Chapter 14: Inheritance

As they entered the sitting room the telephone rang and Bernhardt answered it, “Jawohl?”

...

After a moment he looked up at Jane and asked, “Are you expecting a Mr. James to be at the gate asking for Lady Johnson?”

“No,” she replied, obviously mystified.

“Was will er?” Bernhardt asked the gate.

...

“Warum?”

...

“Passieren Sie ihn dann,” he told them and put the telephone down. To Jane he said, “Apparently he’s a lawyer of some sort,” but he did not give any hint of the reason for that worthy’s visit.

Jane wondered, I can’t imagine why a lawyer would want to see me.

They moved into the meeting room and a few minutes later the man entered. He was a man so obviously a lawyer that he must have been born into the job, as indeed he had, inheriting the firm from his father.

Jane duly introduced herself, Bernhardt and the Count.

“Of course, my Lady; I had no doubt, as you resemble your portrait so closely. I am the junior Mr. James of DuPree, Wetherby, Morrison, Morrison, James, and James, Solicitors and Notaries Public, and I am the executor of the estate of the late Sir Henry Johnson...”

“Executor? Late? Do you mean that Henry has died?” asked Jane.

“Tut, tut,” said Mr. James, “do you mean that nobody contacted you? That explains why you were not at the funeral or at the reading of the will. It was most unsatisfactory, reading a will in a totally empty room. Most unbecoming.”

“Oh dear. That must have been depressing, but why were none of the people mentioned in the will there?” asked Jane.

“My Lady, you are the only legatee named in his will. I am here to inform you of everything material and also relevant considerations,” said Mr. James, “You inherit the estate, a large fortune, and all his other assets.”

“What does that come to?” asked the Count, “and if it is important enough to chase her all over the country, why is not a more senior partner involved?”

Mr. James looked at Jane, and when she nodded he replied, “To answer the second question, I am the most senior partner in the firm, since Messrs DuPree, Wetherby and the elder Morrison are deceased while Messrs Morrison junior, and James senior no longer participate in the professional activities of the partnership. In answer to the first question, I cannot be exact, but it will amount to several millions, with enough in cash and liquid assets to run the estate for many years to come. We will continue to act as the owner’s representatives as we have been for some time, if that is your wish My Lady.”

“You said ‘and relevant considerations’. What did you mean?” asked Jane.

“My Lady, by relevant considerations I meant that in his last will and testament, made some two months ago when Sir Henry knew he was dying, he repudiated the divorce and acknowledged paternity of your son, so the infant inherits the baronetcy and is now Sir Joachim Johnson.”

“Was there no provision for Lady Margery Jennings in the will?” asked Jane.

“That is another problem,” Mr. James made a truly disapproving face, “She is still in residence at Johnson Hall and simply claims that Sir Henry would have said she could stay on. In fact she asserts that he told her that that was his intention. I have seen nothing to indicate the veracity of her claim.”

Jane turned to Mr. James and said, “Thank you, Mr. James. That will be all for now. Bernhardt will get you some refreshment.”

Thus dismissed, the two men went out of the meeting room, leaving Jane alone with the Count.

“Want do you want to do now?” asked the Count.

“Don’t tempt me, father of my son, and maybe of my next child,” she answered, “But first we must go to the Hall and get rid of Margery. I’ll move in today and send her packing. Perhaps...” her voice tailed off.

“Perhaps what?”

“Well, she might be willing to take over here, but she might not want to service all three of them?”