Hamilton and India Dunbar Moncrieff, I bequeath my entire estate, to be divided equally between them. Dunbar House, and the property pertaining to it, shall be owned and operated by them both. In the event one of my daughters wishes to retain ownership of the aforesaid property, she will acquire the other’s share at fair market value.”

Serena sat up with a jerk. Rising abruptly, she interrupted Mr. Ramsey. “What do you mean both? You’ve read that wrong. Here, give it to me!” She rushed forward, grabbing the will from the astonished Mr. Ramsey’s hand.

“Serena!” Ian jumped up. “Control yourself, for goodness’ sake!”

“My, this is quite an unexpected turn of events,” Kathleen said distractedly, her face very pale. She stared shrewdly at Serena and then laid a hand on India’s knee. “I’ve always thought she had a loose screw, but this…”

India sat perfectly still, oblivious to Serena’s ranting, letting the information sink in. She owned Dunbar—albeit in co-ownership with Serena—but it was hers. Elation ran through her as the full meaning of Mr. Ramsey’s words registered. She did belong here after all.

“I’ll contest it, I tell you! I’ll get it revoked, do you hear?” Serena waved the sheaf of papers wildly. “Mummy would never have left Dunbar to her!”

Mr. Ramsey spoke up. “Lady Serena, this is a legal proceeding, I must ask you to be seated so that we may continue in an orderly fashion. These matters can be discussed at another—”

“Oh, shut up! You connived this with her. You’re to blame, you—”

“Serena, that’s quite enough. Control yourself.” Ian took a firm grip of her arm. “If you can’t get a hold on yourself, I think you’d better leave. Your behavior’s deplorable,” he added in a low voice as he conducted her back to the sofa. “I’m sorry about this, Ramsey. But I think we may proceed without further fear of interruption.” He cast a meaningful look at Serena as she sat down, disgruntled.

The reading of the will continued with the disposition of special items of jewelry Lady Elspeth had been particularly fond of.

India’s eyes watered as her mother’s final bequests were made. “To my dearest daughter India, I leave my Van Cleef & Arpels diamond necklace and bow brooch, the sapphire and diamond Chaumet ring given to me by her father on the occasion of our engagement…” Everything had been very fairly divided between the two girls. India wondered how her mother had been able to hold on to such expensive jewelry. The Marchese probably, she realized fondly. Giordano, Lady El’s longtime friend and admirer, would have died twice rather than allow Mummy to part with her jewelry.

The forbidding look on Mr. Ramsey’s face told her there was bad news to come. Maybe the necklace and the brooch would have to be sold, however much it would hurt her to part with them. She knew Mummy would understand. Dunbar and its retainers were more important than anything now.

Kathleen was talking rapidly, her face somewhat strained. “Serena’s livid at the way things have been left,” she commented in a loud whisper. “Silly girl, to think she deserves Dunbar all for herself. Now she’s joint owner with you and doesn’t have the money to buy you out. Serves her jolly well right. Are you in a position to buy her portion?” she inquired casually.

India shook her head. “No. We’ll have to make do as best we can.”

“You can count on me for any help you may need, my dear. As you well know, I was very fond of your dear mama. I feel dreadful that I wasn’t here when she died. Of all the silly times to have been visiting Great-Aunt Moira.” She shook her head sadly. India noticed that she seemed even paler than before. What a shock her mother’s death must have been for Kathleen.

“Thanks.” India turned and smiled, genuinely grateful for the kind offer. “Of course, you will stay on here, won’t you, Kathleen?”

“That’s so sweet and generous of you, India.” Kathleen squeezed her hand fondly, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I hope I’m not being too proud when I say I know the place better than anyone. I believe I may be of some help to you. Of course, it’s no easy task to run an estate. God only knows what I would have done if my father had lived and I’d inherited,” she said with a sigh.

Mr. Ramsey finished speaking and Serena began grumbling again. “She had no right to leave things this way. I mean, let’s face it, we all know India isn’t one of us. She can’t possibly want Dunbar. She wouldn’t have the slightest clue how to manage it. She shouldn’t even be here in the first place!”

“Stop making a bloody fool of yourself, Serena,” Ian exclaimed, his face white with anger. “Aunt El had every right to leave things however she pleased, as Ramsey here will tell you. Whether you agree or not is irrelevant.”

“That’s correct, Sir Ian. By Scottish law Lady Elspeth could leave her property to whomever she pleased, for there is no entail on the property any longer. That ended when the late Sir Thomas died, and there were no more male heirs alive to inherit. Now, if Lady Kathleen’s father had outlived Sir Thomas, then things would have been different and the entail would have ended with her.” Mr. Ramsey shook his head. “To think he died only three days before his poor brother. A terrible thing it was.” He hesitated an instant, then continued. “This will was rewritten only a few days before Lady Elspeth’s death. I came here myself to make the changes.”

“I knew you were responsible for this,” Serena said, turning on him again angrily. This time Ian grabbed her by the arm and marched her from the room.

A general sigh of relief followed Serena’s departure.

“Well! That gets her out of the way. So much for the theatrics. Pay no attention to her, India. The will is perfectly legal, as Mr. Ramsey has said. She’s just jealous,” Kathleen said decisively. “All the Hamiltons are mad as hatters. Serena’s no exception, believe me.” She pressed India’s hand again in a kindly fashion and smiled bravely.

