The Philanthropist's Danse (36 page)

Jeremy relaxed when he saw Dennis was sincere. The effort of saying anything had not been easy, and he shook the offered hand warmly. “I have been given this property, just now, in fact. I had no idea Mr. Thurwell was going to do that, but he has and I consider myself richly rewarded. Thank you for your words, they mean something coming from a man I know Mr. Thurwell valued highly. I heard your name on many occasions and was always curious about who it was in the city that did everything right, all the time. I actually found myself competing with you, though we never met.”

Jeremy stole a quick glance at his watch, an action Dennis took as a cue to leave. The men shook hands warmly, and Dennis invited the major-domo to visit the city apartment he had inherited, an invitation Jeremy readily accepted.

Dennis returned to the library with a warm glow in his heart at finding the major-domo was a like-minded man that understood duty and loyalty. He had felt awkward approaching Jeremy, but now it was done, he hoped they had sparked a friendship. Freddie and the others were enjoying themselves and welcomed Dennis back into the group, where they stayed and drank until Betty cried uncle and they staggered off to their rooms for the last time.

J
eremy and William were up early the last morning. The major-domo had arrived with hot coffee and toast at the lawyer’s door before six. Everyone was to be served breakfast in their rooms, the lawyer did not want any opportunity for trouble in the last hours.

The sun shone weakly through a winter haze, but the snow had stopped, and the driveway had been plowed and sanded in preparation for the procession of cars already on their way from the city.

William looked at the report from the Swiss bank that had arrived overnight. It confirmed the transfers and balances of all the accounts. The guests could call the bank as soon as they left the mansion from the secure telephone in each vehicle. Once the formalities of account verification were over, the guests would be free to do whatever they wished with their fortunes.

The lawyer entered the confirmation numbers into his laptop and waited with a hot coffee for the first car to arrive.

$

Winnie Tremethick had not slept well, she was afraid of missing her flight and her head was too full of thoughts of her old lover. Her bag was packed and by the door. Winnie sat on the couch in her coat and gloves and waited for someone to tell her when it was time to leave. She had been in that position since five-thirty, even though she knew it would be around eight when the car came.

Eventually Jeremy appeared at her door with another man who picked up her bags and disappeared with them. She took Jeremy’s offered arm, charmed as usual by his perfect manners as he escorted her to the lobby where William waited. “Mrs. Tremethick, I’m happy to report the aircraft is ready and your flight to Exeter is looking good. With no bad weather forecast, you should enjoy a comfortable trip.”

She smiled, Winnie had forgotten in her excitement about returning home that she had actually spent a considerable amount of time of the first flight of her life being terrified. “I’m glad to be leaving, Mr. Bird. No disrespect to you or to Charlie, but this has been an uncomfortable week and I am glad to be out of it.”

William smiled and shook her hand before handing her off to Jeremy, who led her to a waiting Lincoln Town Car. Moments later she was gone, the only trace of her car was lingering exhaust vapor that hung like a layer of fog on the driveway. Winnie Tremethick would be home in England in a little over nine hours.

William still had eleven more guests to see off. He looked at Jeremy and agreed that another cup of coffee was an excellent idea while they waited.

$

At nine forty-five, Jeremy’s staff collected each guest’s luggage and arranged it in neat rows in the lobby. The driveway filled with a convoy of black Lincolns. A few of the drivers had collected in the lead vehicle to share some company and coffee while they waited for the clock to reach ten.

At exactly ten, Jeremy and his staff collected the guests. Only Philip remained in his room with a man still at his door. William greeted each person as they arrived in the lobby and shook their hand before Jeremy escorted them to a vehicle and checked the correct bags were in the trunk.

Freddie Hagood left first. He shook Bird’s hand warmly and waved to the others as he jumped into the back of his car with a sense of purpose. He wanted to get to the city and break the news of his old friend’s death. The Hagood Business Network would own the breaking news and Freddie would make a lot of money from it.

$

There was an awkward moment when the Elliots arrived in the lobby. Janice refused to talk to her husband and insisted on a separate car. Dennis looked defeated, but had known this was likely. He even thought it might be for the best, but it still hurt. His wife had not been honest with him this week, a realization he had been slow to come to, but that he remembered as he watched her leave without him.

He shook hands with the lawyer and told him that he was going to the city and his new luxury home. There was also the matter of a gambling debt to take care of, but he didn’t mention that. He reminded Jeremy of the standing invitation to visit the city before the car door closed, and the car pulled smoothly away.

