'Let's make the call,' Garrick said. He was starting to sound impatient.
'I've got the number here.' Mia took the solicitor's business card from her purse.
'I'll get the phone.'
Garrick hurried towards the living room and returned a second or two later with the hands-free phone. He handed it to Mia and she dialled the number, asking to be put through to Mr Dale when the receptionist answered.
'Clive Dale here, Miss Ward. How are you settling in to Sunbeam Cottage?'
'Very well, thank you, Mr Dale, but I've got a couple of questions if that's okay? I hope you don't mind but you're on loud speaker. I've got two friends with me and I want them to hear our conversation in case I get anything mixed up.'
'I don't have a problem with that, Miss Ward. Fire away.'
'Thank you. Well the first thing is, we've been told that Mattie, I mean, Matilda Ward had a laptop but we can't seem to find it and we believe we've looked everywhere. We also believe there should be some jewellery, but we can't find that either. We wondered if, perhaps, you had removed the laptop and the jewellery for safe-keeping, or because someone else had inherited them. It may not be any of my business of course, but we thought we should ask.'
'And rightly so, Miss Ward. Miss Matilda Ward owned a large amount of very valuable jewellery. We have a copy of an insurance appraisal on file and some of the items are worth a considerable amount. As I advised you at our meeting, you inherit the jewellery, together with all Miss Matilda Ward's chattels, but only if you stay in the cottage for one year, of course. Until then, it's all held in trust, although you have use of everything until the year is up, which means you can wear the jewellery. Then, as we discussed, if you stay, it all belongs to you. If you leave before the year is up, it all reverts to the person or persons named in the codicil.'
'And you don't know who that is?'
'No, Miss Ward. My father drew up the will and codicil, as I mentioned. But did you say you can't find the jewellery?'
'Yes. We've looked everywhere we can think of, but no jewellery, and no laptop, so far, which is why we wondered if you had them.'
'I don't, Miss Ward. None of Miss Matilda Ward's chattels have been removed. As I explained, this is a most unusual situation. I would have preferred to meet you at the cottage and go through the inventory with you, but it was Miss Matilda Ward's wish that you be allowed to move in without this requirement. That was why I expressly stipulated at our meeting that it was in your best interest to go through the inventory, item by item, as soon as possible and to let me know immediately if anything was not as described. Unless the property has been broken into, which would surprise me greatly because I am certain Mrs Hester Burnstall would have notified this office, and the police, immediately if such an event had occurred, all the items listed must be there. Has the property been broken into, Miss Ward? Is that what you are suggesting?'
'No. Um. I don't know. I don't think so because everything was neat and tidy when we arrived. The front door was locked, but not the back. Hettie Burnstall had left that open. She had been in to clean, as per your instructions, I believe.'
'That's correct. The property should not have been left unlocked though. Is anything else missing?'
'I don't know.'
'Have you checked the inventory, Miss Ward?'
'The inventory?'
'Yes, Miss Ward. The inventory. The one we have just been discussing. The one I gave you at our meeting.'
'Um. I'm sorry, Mr Dale. I don't remember you giving me an inventory.'
Mia glanced across at Ella and Garrick, shrugged and held out her palms to indicate she hadn't got a clue what Mr Dale was talking about.
A small sigh travelled through the phone. 'It was amongst the papers I gave you, Miss Ward. You may recall when you came to collect the keys, you signed certain documents of which I gave you copies. I also gave you a large brown envelope containing papers you might need during your first year and I showed you an inventory and explained what you should do. I know it was all somewhat of a shock at the time and perhaps I should have made absolutely certain that you had fully understood the situation, but I did advise you that, other than wear and tear, everything in the cottage must remain, and that nothing could be disposed of, and that you should go through the inventory, as discussed. At the same time, I explained that all services, such as electricity, telephone, and the like would be taken care of by this firm. I asked you to forward any bills or such that you may receive in error, to me and advised you that, until you become the owner, assuming you do of course, this firm will effectively be maintaining the property and paying all related bills and costs. I said that in layman's terms, you are looking after the cottage and all its contents, for one year and by way of payment, you had received the sum of ten thousand pounds and will be living there rent free. Do you recollect that conversation, Miss Ward?'
