by Sue Perkins
Fury’s mother led the way toward the office and left her daughter standing in the hallway, wondering what was going on. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her she hadn’t had breakfast, so she headed for the kitchen.
She’d just finished her cereal when her mother entered the room.
“Fiora, we need you in your father’s office. Mr Dale wants to talk to you.”
“He’s the lawyer for the house isn’t he, Mum?”
Her mother nodded and led the way across the hall. In the office her father and the visitor sat in easy chairs beside the empty fireplace. Two other chairs waited for Fury and her mother.
“Good morning, Fiora. Your mother tells me you are aware of the terms of Ellen Mune’s will. Is that correct?”
“Yes, I also know Mum is the last in line of Margaret Mune’s descendants.”
“Apart from yourself and your brother of course.” Mr Dale shuffled some papers from his lap. “Are you also aware of the rumour regarding a letter supposedly left with the will?”
“Yes, I’ve heard about the letter. A friend of mine is distantly related to Edward Mune and the tale of the letter has been passed down through their family.” Fury wondered where this conversation was leading.
“The legend appears to be true. Ellen Mune left a letter with her will. The instructions stated it should not be opened until one of Margaret’s descendants had lived in the house for six months. Your family is the first family to live here for any length of time.” Mr Dale held up an envelope. “The letter states another letter is with the copy of the will in this house and must be opened by the lawyer, which means me. Do any of you have any knowledge of this letter?”
Fury’s father and mother both answered No, but Fury’s mind flashed through the bills and letters they’d found in the safe.
“Fiora, do you know anything about this letter?” Her mother’s expression showed annoyance.
“I won’t be a minute.”
Fury raced from the room and went to the library where she retrieved the papers from safe. They’d been so interested in the bills of Josephine, they’d never bothered with the envelopes holding letters. Rifling through them she found one with ‘For the lawyer of Ellen Mune” written on it. Fury shoved everything else back in the safe and slammed it shut, then hurried back to her father’s office.
“Sorry I found this in the library a while ago but forgot all about it.” She held it out to Mr Dale who nodded and took it from her.
“This is written in the same hand as Ellen’s signature on her will. The envelope our firm has states when one of Margaret’s descendants lives in the house for six months or more, the youngest female of the family in residence should be present when the letter is opened.”
“Youngest female. You mean me?” Fury could feel her heart beat with excitement. Could the contents of the letter release Ellen from her anchor to the house?
“Correct. If you’d like to take a seat I will continue.” Mr Dale stared at Fury and she realised she was still standing. She sat and perched on the edge of the chair.
The lawyer took so long to peruse the rest of the letter Fury felt like ripping it from his hand. Mr Dale paused and used his briefcase to smooth the folded paper.
“Mmm, mmm,” he murmured as he glanced through the words in front of him. He looked up straight at Fury. “Well this is a surprise. My colleagues and I have often wondered if the letter existed and why it wasn’t with the will. They’ll be very interested to hear of the contents.”
“It would be nice if we heard it first.” Fury couldn’t help herself, the man took so long with every movement.
“Fiora, apologize at once.” Her mother glared at her.
“I’m sorry but this is killing me.”
“Very well, this is the letter.” Mr Dale cleared his throat and started reading.
If this letter has been opened it means one of my sister’s descendants has lived in the house for six months. I hope my instructions have been followed and the youngest female of the family is present.
Until now the constraints of my will should have been followed but the time has come for someone else to take over the house.
I therefore leave the house, all its contents and all of my estate to the youngest female member of the family who has lived here for six months or more. If this female is younger than twenty-one years the inheritance should be held in trust until such time as the child reaches twenty-one. Until that time the restrictions of my will remain in force with no alterations, and the house may not be sold.
I hope this comes at an opportune moment for the heiress and gives her the freedom I never had.
Ellen Mune
Fury couldn’t take in what she’d just heard. Her parents also looked stunned.
“You mean the house is mine?” Fury looked at her mother. “It should be yours, Mum, not mine.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Fiora, but Miss Mune’s letter specifically states the youngest female of the family. This appears to be you.” Mr Dale handed her the letter to read. “I shall need that back for legal purposes but I can provide you with a copy.”
Fury glanced through the document, which stated exactly what Mr Dale had read out. Ellen had left the house to her, except of course not by name. Her family happened to be the first of the descendants to stay for six months.
Ellen had obviously remembered the contents of the letter because she had said her problem would soon be resolved.
Fury realised her father was speaking to Mr Dale and began to pay attention.
“I understand this to mean nothing changes in our circumstances until Fiora is twenty-one. We can live here exactly as we have for the last six months, but once Fiora has her twenty-first birthday the house and land title passes to her. Is that correct?” Mr Laing waited for the lawyer to answer.
“You have it exactly right. We will change the title to a trust to be set up for your daughter. This will run until she comes of age, then the trust will be wound up and she will be able to do whatever she wants with her inheritance.” The lawyer carefully packed his paperwork away and Fury handed him the letter. “I’ll send you a couple of copies so Fiora can have one to keep for herself as well as one for both of you.” He nodded to Fury’s parents and Mr Laing rose and took him to the front door.