One by one, the guests took their leave of the mansion, Camille shared Bethany’s car as the sisters left holding hands, looking forward to a future together. Betty Freah gave Jeremy and William a kiss and a hug before she hopped into her car. She took a last look at the mansion, and a wistful look remained on her face the entire journey home.

Larry MacLean left without acknowledging anyone around him, he was anxious to get back to his boat. He needed to see sunlight sparkle on a bright blue sea and in the eyes of a meaningless young thing to forget the cold, painful days at the mansion.

Caroline Smith refused to shake William’s hand. She had not slept knowing a criminal investigation would be her only welcome home. It even dampened her eagerness to see her family again. She thought about asking the driver to take her somewhere she would be hard to find, where she could send for her family. It was a vain hope. She knew she would return to the city, she had no choice.

$

Ron Freeman parted with warm words and a smile. He was going back to Georgia via New York and told Bird he was going to book a first-class seat on the first flight he could catch out of the city. William was polite as he saw the Judge off, but his thoughts were dark as he watched him go.

William had been fortunate this morning to recall the comment Jeremy had made the previous night and had questioned the major-domo about it when he delivered his breakfast. William had been shocked to learn the Judge had delivered the note to Jeremy.

Fortunately, the major-domo had not opened the envelope and returned it without protest. William watched the Judge’s car disappear up the long curving driveway, happy to see the back of the vengeful man. He would need to find a way to make Freeman believe Philip had been dealt with, or the Judge might continue his quest for revenge.

$

Junior watched the others leave without acknowledging any of them, even his sisters. He stepped up to William, but kept as much distance as he could so he didn’t appear too short when he stood next to the lawyer. “Well, Bill, I hope you’re satisfied with what you’ve done here. You enabled my feeble minded father to steal vast portions of my inheritance and humiliate the family into the bargain. May you rot for it.”

The lawyer swallowed a sharp retort. There was no point starting a fight. Junior needed the last word as a matter of course, and William conceded it. He watched as Jeremy walked the embittered son to the last but one limousine. Junior climbed in without so much as a glance at his father’s mansion, and his car disappeared into the fog left by the other departing vehicles.

Jeremy returned to the lobby and stamped snow and sand off his boots and uttered a loud sigh as he looked at the lawyer. “Just young Mr. Philip left, sir. How long do we give the others before we let him leave?” William decided an hour was plenty of time to reduce the chance that Philip might encounter any of the others on the return journey. The major-domo nodded and set his staff about cleaning the lobby.

The lawyer went to his office to warm up. The lobby had chilled with the constant opening of doors for the guests to depart. Once behind his desk, he set about packing his documents into his briefcase and secured his laptop in its carry case. A car was booked to collect him at noon, he could expect to be in the city for dinner, a prospect he heartily anticipated. He had booked a table at his favorite midtown restaurant and had invited his wife to join him.

$

One hour after the others had departed, Philip was escorted to the lobby. He looked nervously over his shoulder at the major-domo as he realized there were no other guests to see if he got safely out of the mansion. He looked at William with a wary eye. “So, this is it Bill? I’m to just go and be forgotten, is that it?”

The lawyer nodded. “Yes, Phil, that is the plan. Your sister said she would help you, if you need it. You can leave here and start over with a clean slate, although I advise you against making any trips to Georgia. The Judge is less forgiving than I.”

Philip had no intention of heading any further south than Atlantic City. “I blame you, Bird. I might have gone too far, I see that, but I blame you for disinheriting me. I’ll never forgive you.”

William could see the anger in the young man’s eyes. “Are you going to be a problem, Phil? I hope I’m not going to have to look over my shoulder for you, because I’m not prepared to live like that.” His eyes flicked over Philip’s shoulder and caught Jeremy’s.

The major-domo stepped forward a half pace, moving into Philip’s peripheral vision. Philip saw the look and the motion behind him, and raised his hands to show he meant no harm. “No, wait a minute. I don’t mean that I’d threaten you.”

He looked over his shoulder and shuddered when he saw Jeremy’s hard eyes. “Call off your dog, Bill. I just want to leave, okay? Let me get out of here, and you’ll never hear from me again, I swear it.”