'Um. Some of it.'
Another small sigh could be heard before Mr Dale continued:
'I also said that details of where everything was, how it all works, the telephone number of the cottage, the WiFi password and the combination to the safe, were all in amongst those papers, Miss Ward. I can arrange to have copies sent to you if you have misplaced them. If you believe items may be missing, it is imperative that you check the inventory without delay and notify me, and if necessary the authorities, immediately. I can send someone from this office to go through it with you today, if you feel things are not as they should be, Miss Ward. And we must speak to Mrs Burnstall, of course. Are you certain that the jewellery is missing?'
'Um. Well it may not be missing, exactly. It's simply that we can't find it. And we're sure we've looked everywhere. I'm so sorry, Mr Dale. I'm embarrassed to say, I thought the papers were merely copies of the documents I signed. I obviously didn't take in everything you said. I was so surprised by it all that I probably misunderstood some of it. I'm afraid I haven't looked at the envelope since the day I left your office and I admit, I had forgotten all about it. I'm really sorry.'
'Wait a minute,' Garrick said. 'I'm Garrick Swann, a friend of Mia's. Did you say, "combination to the safe", Mr Dale? Did I hear that correctly? Because if there is a safe, perhaps the jewellery, and possibly also the laptop, are in that. We looked for one but couldn't find it. Do you know where it is?'
'Hello, Mr Swann. As Miss Ward is there with you and you're a friend, I'll assume Miss Ward is asking that question. I'm sure you understand I'm not at liberty to discuss the estate of the late Miss Matilda Ward with anyone other than Miss Ward.'
'We understand,' Mia said. 'But would you call me Mia, please? This is all very confusing with two Miss Wards. And yes please, I would like to know if there's a safe. If there is, perhaps we can all stop worrying.'
'There is certainly a safe, Miss Ward. Mia. I assumed, when you said that you had looked everywhere, you had already looked in there.'
'No. Because we don't know where it is.'
'The details are in the papers I gave you. But of course, as you said, you have mislaid them. The safe is in a small room off the attic room. I assume you've been up there?'
'Yes. But we didn't see a safe. Or another room.'
'That's because it's hidden, Miss Ward. I mean, Mia. It's on the wall opposite the square window, towards the end of the room. There are a row of panels and in the second to last panel, you'll find a small keyhole. It's very close to the beam, so you may have missed it. The key is amongst the set I gave you. It's a door to the room. A very small room but that room is where Miss Matilda Ward kept her most precious possessions. The jewellery, and the laptop, should be there. I'll need to get my files to give you the combination to the safe because I can't recall it off the top of my head. I'll do that now and call you back as soon as I have it to hand. I'll also have another set of papers prepared and I shall have someone from this office bring them to you later today. I don't think we need to worry after all, Miss Ward. Sorry. Mia. I am certain the jewellery will be there, exactly w
here Miss Matilda Ward left it.'
'Thank you so much, Mr Dale,' Mia said. 'I am so sorry I worried you. It's my fault entirely. I should've listened more carefully at our meeting. I don't understand all this legal stuff. I'm not really sure what I've inherited and what I haven't.'
'I must accept part of the blame, Mia. I should have taken more time explaining it all to you. In hindsight, I probably should have arranged to meet you at the cottage and go through it with you there. That way we could have avoided any problems. But strictly speaking, at this moment in time, the only thing you have inherited is the sum of ten thousand pounds and the right to live in Sunbeam Cottage for one year. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I shall call you back shortly.'
'Thank you. Oh! There is one last thing, Mr Dale. I don't know if I'm allowed to ask this but is there a residual estate? I mean, did my great-aunt have other money or belongings that aren't included in the cottage? You said your firm will be paying all the bills for the cottage? But who will then pay yours? Did she make arrangements for all that? Or do I need to put aside some of the money I got, so that I can pay you?'
