Save Her by Abigail Osborne (novel books to read .txt) 📗

It had now gotten to the stage that almost every word that Cecelia said poured fuel onto the already volcano-like rage that boiled within Flora. When she looked in the mirror, she was surprised she couldn’t see the flashes of orange lava glowing as it flowed through her veins. Her hatred for this woman was becoming part of her DNA. But she ignored the anger and kept it buried deep within, for Sam’s sake.

Cecelia was dressed impeccably in a black skirt and matching suit jacket with pearls gleaming at her neck, and her hair styled in her trademark chignon.

Flora imagined picking up the oranges in front of her and throwing them at Cecelia’s head. She could see in her mind’s eye Cecelia running from the house whilst she hurled oranges at her, some of them meeting their mark so that bursts of sticky citrus juice coated Cecelia’s clothes, strands of her perfect white hair falling chaotically around her face.

Flora’s fingers inched towards the fruit bowl, intoxicated by the tantalising daydream of a dishevelled Cecelia. The sound of the post falling onto the mat caused her to jump guiltily, and she quickly left the room to grab the letters, ignoring Cecelia’s complaints that ‘a Cavendish lady should not be getting the post. The help should be getting the post.’ Cecelia still hadn’t come to terms with the fact Flora had insisted that Sam get rid of his housekeeper if he wanted her to move in.

Cecelia – presumably fed up of not getting a reaction from Flora – left without saying goodbye. But Flora hadn’t even noticed. Her hands trembled as she had opened the letter stamped with the ‘Lucas & Jones Solicitors’. It was printed on thick, expensive paper. Official letters always made her nervous. Like when she drove past a police car, her heart would quicken even though she knew she hadn’t done anything wrong.

Dear Mrs. Cavendish,

It is with regret, that I am writing to inform you of the passing of your aunt, Pauline Sanderson. As the executor of your aunt’s will and as you are the only living relative of Ms. Sanderson I am writing to you to request an appointment at your earliest convenience to discuss some important matters in more depth. Please respond to this letter or call the number provided as soon as possible.

Our deepest condolences for your loss.

Yours sincerely

James Lucas

Senior Partner, Lucas & Jones Solicitors, LLB

A momentary sadness consumed Flora. Her last and only blood relative was now gone. She wasn’t surprised that no one had told her. She was sixteen the last time she had seen or spoken to Pauline. But then memories of her childhood rose up and poured cold water on any sparks of sadness she might have felt.

The day of her parents’ death, she had been taken to the hospital by a police car and introduced to a stranger who said she was her mother’s sister Pauline. She informed Flora that they were going to live together in her parents’ home, which had been left to Pauline in the will. ‘It’ll be such fun’. But the smile she gave Flora had made her shiver.

It did not take long for Flora to realise that all the malice and evil missing from her mother’s character had been given to Pauline. Pauline’s rancour towards her sister was evident from the first day she moved in. Everything that belonged to her mother was either sent to the tip or shoved away in the attic. The house was altered beyond recognition.

It was as though Pauline was on a personal mission to remove every trace of her sister. That included Flora. As soon as Flora was sixteen, she was unceremoniously evicted. A note was Sellotaped onto a pile of bin bags filled with her belongings. ‘Time to stand on your own two feet.’

The day after she received the solicitor’s letter, Flora found herself sitting in a respectable office, with a glass table and a friendly, professional man staring at her with concern. James Lucas had had to call in his receptionist to bring Flora a glass of water because she looked like she may faint or be sick.

Flora had stood up and looked out of the window, shocked that her aunt hated her that much that she wished to leave her entire estate to the ‘British Arachnological Society’. A charity for spiders for heaven’s sake. But Mr Lucas wasn’t done.

‘It was only when finalising the details of your aunt’s estate that I discovered that 5 Trelawney Close was actually part of a trust and could not be considered part of your aunt’s estate. This is why I have called you here today. According to your parents’ will, the house was to be held in a trust, with your aunt and her late husband named as trustees, until you turned eighteen.’

At this, Flora had staggered backwards, her legs also in shock lost their primary function of holding her up and she felt herself collapse. As the ground rushed towards her, Mr Lucas jumped to his feet and pushed her into a seat before she could fall to the floor. The receptionist thrust the glass of water into Flora’s shaking hands and stalked back out the room, oblivious to the bomb that had just gone off in Flora’s mind. That her entire childhood had been shaped by the lie of one woman. She didn’t seem to care what Flora had suffered since her parents’ death and that she was just uncovering the extent of her aunt’s deception.

In stilted sentences, Flora informed Mr Lucas that her aunt had neglected her duties as trustee and instead told Flora that she was the sole beneficiary of her parents’ will. Flora was tempted to ask where her aunt was buried so she could dig her up and kill her again.

9

‘She did what!’ Sophie’s head jerked back as if she’d been slapped. She couldn’t process what she was hearing. Rage was building within her and she