‘Actually,so are you, Roy,’ said Fran. She smiled at Mr Addison, who did seem a bit embarrassed, but also pleased. ‘I hope the results were good?’ she added.
‘They were perfect, thank you,’ he said. ‘Now, getting back to the matter in hand.To my husband’s distant cousin from Australia, Roy Jones, because he’s always expressed such a deep love for the farm, I leave—’
Fran clenched everything, including Antony’s hand, which she found in hers although she didn’t remember holding it.
‘—the picture of the farm that hangs over the fireplace.’
Everyone exhaled at the same time. Of course it didn’t mean Roy hadn’t got the farm, it just meant Amy was keeping everyone on tenterhooks a little longer.
‘I don’t want a crappy painting!’ said Roy disgustedly.
‘We all know what you want,’ said Tig. ‘If you keep quiet you may find out if you’re going to get it.’
Mr Addison cleared his throat. ‘I’m reading Amy’s words now:
‘I had a very hard job deciding who to leave the farm to. It’s been in my husband’s family for many generations, going from father to son or in some instances to a nephew. It’s never been left to a woman, although I myself ran it for many years. It has not been easy to decide who should have it now.’
‘Couldn’tyou cut to the chase?’ Roy spat out the words. ‘I have an important meeting to go to directly after this.’
‘You’re all right, Roy,’ said Tig, the only one who knew his fate. ‘The pubs will stay open for hours longer.’
‘Please, Roy! Stop interrupting!’ said Fran.
‘Maybe I should point out that the bulk of this was written shortly after Roy came to England,’ said Mr Addison. ‘Mrs Flowers made several amendments to her will quite recently.’
‘She liked to change her will,’ said Mrs Jenkins. ‘She called it fine-tuning. Mr Addison was always in and out.’
Fran bit her lip. This probably meant that Roy was definitely going to inherit.
‘Perhaps we could press on?’ suggested Antony, sounding polite and businesslike in contrast to Roy’s impatience.
‘You’re mentioned, Mr Arlingham,’ said Mrs Jenkins, blushing slightly as she addressed Antony.
‘Really?’ Antony expressed everyone else’s amazement. ‘But Mrs Flowers had no time for my family. You could even say she hated us.’
‘She changed her mind,’ said Mrs Jenkins. ‘Mr Addison? Why not read out the bit referring to Mr Arlingham?’
Roy was visibly biting his tongue. Fran was less desperate. She felt fairly certain that Roy was goingtoget the farm and while she wanted to know for sure, she could wait. She was so delighted about Tig’s inheritance that her own had become less important to her. At least Tig having the bull and some heifers meant the bloodline of the herd would survive and he and Issi could plan for the future.
‘She says …’ Mr Addison referred to his papers, obviously looking for the place. ‘I have changed my long-held opinion of Mr Arlingham and no longer have any objection if he wishes to marry Francesca.’
Fran looked at the table and Antony held her hand tightly. ‘Well, that’s good news, isn’t it?’ he said.
As Antony and she hadn’t discussed marriage, per se, Fran felt desperately embarrassed. But also extremely happy.
‘I am trying to be patient,’ said Roy, perspiring with the effort of keeping his temper, ‘but could we please get on?’
‘Maybe we should put the poor man out of his misery,’ said Mrs Jenkins.
Something in the way she looked at Roy gave Fran a flicker of hope.
‘Very well,’ said Mr Addison, ‘but I do have to read everything she said. Mrs Flowers was very insistent that I do so.’
Roy made a sound that was a combination of a groan and a sigh.
Mr Addison obviously felt that Roy had suffered enough:
‘Overthe past weeks I’ve had an opportunity to get to know the two young relatives I wrote to last year, looking for the right heir to Hill Top Farm. The decision I have made will be considered controversial by many but in order to help me decide which of them should take on the responsibility of my land and my precious herd, I set a little test.’
