"I was not happy with the invitation, but I had to respond. I did not want to be seen as a threat to those expectant heirs, but now Dame Alice had put a target on my back. I did not want to know to what lengths they would go to get rid of the threat I represented.
"Dame Alice was curious about my "side" of the family, and I kept the information as small as possible. I made it seem that I was ashamed of the genteel poverty I had supposedly endured, and after a while she sighed and gave up."
-0-
"I always wondered about your ancestor. Why did he leave so suddenly?"
"From what they told me, he was not willing to go, but was forced up the gangplank by some ruffians hired by his uncle and told to be thankful that they had no orders to kill him."
"And then the uncle was killed, and his young bride fell to her death."
I sighed. "I cannot tell you anything about that. When it happened, my ancestor was already at sea."
"Yes, I suppose so. Still sometimes I am curious."
-0-
"She then went down to business. She had to choose an administrator for the fortune. She did not think much of Frederick, Thomas, or Kevin. Either of them would run the business into the ground. It had to be Theresa. Too bad that women were barred from so many things that they could do competently. But she could be made responsible for the business, and give allowances to her brothers, to be increased or decreased according to their behavior.
-0-
"The problem is that she has fallen under the sway of this fake holy man, Reverend Joseph Moore, and she may be overly generous with him."
'You may make her an administrator and pay her a salary, with the understanding that whatever charitable contributions she makes should come out of her salary and have her audited to make sure that she is not using business funds. Have your lawyer stipulate that."
"I am afraid that once I am gone, she will fire Miriam and have Reverend Moore choose a teacher for the children."
"So, make it that Miriam is paid by the estate, and any other teacher's salary must come from Theresa's salary. Unless Miriam must leave in which case Miriam chooses her replacement."
"Yes, that would work. Thanks, Mr. Amos Benchley, if that is really your name."
-0-
"I went down the stairs and faced the anxious heirs."
-0-
"It is a shame I could not have met her earlier. But do not worry. She did not include my name among the beneficiaries."
"Who has she chosen?"
"It comes down to Frederick's children. As for the administrator, she wants to make sure that whoever it is will not mismanage the business and drive it to bankruptcy. Remember, the original business was building boats, using easily available wood. But now that ships are made of metal, that business is gone. "
-0-
"They were not happy with what I told, but they allowed me to get out without knifing me in the back. There is nothing more murderous than an expectant heir who fears losing out.
"And indeed, Thomas took action on his own. He went to see one Evan Terrence."