Mr Charlton thanked her politely, but declined. Then, clearing his throat, he proceeded to the reading of the will, all members of the family being assembled.
He read it with a certain relish, lingering over its more obscure phraseology, and savouring its legal technicalities.
He came to the end, took off his glasses, wiped them, and looked round on the assembled company inquiringly.
Harry Lee said:
‘All this legal stuff’s a bit hard to follow. Give us the bare bones of it, will you?’
‘Really,’ said Mr Charlton. ‘It’s a perfectly simple will.’
Harry said:
‘My God, what’s a difficult will like then?’
Mr Charlton rebuked him with a cold glance. He said:
‘The main provisions of the will are quite simple. Half Mr Lee’s property goes to his son, Mr Alfred Lee, the remainder is divided between his other children.’
Harry laughed unpleasantly. He said:
‘As usual, Alfred’s struck lucky! Half my father’s fortune! Lucky dog, aren’t you, Alfred?’
Alfred flushed. Lydia said sharply:
‘Alfred was a loyal and devoted son to his father. He’s managed the works for years and has had all the responsibility.’
Harry said: ‘Oh, yes, Alfred was always the good boy.’
Alfred said sharply:
‘You may consider yourself lucky, I think, Harry, that my father left you anything at all!’
Harry laughed, throwing his head back. He said:
‘You’d have liked it better if he’d cut me right out, wouldn’t you? You’ve always disliked me.’
Mr Charlton coughed. He was used—only too well used—to the painful scenes that succeeded the reading of a will. He was anxious to get away before the usual family quarrel got too well under way.
He murmured:
‘I think—er—that that is all that I need—er—’
Harry said sharply: ‘What about Pilar?’
Mr Charlton coughed again, this time apologetically.
‘Er—Miss Estravados is not mentioned in the will.’
Harry said: Doesn’t she get her mother’s share?’
Mr Charlton explained.
‘Sen˜ora Estravados, if she had lived, would of course have received an equal share with the rest of you, but as she is dead, the portion that would have been hers goes back into the estate to be shared out between you.’
Pilar said slowly in her rich Southern voice:
‘Then—I have—nothing?’