'No, Mia. All bills will be taken care of from Miss Matilda Ward's estate, including the inheritance tax and all other fees, which I won't go into detail about right now. A full breakdown will be supplied when the estate is finally wound up. But it seems I failed to make a great number of things clear to you at our meeting. Under the terms of Miss Matilda Ward's will, Mia, whomsoever inherits the cottage, also inherits the residuary estate. Which means that, assuming you comply by staying at the cottage for one year, you will be the sole beneficiary, other than one or two small, specific bequests. If you don't, it goes to the person or persons named in the codicil. What I'm telling you, Mia, is that at the end of your year in Sunbeam Cottage, you will be a very wealthy young woman.'
'What? So are you saying my great-aunt Matilda owns other stuff apart from Sunbeam Cottage and that if I live here for a year, I get it all? Every last penny of it?'
'Yes, Mia. That is exactly what I'm saying. And it's precisely what I tried to explain to you when we met. I apologise for failing to realise that you had not grasped the facts.'
'No, no. It was my fault, Mr Dale. And if I leave, that residuary estate goes to someone else? The person in the codicil?'
'Or persons. Yes. Exactly.'
'Is it … is it a very large estate? You said I'd be a very wealthy woman.'
'I can't divulge the exact amount until the end of the year, but yes. Miss Ward's estate, bearing in mind that it will also include Sunbeam Cottage and its contents, is a very large estate indeed. Even after taking into account the substantial sum of inheritance tax payable, the world, Miss Ward, sorry, Mia, would be your oyster. As I believe they say. So I'm sure you can see that it is definitely in your interest to stay the year. Having visited the property myself, although sadly, my visit was not the happiest experience, as I told you when we met, I do not believe that your great-aunt's bequest will prove to be an undue hardship, although it is certainly an unusual one. A most unusual one indeed. It raised a few questions for me, and my father before me, about the legal implications, but I assure you, it's all in order. I'll now find those papers and call you straight back.'
'Bloody Nora,' Ella said, when Mr Dale hung up the phone.
Garrick didn't say a word and nor did Mia. She was too astonished to speak.
Chapter Nineteen
Mia couldn't recall Mr Dale mentioning his visit at their meeting, but then neither could she recall most of what he had said. She clearly had not taken in much of it all. But she was in a state of shock at the time, having recently lost her job and her boyfriend, and was struggling to pay her rent. She was also searching for a new job. So it wasn't only the sudden 'appearance' of a dead, but until then completely unknown to her, great-aunt that was on her mind. It was hardly surprising that most of Mr Dale's information and advice had gone in one ear and out the other. She should have taken someone with her, or at the very least, asked Vernon Brett, her family's solicitor and friend to explain it to her. All she heard was that she could live rent free in a cottage for one year and then decide if she wanted to stay, and on top of that, she got ten thousand pounds. If she was completely honest, once she'd heard that the ten thousand would be in her account that afternoon, she hadn't really heard a word Mr Dale said afterwards. Images of her bank account being in the black for once, sort of drowned out everything else. But it was too late to worry about that now. She merely made a mental note to pay better attention in the future.
At least now she knew that somewhere in the attic room there was a safe, and that it probably contained Mattie's jewellery and possibly her laptop, and that Mr Dale would soon be calling her with the combination.
If only she could remember where on earth she had put that brown envelope. Not that it really mattered. If Mr Dale was having copies of everything delivered to her later that day, she could read it all this evening. Ella and Garrick would help her go through the inventory and it would be a relief to know where everything was and how it all worked, although so far, they had managed to find out most things for themselves.
It would be good to have the WiFi password though. She could send her mum emails, or messages on social media without the necessity of going to the pub, the top of Frog Hill, or climbing three hundred steps in the church steeple. This was only her third day here but she had felt oddly cut off from her mum, and it wasn't because Lori Ward was on a cruise ship somewhere. It was because Mia couldn't simply ping a text to her whenever she felt like it. Until coming here, she hadn't realised quite how dependant she was on modern technology.