“Well, my love, what a surprise,” her father said when he returned.
Fury wasn’t sure if he spoke to her, her mother or them both. She longed to race upstairs and check on Ellen, then talk to her friends, but knew if she tried to move at the moment her legs would give way. She would have to wait until the shock of the last thirty minutes had worn off.
“I suggest we carry on as normal and forget about all this until Fiora is older. Nothing will change for another six years so it will do no good to worry about it.” Mrs Laing hugged her daughter. “Still it’s a wonderful thing to happen. Congratulations Fiora.”
“I still think the house should have been left to you. You’re the next in line of the Mune descendants.” Fury stood, glad the feeling had returned to her lower limbs. “I think I might go up and lie down while I let this sink in. Is it okay if I tell Samantha and Cora?”
“Not right away,” her father cautioned. “Let the news sink in to us first, then you can have the girls over in a few days and break the news to them.”
Fury nodded and went up to her room. She lay on her bed looking at the ceiling but not really seeing it. Over the months, she had grown to love this house, and now she owned it. From the heavy old bed she lay on, to every individual book in the library, plus all the other bits and pieces which made Ellen’s house – no, her house – the wonderful place she lived in.
Her mind wandered until she jolted into the awareness that her friends would be arriving immediately after lunch.
Time to go and see Ellen.
When she arrived in the ghost’s room there was no sign of Ellen.
“Come on, Ellen, I know you’re here. You knew what was going to happen didn’t you?
The lawyer’s been and I’m officially the new owner of the house, well it’s in trust for the next six years, but eventually it will be mine.” There was still no sign of Ellen, and Fury sighed. “Don’t come out then. I only wanted to thank you and ask if you think this will send you on your way.”
The air in front of her shimmered and Ellen appeared. The ghost looked more transparent than usual and her figure faded in and out of focus.
“I guess your appearance answers my question. This is what needed to happen for you to pass over.”
I didn’t want to tell you in case I was wrong, but I thought this would happen once you were aware the house had become yours.
“Thank you, Ellen. I promise to look after everything and I hope you find everything you want on the other side. The house will seem quite empty without you.”
The ghost gave a gentle smile and raised her hand in farewell as she faded away until nothing remained of her smoky figure.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Mum, pu-leease let me tell my friends. I’ll ask them to keep it a secret but I’ll burst if I don’t tell them.” Fury stood by her mother with her hands clasped in front of her in a begging position.
“I’ll see what your father says.” Her mother patted Fury’s shoulder and left the room. Within moments she returned. “Your father says it’s all right to tell them but you must impress on them they must tell no one else but their parents. As far as anyone else knows we are staying here as per the terms of Ellen Mune’s will.”
“I’ll swear them to secrecy, Mum, don’t worry they won’t tell anyone.”
Fury bounded up the stairs, eager to prepare for when her friends arrived. Now she had her parents’ permission to tell Samantha and Cora they would be able to talk about how the wonderful gift had come about.
Mrs Laing sent her friends up to her room when they arrived and they entered with smiles on their faces.
“I’m so glad you’re staying. We’ll have such good times these holidays.” Samantha plumped herself down on the huge bed.
“I’ve got some more news.” Fury had thought long and hard about how to break the news to her friends. She decided to have some fun.
“Ellen’s gone,” Cora stated.
“How did you know?” Fury looked at her friend in amazement. “Yes, she’s gone, but there’s a reason why.”
“You figured out what kept her here.” Samantha punched Fury’s upper arm. “Come on give, what did you do and why didn’t you wait for us?”
“I didn’t do anything. Cora’s mum was right. There was a letter which the lawyer had to open and the house now belongs to someone else. The letter was in the pile in the safe.” She waited while the other two took in the news.
“Well I think that stinks.” Samantha look thoroughly disgruntled. “It’s your Mum’s family who have used it all these years, why should it have been given to someone else?”
“Where will you live?” Cora, ever practical, wanted to know.
“Here.” Fury watched the expressions of confusion, understanding and joy cross her friends’ faces.
“Oh, you rotter.” Samantha punched her arm again. “Your mother’s inherited hasn’t she? It means you won’t have to move at all. I think that’s great.”
“No. Mum hasn’t inherited. Wait,” Fury held up her hand as Samantha opened her mouth to ask the inevitable question. “You guys have to promise not to tell anyone but your parents. It’s the only reason my parents said I could tell you. Well?”
“We promise.” The girls spoke at the same time and Fury grinned.
“You are looking at the new owner of this house, the land and the whole estate left by Ellen Mune. It will be held in trust until I’m twenty-one, then I can do what I want with it.”
“You’re kidding.” Samantha’s mouth fell open in astonishment.
At first Cora looked startled then she threw her arms around Fury. “I think it’s wonderful. Is this the reason Ellen left?”
“Yes.” Fury found she felt quite sad the ghost had left the house. “Hey, guys, I’ve been wondering. Do you think I should tell Mum and Dad about Ellen being in the attic?”