Kathleen’s forthright remarks helped alleviate the tension in the room, and India was thankful for her cousin’s support. It was true that Kathleen knew as much as anybody about Dunbar, and her assistance would be invaluable in the months to follow.

Ian came back, and the screeching of wheels on gravel confirmed his next words. “She’s gone to Edinburgh to consult a solicitor. Shocking behavior, I’m afraid. The poor girl’s lost it,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m so sorry, Ramsey, I don’t know what’s come over her. The way she spoke to you was scandalous. I shall see to it she apologizes.”

“Och, don’t worry, Sir Ian, I’ve seen this kind of thing before. It’s very sad really. People create expectations they never should have had in the first place, and are upset when faced with the truth.”

“Very true, Ramsey. I think Serena already considered herself Lady of Dunbar. A dashed nerve, really, when you think of it,” Kathleen commented dryly.

“I agree. And don’t you let yourself be jostled around by her, young lady,” Ian continued, pointing at India. “You have every right to be here and she knows it.”

India smiled at him, appreciating the kindness and solidarity that her cousins were showing. She realized, with a touch of regret, that perhaps her father’s prejudice had kept her from developing some wonderful family relationships.

But she was an outsider in their world, and realistic enough to know that finding the true roots and home she’d always longed for was an illusion. It was a society that would not easily accept her. She might not like Serena’s words, but there was a disturbing ring of truth to them that made her doubly appreciative for Kathleen’s and Ian’s offers of support.

“Thanks, Ian, and you, too, Kathleen, you’ve both been wonderful. But, in a way, Serena’s right. Maybe Mummy should have left Dunbar to her. She probably is far more able to deal with matters than I am.”

“Hogwash! All she wants is to be able to say she owns the place or to sell it. She doesn’t give a damn about the estate or the people on it. Serena is only interested in one person and that,” Ian said flatly, “is Serena.”

“I’m afraid you’re right,” Kathleen agreed. “For as long as I’ve known her she’s been a selfish, egocentric you know what. I think the whole thing goes deeper. The Hamiltons are an ancient family, but they’re poor as church mice. Serena lived off her father’s trust and Lady El’s generosity, and hasn’t done a day’s work since she stopped modeling. I think she planned to sell Dunbar. Now that India’s involved, that won’t be the case, will it?”

“You may be right,” Ian agreed thoughtfully. “If that fellow she runs about with had any say, she’d be up and selling like a shot. The von Lowendorf family never got back on their feet financially after the war, and Maxi seems to have a taste for wealthy, single women. Kath, you remember that rich widow from Manchester he was chasing before he hooked up with Serena?” He gave a mirthless laugh. “Well, if you do decide to sell, India, she’ll have to content herself with half the proceeds.”

“I hope that won’t be necessary. I feel we should do our utmost to keep Dunbar,” India murmured.

“I don’t understand how she ever got this insane notion that Dunbar belonged to her in the first place,” Kathleen exclaimed.

“Wishful thinking,” Ian replied grimly.

The party got up and headed to the drawing room, where a cold luncheon was being served. The meeting with Mr. Ramsey concerning practical matters would have to wait till after the funeral, which was to be conducted later in the hall. Afterward, they would drive Lady Elspeth to her final resting place in the little graveyard on the hill, and India would be left to deal with the future as best she could.

“I won’t have it,” Serena exploded, steering her old Volvo along George Street at a spanking pace.

“Calm down, Serena. This isn’t a time for nerves. It is a time for thinking,” Maxi replied soberly. Things were not going as planned.

“What do you mean, calm down? Something has to be done about this, dammit.”

“We’ll find a solution, my dear,” he said in an even tone. “There is always a solution. Remember, revenge is a meal best eaten cold. And so it shall be.” He gave a crack of cheerless laughter.

Serena took her eyes off the road and glanced at him crossly. “Well, I hope you’ve got some bright ideas, because except for contesting the will outright—and from all I’ve gathered it’s legal—there’s not much I can do.”

“You’d be surprised. Let things take their course. It’s still early. Things need to fall into place. In the meantime, we’ll be thinking, watching, observing. The secret to success lies in the details, not in the obvious.”

His quiet voice calmed her, and she began to think that perhaps he was right. “Stupid creature. It’s not fair—”

“Hush. Be very careful what you say. Even moving cars can have ears.” Maxi took a surreptitious glance around, as though some device might be hidden in the ancient upholstery of the Volvo.

“Oh, come on, Maxi, do stop being ridiculous. This is Scotland, not a spy movie.” She veered down Frederick Street, annoyed with the traffic. “I suppose I’ll have to get back for the funeral. And you’re jolly well coming,” she added. “I’m damned if I’ll have her dictating who comes and goes from Dunbar. Who the hell does she think she is anyway?”

Maxi stayed silent for a few moments as they drove along Prince’s Street and past the Scots monument, where Serena was obliged to come to an abrupt halt for a group of tourists in bright anoraks, waiting to cross the road.

“I think it would be wiser to placate her for the moment,” Maxi said thoughtfully.