The lawyer kept his expression grim. The plan he’d concocted with Jeremy to put a scare into Philip before setting him loose was working well, but he needed to sell the last act. “I want to believe you, Philip. I do. If I ever see you unexpectedly, or think you might have changed your mind about me or anyone else you might blame, Jeremy will come for you. Am I clear?”

He saw a look of terror on Philip’s face and knew he had hit the target. “Okay, I get it. I’m not as dumb as you think, Bill. Here, let’s shake on it, okay?” He offered his hand and the lawyer waited two beats before taking it and giving it a peremptory shake. “Get out of here, Philip, your car is waiting.”

Jeremy escorted a shaken Philip to the waiting car and William saw a few words exchanged before the door was closed, and the car pulled away, taking with it the lawyer’s last responsibility.

$

Jeremy returned to the lobby but did not disturb William, who was in his own world. He sent a man to collect the lawyer’s luggage while he collected the briefcase and laptop. As usual, his timing was perfect as the last limousine appeared through the thin mist and approached the entrance. “This one is for you, sir. Here, slip your coat on, it’s cold out there.”

William let the major-domo help him put his heavy cashmere coat on and smiled. “I’ll take those two bags in the back with me, please Jeremy. I can work on the journey.” He saw his instructions carried out immediately as he stepped outside for the first time since the afternoon Philip had attacked him. The cold stung his face, and he drew a sharp breath as the wind blew. He lowered his head to avoid the worst of the icy day and hurried to where Jeremy held the door open. The two men shook hands warmly. “Thank you for everything, Jeremy.”

The other man nodded, ushered his charge into the car and closed the door after him. The driver moved away from the curb at a sedate pace and William watched the mansion fade into the winter mist until it seemed like a dream instead of a real place.

The car pulled onto the road and turned south, heading for the city. William eyed his briefcase wearily and decided it could wait a few moments. He closed his eyes to the snow-covered trees as they whisked by outside the window and before he had traveled a mile from the main gate of the mansion, fell fast asleep.

W
innie Tremethick was tired but excited as the driver turned at the village Church onto her lane for the last mile of her remarkable journey. Since leaving the mansion, she had thought about nothing but the extraordinary time she had spent in America and about how it would feel to see her farm again. The place hadn’t changed much in the long years since her brief romance with the future philanthropist, so it was hardly likely to have changed in the last week.

She felt a thrill when she saw the moss-covered roof of the farmhouse appear in the headlights, and she asked the driver to pull into the yard. She stepped out of the car as soon as it stopped moving, not waiting for the driver to open the door. She took a deep breath of the fresh, damp air, infused with familiar scents of home she loved.

She frowned when she detected the smell of a wood-burning fire and looked more closely at her house. There was a light on in the kitchen, and someone had started a fire in her old range, but no one should be here. The driver stood with her bags as she fumbled in her pocket for her key, and she asked him to stay and see her into the house.

As she approached the door, it swung open, and she saw the silhouette of a tall man framed in the light. Winnie felt the breath leave her body as she watched him step out with his arms open wide. “Welcome home, we’ve been waiting for you.”

She fell into her son’s arms and saw a second figure appear over his shoulder, her daughter. The driver placed her bags inside the house and quietly took his leave, seeing the old lady embraced by her son and daughter in his headlights as he drove from the yard.

Winnie looked into her son’s eyes with confusion on her face. He gave her the answers she needed as he led her into the warm, welcoming kitchen. “We got a call from America a few days ago, telling us to get here as soon as possible. The caller was a Mr. Bird, and he said he was a lawyer. He sent a car for me and a fancy private plane for Joy, just to make sure we would be here. I don’t know what you’ve been up to, mother, but he was insistent we be home when you returned.”

Winnie quietly blessed the lawyer, now an ocean away. She moved around the small kitchen to hug and kiss her grown children. “Oh I’ve got so much to tell you, let me get my coat off.” They helped her settle, and her daughter delivered her a steaming mug of tea, which she gratefully accepted. “Sit down, both of you. Let me look at you.”

They were as bemused by recent events as she had been when she had been summoned to America. “I have to tell you a story, it’s about a man I met and loved after your father died.” The brother and sister shared a surprised look and leaned forward, each holding one of their mother’s hands as she told her tale into the night.

The kitchen light spilled onto the worn cobbles of the farmyard until nearly three in the morning, when the family retired for the night with the surprising knowledge that their rich mother had been the undying love of a distant philanthropist.