“Why on earth would you do that?” Samantha had recovered her composure but once again the astonishment flashed across her face. “She’s gone so there’s no point in telling them.”
“Her ghost is gone, but her skeleton is still there,” Fury said quietly. “I would really like her to have a proper burial.”
“You could always say you were looking round the house to see what you’d inherited. You looked behind the tapestry and found the door, then the skeleton. There’s no reason to mention Ellen’s ghost.” Samantha brushed her hands together as if to say her words had sorted out the problem.
“Samantha, you know I’m no good at lying. If I tell them about the room behind the tapestry, I’ll have to tell them about Ellen’s ghost.
“I think you should tell them.” Cora’s words were spoken quietly. “Ellen needs to be buried properly and the only way you’re going to make it happen is to tell your parents everything.”
“I’ll tell them tomorrow,” Fury decided. “Now what shall we do this afternoon?”
The following morning Fury approached her mother and asked if she could talk to both parents. Her mother blinked in surprise but nodded and led the way to Mr Laing’s office.
“Darling. Fiora would like to talk to us.” She took a chair beside her husband and Fury sat opposite them. “You’re not worrying about the inheritance are you, my love? You won’t have to deal with any of it for several more years.”
“In a way it is about the inheritance.” Fury took a deep breath. “Please don’t laugh, but do either of you believe in ghosts?”
“I’m not really sure,” her mother answered slowly. “I know at times I’ve felt there’s a presence in this house, but only for the odd moment. Usually when I’m upstairs sorting out Jonah’s bedroom or your room.”
“The ghost was real, Mum, it was the spirit of Ellen Mune.”
“Perhaps you should start at the beginning, Fiora.” Her father leaned back in his chair.
“Okay. When we first came here I was outside on the tree swing and I thought I saw someone looking out of a window on the attic floor. I went up there but couldn’t find a corresponding door to where the room should have been. After looking several times I found the door behind the big tapestry hanging on the wall. That’s when I moved my desk up there. The door was locked but I could see a shadow moving around inside. I managed to wiggle the key out of the inside onto a newspaper, then pulled it under the door. When I went in I found the ghost of Ellen wandering around. She couldn’t leave the room, even after I opened the door. Ever since then I’ve been trying to help her pass over to the other side.”
Fury halted and looked at her parents to see if they believed her. Their faces showed no expressions at all so she carried on with her story.
“Apparently there’s no mystery to Ellen’s disappearance. She sacked her maid the day before and died of natural causes in the night. She’d been terrified of being murdered in her bed so had always locked herself in her attic bedroom. The last thing the maid did each night was to pull the tapestry over the door. The woman had obviously done this before she left town and went to live with her sister.”
“The ghost told you all this?” Her mother looked at her husband and Fury glanced over to see how her father was taking the news of the supernatural being in the house.
“Not all in one go. The story came out in dribs and drabs. I’m sorry, Mum, but the way Ellen told it, her sister wasn’t a nice person, which is why she left such a weird will.”
“Fiora, why are you telling us this?” Her father leaned forward as if to hear her answer. “Is the ghost still here?”
“No, Ellen passed over after the lawyer informed us about the house being mine.” Fury bit her lip. How would her mother react to the next part of her story?
“I still don’t understand why you’re tel
ling us about this. You didn’t have to, you know. We wouldn’t have known any different.” Her father looked intently at her. “Is there something else?”
Fury took a deep breath and her words came out in a rush. “Her remains are still in the bed up there, I think we should give her a proper burial.”
Her father nodded as if he’d guessed what she was going to say, but her mother gasped.
“You mean we have a skeleton behind the tapestry?” She grabbed her husband’s arm. “We have to do something about it.”
“Yes, dear.” Fury’s father patted his wife’s arm.
The three of them climbed the stairs to the attic floor and Mr Laing helped his daughter drape the tapestry over the chair. Fury unlocked the door and led the way into the room.
“Where,” Fury’s mum cleared her throat. “Where’s Ellen?”
Fury pointed to the bed and her father walked over, lifted the blanket without showing the skeleton beneath, then replaced the cover.
“I think you should give me the key for the time being,” he told his daughter. “We need to contact the lawyer and let him deal with this. He’ll probably need to contact the coroner so they can officially declare the body suitable for burial.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Fury, Samantha and Cory stood outside the ornate Mune vault in the graveyard. The clergyman had read the funeral service and now stood to one side.
Fury’s parents stood behind them, waiting for the girls to finish their goodbyes.
“I guess this is it then.” Samantha placed her rose on the coffin standing on the wheeled bier outside the open vault door.
Cora followed suit with her rose, then put her hand on Fury’s shoulder. “We’ll leave you to say your goodbyes.” She pulled a reluctant Samantha away.
“I guess this is goodbye, Ellen.” Fury twirled the rose in her hand. “I’m glad we were able to solve your problem and release you from this world. It means a lot to me that we could bury your remains too. I have a feeling you wouldn’t have been happy to think your earthly bones were still in the attic. Goodbye, Ellen, and thank you once again.”