Alex nodded to the lawyers to begin and they started by naming all the beneficiaries. Edward had forgotten no one. Dewint had been left more than five hundred thousand pounds. There were names no one had ever heard of: Jodie, Sylvia, and all the girls from Notting Hill Gate had been left five or ten thousand pounds. Many employees, including Miss Henderson, were generously remembered, of course... the list was endless.
Evelyn wanted it to go on, and on, and on — it gave him time to look at his cousin Jinks. He could not believe that this was the gawky, nervous girl from France. He continued to stare at her until she turned and gave him a look of total contempt. She pointed to a glass, and he filled it with champagne, passed it along to her.
At long last the lawyers turned to their last file. Alex puffed on his cigar. He couldn’t help wondering what Edward had left to his now exceptionally glamorous niece.
The lawyer coughed and someone passed him a glass of water, which he sipped, then he licked his lips. ‘We come now to the final section of the late Edward Barkley’s will...’
Alex leaned forward slightly, looking at the date on the will. He could see it quite clearly — 15 March 1987, shortly before Edward’s death. This meant it could not possibly be the same document Alex had passed to the lawyers. He made an involuntary move towards the document, and the lawyer hesitated. He coughed again, pulled the will closer, and began to read...
‘To my daughter, Juliana Harriet Barkley, I leave three million pounds, to be signed over immediately. On her twenty-first birthday, a further one million...’
The colour drained from her face. She waited for them to continue, her heart thudding... The lawyer looked at Alex, and got as far as saying that Alex would retain his half-share in the Barkley Company and would receive a further two million when Alex snatched the will and read for himself what was written.
Edward Barkley had left to Evelyn, on condition that he publicly announced he was Edward’s son, his entire fortune, plus all his shares in the Barkley Company. In other words, Evelyn was now Alex’s partner. No cheque, not a single document, could be sent out from the Barkley Company without a double signature. The power, only just tasted, held for so short a time, slipped out of Alex’s hands.
His initial shock subsided into a calm, deep rage. Edward had cheated him, even in death. With every ounce of control he possessed, Alex stood up and walked out of the room. He passed his son, Edward’s son, with nothing more than a cursory glance. Evelyn lifted his hand as if to stop him, but Alex brushed past him. He was quickly followed by Barbara, who almost snapped her fingers to her daughters and their husbands to leave with her.
Evelyn was confused — they were looking at him with such hatred, such open loathing... He banged the table suddenly. ‘What the hell is going on? What does he mean? What does this mean?’
Evelyn held up the will, and Barbara snatched it from him, threw it back to the lawyers. ‘He wants you to announce that you are his bastard, don’t you understand plain English? All your life he wanted you, tried to get you, but he couldn’t... Now he’s grabbed at you, making fools of us all, from his grave. Well, damn him, and damn you...’
Her family gathered around as she burst into tears. They left in a pack, and the roar of their powerful cars sounded like the start of a race...
Jinks turned to the lawyers, showing no emotion, showing nothing of what she was feeling. Quietly, she told them they could leave.
Evelyn, sitting with the will in his hands, offered it back to the lawyer, who nervously suggested he keep it, as it was only a copy.
Jinks remained in her seat, waiting until she heard the front door close behind them. She then turned to Evelyn as she picked up her fine, black kid gloves. She eased one on, pulling the fingers until they fitted snugly...
Evelyn moved closer, close enough to touch her. ‘I don’t want it, I don’t want any of it.’
She brought her hand back and slapped him across the face. The leather hurt more than flesh... The slap was masculine, with so much force behind it that his neck cracked, and he gasped in shock. She then picked up her other glove.
Her voice was still low, husky, the same throaty sound he had teased her about as a little girl. She leaned close, and he could see the perfection of her skin.
‘You will not get it, not a penny, it’s mine...’
Alex paced his office like a wild animal. He walked into his brother’s office, wanting to take a knife to the painting, slash Edward’s face. But he didn’t — he looked up at the portrait and laughed. He must have been out of his mind — the stupidity of his rage, his ridiculous behaviour... He could manipulate Evelyn, use him — he had brought him up, so what the hell did it matter if he announced he was Edward’s son? Whoever he was, Alex would still be the controller. Evelyn knew nothing about banking, about the company, and Alex was his legal guardian. The Barkley empire had feet of clay, it was rotten to the core. This boy, this fool he had fought so hard for, was totally dependent on him, and now he would fight to bind Evelyn to him until he could make no move alone...
‘You mind if I come in — Uncle?’
Alex had not heard her soft steps, and he turned, startled at her voice. ‘No, no, Jinks, come in... I was just ticking myself off for my rather stupid show of temper this afternoon. Can I get you a drink?’
‘No... I was here earlier, actually. Hennie — Miss Henderson — and I are old friends. I think I had better come clean... You see, I was just as, shall we say upset, as you were this afternoon. I am the legal heir, Alex, and I want my fair share. Now, I am sure whatever Evelyn wants or doesn’t want will, as far as you are concerned, be of little importance — either way, you win — am I right?’
Alex side-stepped sharply. She had her finger right on the pulse. She was Edward’s daughter, all right, and he shrugged, giving her a dazzling smile. ‘Well, I suppose that would be Evelyn’s decision, he is Edward’s son... I’ve known about it for years, and now I suppose everyone else will. I’ll just have to accept it.’
‘But I am his daughter. I am his legitimate daughter — I could bind this company up in legal wrangles for years. You know I could fight that will — my father’s drinking, and his mental state at the end of his life was rather... unsavoury, wasn’t it? You and I know that. So don’t let’s play games. If I were to freeze this company’s assets there would be years of litigation... I want to be your partner, Alex.’
‘Well, sweetheart, what you want and what is legally left to you are two different things...’
‘Whoever’s son he is, it doesn’t make him anything but a fool. You and I know what he is, and we can cut him out like that.’ She snapped her fingers.
He stared at her, his eyes narrowed. ‘What do you want? You have more than enough money, what do you want?’
She leaned against the desk, smiling. ‘Well, I want what you thought had slipped right out of your hands when you heard your little boy had got the lion’s share — I want this company.’
He smiled, believing she was joking. But her face was deadly serious. ‘I sold Ming’s — Miss Takeda’s — shares back to her, for a very good price, but for less than they would have reached on the open market. In return she has given me information, Mr Stubbs. Make me your partner, or you will end up back in prison. I will make them open the grave of Alex Stubbs, East End gangster, club owner found dead in — I think it was a 1962 Jaguar, white, registration number 243 HJL. I will take over this office tomorrow morning. Perhaps you would like to know exactly what is on my father’s computer? You made a mistake there, Alex, you should have got to it first... Miss Henderson and I are just like that.’