Until coming here, she hadn't realised how dependant she was on her best friend Ella, either. And she definitely hadn't realised that she might not be quite so over her infatuation with Garrick as she thought she was. Until coming here.
'Well that's that then,' Garrick said, getting to his feet. 'There's nothing we can do until he calls back with the details, so I'll nip to the pub now for a quick coffee and I'll be back in half an hour or so.'
'That's it?' Ella queried. 'We've just heard that Mia could inherit a not-so-small fortune and all you've got to say is that you're going to the pub?'
He shrugged. 'What do you expect me to say? It's got nothing to do with me, has it? Besides, she hasn't got it yet. She doesn't get it for a year. I'll say congratulations then. In the meantime, things will carry on the way they are.'
'He's right,' Mia said. 'There's no point in thinking about that until this time next year. At which stage I'll either be homeless, or a very wealthy woman. I'm going for the second option, obviously, but a lot can happen in a year. A lot can happen in a couple of days, come to that.'
'True,' Ella said.
'I'm hoping quite a bit can happen in half an hour,' Garrick said, grinning and heading towards the front door. 'See you later.'
Ella gave him a little wave and leant towards Mia. 'I've just realised something. You don't have to pay any rent or bills for an entire year. You've got eight thousand pounds left in your account. The shops are miles away, so you won't be tempted to buy stuff, and the pub seems to be the entertainment hub around here. Unless you go completely bonkers with online shopping once we're connected to WiFi, you'll never need to work again. Eight grand will get you through the year and after that, you'll be loaded. Bloody Nora. I wish I had a great-aunt lurking somewhere. A life of luxury really appeals to me.'
'You're right,' Mia said.
She hadn't thought of that. Eight grand in London would last about two months. Here, it could easily see her through, especially with no bills to pay. Food, clothes, petrol and entertainment would be her only expenditure. She could probably even afford to go on holiday, if she wanted. Although living here was like a holiday. And the year would be gone before she knew it, if the last seven weeks were anything to go by. They had simply flown. One minute she was sitting in the solicitor's office, the next, she was here.
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'I wonder who the other person is,' Ella said, slouching across the table. 'Or persons. Didn't your mum say that all your dad's relatives were now dead?'
Mia nodded. 'Yes. But I suppose there could be other relatives we don't know about. Dad only mentioned Matilda once, as far as Mum remembers, but there could be others he didn't bother to mention at all.'
'That's hardly likely. Ostracising one family member is pretty cruel. Ostracising several would be downright evil.' She grinned at Mia. 'It could be your mum, I suppose. That would sort of keep it in the family.'
'It's possible. But I get the feeling it's more likely to be a charity or something. Don't ask me why, I just do. As far as we know, I'm Mattie's only living blood relative. Who would you leave your money to if you didn't have any family?'
'As I haven't got any money to leave, it's a moot point, but if I had, I'd probably leave it to you.'
Mia nodded. 'And if I didn't have Mum, I'd leave mine to you. I might be wrong about the charity thing. Perhaps Mattie did the same. Perhaps the person, or persons, in the codicil are friends.'
Ella laughed. 'Perhaps it's Hettie Burnstall.'
'Or maybe she has shared it equally among lots of people in the village.'
'Perhaps she had other friends who don't live around here.'
Mia grinned. 'She may have returned it to that gangster you think she stole it from.'
Ella laughed even louder. 'Or distributed equally amongst her many ex-lovers. All young men in their prime, of course.'
'Or maybe Mr Dale gets it, for services rendered by his father.'
'Or the vicar, to keep his bells in tip-top condition.'
They were still suggesting possible, but increasingly unlikely, potential beneficiaries almost half an hour later when their general silliness was interrupted by the phone. Mia managed to stop laughing, and answer it. It was Mr Dale calling back.
The Cottage on Lily Pond Lane-Part One_New beginnings Page 10