Page 48 of Black Willow Witch
Well, damn. ‘She anticipated that it would be contested.’
The lawyer nodded. ‘Tyra will have surely noticed the practitioner’s signature but has proceeded anyway, perhaps thinking it won’t be enough to convince anyone that Millicent was stable. What she and your family will not be aware of is that Millicent also left a letter of wishes. Something she wrote separately to explain the stipulations of the will.’
He rose to his feet and headed to the metal drawers. Having slid one open, he pulled out a brown envelope and then shut the drawer. Returning to his seat, he passed the envelope over to Emberlyn.
She took it from him and tore it open. ‘Why wasn’t this released before now?’
‘Because she gave me strict instructions to only release it to you if the validity of the will was challenged.’
Emberlyn pulled the letter out of the envelope and quickly read it. Her brows hiked up. ‘My family won’t like hearing this.’
Ripper leaned toward her. ‘What does it say?’
She angled the paper so he could read it.
His own brows winged up after he’d done so. ‘Yeah, they ain’t gonna like hearing that.’
Clarence tilted his head. ‘Do you understand now why Millicent didn’t simply bequeath you the manor, Emberlyn?’
She exhaled heavily. ‘Yes. I thought she’d just wanted me to prove I had the right to reside there.’
His chair rocked slightly as he leaned forward. ‘Millicent spoke to me about you, you know.’
‘Calling me her biggest disappointment, no doubt,’ Emberlyn muttered, feeling her lips twitch.
‘She did say that. She also said you were a woman to admire. You’d pushed past pain, grief, persecution and prejudice. You didn’t let any of it hold you back. You’d carved a place for yourself in this town, started a business she would never have thought of, and chose your own path rather than let her or anyone else dictate what you should do with your life.
‘She respected that. Respectedyou. And she cared for you more than I’m sure she would ever have let on.’ Clarence paused, looking at her intently. ‘Don’t let your family ever make you think that Millicent didn’t want you to beexactlywhere you are.’
Mentally fumbling after Clarence’s little declaration, Emberlyn fiddled with her bracelet. It was hard to imagine her grandmother saying such things, but there was no reason for him to lie. ‘I can’t blame them for thinking it. She told them she didn’t want me to have the manor.’
‘Probably to keep them off your back. This letter provides context and background, showing the motivations behind her decisions – and making them seem explainable, not bizarre. In other words, we have what we need to rebut Gill’s claim of lack of capacity.’
Ripper planted his hands on the armrests of his chair. ‘So, what happens now?’
‘A meeting is scheduled for us all next Monday at the town hall,’ Clarence replied.
Exactly a week from now, then.
‘The only council member who should be on the bench is Shane as he has nothing to gain from the result of Gill’s challenge to the will,’ Clarence added. ‘But both Reena and Carver are claiming that – having now “accepted” the terms of Millicent’s will – they will be unbiased.’
Emberlyn snorted. ‘Will theyfuck.’
Ripper grunted.
‘All parties, including both of you, would need to agree that they can remain impartial,’ said Clarence. ‘My guess is that neither of you have that opinion.’
‘You guessed right,’ Ripper told him.
‘If Reena had backed down, she wouldn’t have appointed her own daughter to represent my family.’
‘Indeed,’ said Clarence. ‘And if Reena hasn’t backed down, Carver will still be under the impression that the project may go ahead.’
After they’d rounded up the conversation, Emberlyn returned the letter to Clarence for safe-keeping. She and Ripper then left the building, coming to a halt on the sidewalk.
‘Millicent really did have all her bases covered,’ mused Ripper.
Emberlyn nodded. ‘It would appear that way. She wasn’t risking that her wishes would be overturned.’
