The Legacy: Trouble Comes Disguised As Family (Unspoken Book 2) by T. Belshaw (the best books to read .txt) 📗

‘Just the small one for now,’ replied Jessica. She smiled across the table to her great aunt. ‘We can always get a half bottle if you like it.’

Martha shook her head. ‘Money to burn.’

Marjorie got to her feet and smoothed down her plaid, smock dress, then sat down again. She looked around excitedly. ‘It’s been ages since we’ve been out in the evening, hasn’t it, Martha?’

‘It has,’ replied Martha, looking directly at Jess. ‘But there is a good reason for that.’

Jessica blew out her cheeks and let the air out slowly.

‘All right, Grandma. I was hoping to get through the meal before the conversation turned to money, but as it has, let’s get started. What, exactly, do you expect me to do?’

Martha, snorted.

‘Expect? I expect nothing, Jessica, but I hoped that you’d be sympathetic to my…’ she looked sideways at Marjorie, ‘to our, plight.’

‘I could use a bit of help, too, as you know,’ added Nicola.

Martha glared at her daughter.

‘You’ve been at it already have you, trying to undermine us? I thought we had an agree—’ She cut herself off mid-sentence.

Jessica tried to make light of it and gave a little laugh. ‘So, you were all set to gang up on me, were you?’

‘It seemed to be the sensible approach,’ said Martha, staring hard at Nicola.

‘Well, whatever approach you decided on, the answer is still the same, Grandma. I can’t access the money in the trust fund without the agreement of two, third party trustees, and they will make their decisions on Nana’s instructions, and those instructions state, that no money of substance is to be handed over to any of her daughters or granddaughters. I couldn’t do it if I wanted to.’ Jess held out her hands palms up.

‘There is always a way.’ Martha leaned across the table towards Jessica. ‘We just have to find it.’

Jess bit her lip, and waited to speak until the waitress had finished pouring the wine. Nicola drained half her glass in one go, while Marjorie took a tentative sip of the rosé.

‘Ooh, I say. That is gorgeous,’ she said, and took another, larger, sip.

‘I think we’ll take the half bottle too,’ Jess said.

‘And I’ll have a gin and tonic, double measures,’ added Nicola quickly.

When the waitress had gone, Jess sipped her own drink and looked across at Martha with a serious look on her face.

‘Right, Grandma. It’s like this. I get a certain amount from the estate every year. I have to pay tax on it, but I can supplement it with any earnings I make from my writing, so, as I don’t have to pay rent anymore, I’m a lot better off than I used to be.’

‘That goes without saying,’ replied Martha. ‘Listen, Jessica, we don’t want your money, we want our share of the estate, or at least some of it.’

‘I can’t do that, Grandma,’ said Jess firmly. ‘But!’ she held up her hand to request silence, ‘if it’s a holiday you need, then I might be able to give you the money for that from my annual allowance.’

‘I wasn’t thinking of a weekend in Rhyl,’ said Martha, testily.

‘Nor was I,’ replied Jessica. ‘I think I can get you two on a reasonably priced cruise in January if you’d like that.’

Marjorie lurched forwards almost knocking her wine glass over.

‘A cruise? Where to? How long? Will I need a new hat?’

Martha looked suspiciously at her granddaughter.

‘It’s a start, I suppose. But you’re not buying us off that cheaply.’

‘A cruise,’ Marjorie whispered as the waitress returned with the extra drinks and asked if they were ready to order.

They decided to skip the starter. Martha ordered Dover Sole for herself and Marjorie, while Jess went for a vegetarian pasta dish. Nicola took a deep pull on her gin and ordered the same as Jessica.

‘Better put something inside to soak it up,’ she said.

They ate the meal in silence. Nicola just picking at hers. After a few minutes, she looked over her shoulder towards the bar, then announced she needed to visit the toilet.

Jessica watched as she made her way to the bar. After a quick word at the counter, she visited the lady’s room, then returned to the bar where she tipped back a glassful of clear liquid before walking back to her seat. The waitress appeared a few minutes later with another glass of gin. Martha, who hadn’t seen her at the bar, noticed the refill.

‘Steady on. We aren’t on a hen night you know.’

Nicola curled up her lip. ‘Stop telling me what I can and can’t do, Mother. I’m a big girl now.’

‘Then bloody well act like one,’ snapped Martha.

Nicola picked up her glass and raised a toast. ‘To our Jessica. Who holds all of our futures in her beautifully manicured hands.’

‘Don’t, Mum.’ Jessica reached out towards Nicola.

‘Don’t what?’ Nicola drained the gin and reached for the wine bottle.

‘Don’t be like that, Mum. You know I’ll look after you if I can.’

Nicola poured the wine unsteadily, spilling some of it onto the tablecloth. She picked up the glass and took a mouthful.

‘Like filling my meter with gas?’

‘If that’s what you need, then yes.’

‘Have you been stupid enough to give her money? You know what she’ll do with it,’ said Martha.

Marjorie poured herself another glass of rosé and took a big gulp. ‘She’ll pour it down the drain,’ she giggled to herself. ‘We know what Nicola does with money, don’t we, Martha?’

Martha gave her a look. ‘Easy with that stuff or you’ll end up like her.’ She nodded across the table towards Nicola.

‘Grandma, Mum, stop it,’ Jessica pleaded.

Martha put her knife and fork side by side on the plate and dabbed at her mouth with a linen napkin.

‘I’m warning you, Jessica. Don’t give her money.’

‘I’m going to try to work out a financial plan for her,’ said Jessica. ‘The first thing is to get her out of that awful house; it’s damp, it’s dirty and she deserves to be somewhere a lot nicer than that.’

Martha shrugged. ‘Where? She wouldn’t pay the