Alexander leaned forward, ever impatient. “He told us its contents. Sebastian, being the eldest, gets the house, estate and title, and I get his other business interests and Harrison get his investments. Which”—he shot an amused glance at Sebastian—“is fine by us. Who’d want to inherit this mausoleum?”
“There’s the training center and the estate,” said Harrison.
Alexander waved away the notion. “I have no interest in any of those things. All I want is the family company. It’ll fit in nicely with my business portfolio. The jewel in the crown. Sebastian can have the lot. And you can have the investments. Get someone to manage them and you’ll never have to work another day in your life. You can focus on polo and women.”
“I’m not interested in either,” muttered Harrison.
Sebastian exchanged a surprised look with Alexander, but didn’t follow up on his youngest brother’s astounding comment. He was more annoyed with them for talking so much and revealing their desires. Trouble had taught him caution, but his brothers hadn’t had such a troubled upbringing as he had and were far more open.
“So, if that’s all there is,” said Harrison, standing up. “We can get back to our game of pool.”
The solicitor held up his hand. “I would appreciate your patience, gentleman. The will to which you refer was an earlier one. Your father made another will a few years ago, which has changed slightly.”
Harrison sighed and took his seat again. Alexander sat forward, alert. “How ‘slightly’? A summary would be appreciated, Mr. Jackson.”
The solicitor cleared his throat. “As you wish. Alexander and Harrison. As in the previous will, the family company will go to you, Alexander. And Harrison will inherit your father’s stocks and shares, which have a paper value of a similar amount.”
Alexander sat back with a relieved low whistle. “I’m happy with that and I’ve checked the Financial Times.” He and Harrison slapped hands in triumph. “You’re sitting pretty, too.”
Sebastian was happy for his brothers. They didn’t know it, but he had more money than he knew what to do with, courtesy of not only the inheritance they’d each received from their mother’s personal fortune, but also his sole obsession these past ten years as a professional poker player. No, it wasn’t money he wanted. He wanted the one thing that was his. The one thing which nobody could take away.
“So what about Sebastian?” said Alexander, turning to him with a smile. “Or should we call him Lord Richmond now?”
Sebastian didn’t change his expression. He wasn’t bothered about the title. Only what came with it.
The lawyer cleared his throat and looked at Sebastian. Did Sebastian imagine it or was there something like an expression of sympathy in his eyes?
“As eldest son, Sebastian, you will, of course, inherit the title.”
Sebastian nodded. The silence extended as the solicitor shuffled some papers and beckoned one of his assistants for another document. Sebastian didn’t fill the silence, and neither did Alexander. There was a sense of drama in the air which was tangible. It was heightened because Indra, to his right, no longer hid her face but was looking with a frown at the solicitor. No doubt she, like him, had been expecting a portion of their father’s investments to come her way. But he’d given them to his two younger sons. But he would make sure she wouldn’t leave empty-handed. He was nothing if not fair.
“In addition, Sebastian, you will also inherit the estate and all of its contents—the manor, the racehorse training center and the lands and businesses on the estate, providing…” The solicitor cleared his throat and shuffled in his seat, looking uncomfortable.
Sebastian gritted his teeth and frowned. He tilted his head to one side and gave the solicitor his best stare. “Providing?” he prompted in a gruff growl.
“Providing you marry Miss Anand.”
A heavy silence fell upon them all, like a guillotine.
He didn’t bother to look at the woman who’d obviously set this whole thing up. “Miss Anand?” he asked in utter disbelief.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
He turned to her, but she sat straight, staring at the solicitor, in obvious shock.
The silence was broken by the laughter of his two brothers.
“We’ll leave you two to it, then. We’ll have a double whiskey ready for you, Sebastian.”
He didn’t bother to answer, simply stared at the solicitor, knowing that, for once, his poker-straight face wasn’t poker straight. He couldn’t hide his astonishment that he’d been robbed.
He’d wanted one thing from his father. His rightful inheritance. The manor and the estate. It had belonged to his mother’s family, and he’d promised his beloved grandmother that he would, one day, take ownership and care for it, exactly as they had.
He hadn’t wanted the riches. It had been his home he’d wanted. And he’d just had that taken away from him. By a woman. And not just any woman. But by the daughter of his father’s mistress.
Chapter2
“Marry!” The solicitor’s word repeated in Indra’s mind, reverberating around and around as if she’d been bashed in the head and her head was ringing with concussion.