The Legacy Read Online Free PDF Page B

surprised,’ he nodded. ‘It’s been a terrible ordeal, quite disgraceful. I’ll be in touch tomorrow and we can arrange a meeting in London. In the meantime, we do nothing.’
    â€˜Aren’t you going to send Alan the documents?’
    â€˜No, let him ask for them; and I shall take my time. Give someone like that an inch and they’ll grab a mile. It seems we’re going to have a fight on our hands, but we’ll fight it at our pace. Trust me.’
    â€˜I do,’ she said, ‘but tell me about Mr Wallberg; he says he’s going to be working with you.’ Humfrey noticed the slight frown and guessed that she and Wallberg were not compatible.
    â€˜It’s Ruben’s idea,’ he explained. ‘Rolf Wallberg is one of the best young legal brains in Stockholm, and not only there; he’s worked in France and Germany and he’s very highly recommended.’ He smiled briefly. ‘I’m quite glad he’s not going to be permanent. He’s far too sharp for my liking; we’d all have to watch our backs. But seriously, he’ll be a real asset; he wouldn’t have been assigned to work on your affairs otherwise.’
    Christina accepted it. ‘I’m sure you’re right. So we wait for my stepson to make the next move, if he does decide to make one.’
    Humfrey asked in his quiet voice, ‘And do you think he won’t?’
    â€˜No, I’m sure he will. Whatever his lawyers advise, he’ll fight the will; he’s never listened to anyone in his life.’
    â€˜That’s my opinion, too,’ Humfrey agreed. ‘Well, goodbye, Mrs Farrington. I’m taking Rolf back with me. One of us will call you as soon as we hear anything. And don’t worry, however much trouble he causes, he won’t win. The trust and the will are unbreakable. Good night.’ He shook hands and gave hers a friendly squeeze. He was a nice man, a man with genuine feeling in him. She hoped she would be dealing with him rather than Rolf Wallberg.
    â€˜You’re doing ninety,’ Fay Farrington protested. The grey Bentley gave no impression of speed. It devoured the motorway miles as silently as if it were on an air cushion. Alan Farrington didn’t answer but he eased his speed. She was the only person he ever listened to and no-one in business, friendship or family circles knew what her secret was. But he did; he’d always known, from the first time he met her. It wasn’t just that she was pretty, with light-brown hair and big grey eyes, a neat figure … there were countless girls with the same sexy equipment. But this one was different; she was on his side, as simple as that. Whatever he said or did or felt, was right in her eyes. It had made him love her, and it gave her a power over him that nobody else had ever had. With Fay he wasn’t alone; he was at war with his father, but she was ready to fight with him. Over the years they had grown closer, more united. There were two small children; he was a doting father and his extravagant indulgence of his boys was balanced by a firm discipline from her. Fay glanced at the speedometer and relaxed. He had nine speeding points on his licence. The Bentley was a provocation to a number of traffic police; his rudeness and aggression always tipped the odds in favour of a prosecution.
    â€˜That bastard,’ he said, staring at the road ahead.
    â€˜Which one? Your father or that wimp James?’
    â€˜Both of them,’ he said. His mind was on James at that moment. ‘Oiling round them. Pretending to side with us. What a little prick!’
    Fay didn’t answer. She had never liked James; she felt he was more overawed than loyal and she despised him for it. She laid a hand on Alan’s knee. ‘Don’t let him worry you, darling, he’s not worth it. He’ll come crawling back to you, he always has.’ Alan might forgive because he was in need of