LOVE IS IN THE HEIR (COMPLETE)

Chapter 10

"Arthur! Arrested?" Edward was astonished again.

"Yep I was asleep in bed. Mary got the call and Larry across the road is a lawyer so she called his office and he went to get him out. Arthur had a black eye and scraped knuckles the next morning. He told me he tripped over in the garden and then joked Mary had knocked him about again for not doing the dishes," I laughed.

"I think she does you know," Edward teased.

"I've seen her clip his ear," I joked. "So anyway a few days later I knew I had to go home and asked if I could have a lift and Arthur said no. I was gobsmacked but thought it is a bit far so I tried to remember where I had gone wrong on the way there, so as not to turn 27 miles into 35 again, but Arthur said 'Don't even think of leaving this house to go back to that doss hole of a bedsit you call home. It's full of druggies and knocked out ex boyfriends'. I realised then what he'd done. I was so embarrassed I burst into tears and tried to leave but he had locked the front door and my attempt was pretty feeble as I suppose I wanted to be saved from my horrific life but I didn't know how or who to ask for help as my family died."

Edward looked sympathetically at me.

"So I stayed with them and Arthur ended up in court for assault but the charges got dropped at the last minute. We think Larry got the police to have a word with my ex and tell him to drop the charges or else," I explained.

"Couldn't Larry help you get him to sell the house or buy you out of the mortgage?" Edward asked.

"No, Mark wouldn't have any of it. I think he likes to hold it over me and every time he so much as blows a lightbulb in the house he sends me the bill for half. It's a joke!" I said annoyed. "This month bearing in mind I've just had the extension built on this place with the money George left as that is giving back to the village as a whole and not me. Well the ex has built his own extension on the house and sent me a bill for a couple of grand."

"Surely he has to consult with you first and you have to sign off on any of the changes to the property," Edward replied.

"No he just sent me that shitty letter this morning. No doubt he will be down here screaming at me soon as I don't have a couple of grand to give him and charge me half the petrol money to come here," I sighed.

"Can I read it?" he asked. I nodded as he picked it up off the coffee table. I sat in silence as he read it, he smirked at a few things and sighed disappointed at others.

I sighed heavily as I hadn't shown anyone the letter. Arthur would go mad. Drunk rambling about my past and showing Edward private letters was not how I envisaged this evening ending.

Edward put his arm out and beckoned me forward for a cuddle whilst he held the letter with his other hand. I moved forward and cuddled him as he turned the page and read the five-page letter Mark had sent me. God that tosser could waffle.

"You do know this letter is full of crap?" he asked once he had read it. "I can take care of it for you if you would allow me."

"No I don't want you to pay him," I said panicking.

"I didn't mean pay him. I mean legally," he said.

"I don't want to cause trouble," I replied.

"He is causing trouble not you. He is threatening to take half this place and half the takings," he replied and flicked to the page with the threat.

"He said I used money that I owed him to buy this place as there were mortage arrears. How could I not pay the mortgage arrears but afford to buy this place? I paid my half and he didn't so he caused the arrears not me. He even said it was because the baby cost so much. If you see on the bank statement for the mortgage they have been using that to buy food and things," I said and Edward reached for the statement.

"This is pub lunches, food shopping, cinema tickets, McDonalds," he said flicking through. "What the hell is he thinking?"

"I know and I challenged him on it and he said his wife... yep he got married which they also used this account for," Edward was shell shocked, "He said his wife put in the wrong card details on and that is why but they've never paid me back," I moaned.

"Bull, you have to type in a pin for any payment. If he is saying she has that card and that pin it is against the law as she is not an account holder," Edward said. "Let alone all these other expenditures coming out of the account. It should be money in from the two account holders and that is it. You are the only person paying into this account on the 23rd of each month. They seem to be using this account to top up their life style when they run out of funds."

"Yep and although the account I saved my money in was a joint account, he never used it and claims he had £600 in it which is bull as I had it transferred to my name only and the funds to my new account and closed it. The only account left was the Mortgage. I saw this place was up for auction as it was falling to pieces so I went to the bank to check on my savings account it was only a few grand from doing the odd buffet here and there for parties. Mary and Arthur wouldn't take rent so Arthur said 'Lets go and be nosey and bid on it. Why help run someone elses shop when you can be your own boss.' So we bid for it at the auction. It went 7k over what I could afford but Arthur had the paddle and kept bidding. The bank loaned me the rest as I put a business plan together and it was approved. I had to pay off that business loan. Mark now states he's entitled to half that loan and I should have used the loan to pay off the mortgage arrears. The arrears were his not mine. He fell behind. Every time I try to get him to sell the house so I can have my name taken off the mortgage they say I can't as it has to be clear of arrears for six months. I can't sell the house without his approval or even half of it to the bank. I even offered to sell him my half of the house for next to nothing and he refused. I offered to buy his half. He refused. He does it on purpose."

"Of course he is going to refuse. You are his piggy bank. So let me help you," he said and stroked my hair back so he could see me clearer only then did I realise we were full length on the sofa cuddling like a couple.

"He will get mad," I said.

"No doubt but I guarantee I will get him off your back," Edward said with such confidence that I ended up nodding that he could do it.

"I'm just nervous that he will turn up here shouting and scaring the customers," I said sighing. "It's bad for business."

"If he does I set Gerard on him," he teased.

"Are you not going to champion me yourself?" I teased back.

"I'm a Prince, I'm not allowed to punch people," he replied making us both crack up. "Can I show this to Piers and Gerard so they know to be prepared?" he asked

"Yes but don't let anyone else know," I replied.

"I won't and I realise you are putting a lot of trust in me. I won't let you down," he pledged.

"Don't let Arthur know," I added.

"No one but Piers and Gerard and they will know the agreement," he said. "I'll need access to some things like statements and paperwork."

"All in the cabinet and on the computer," I replied yawning and covering my mouth.

Edward reached to the back of the sofa and pulled the throw blanket over us. My eyes barely able to keep open now I had lain down and was cuddled up to his chest. Edward was just as bad. I felt his lips press to my head before my birthday ended with me and Edward snuggled up drunk on the sofa... nearly my fantasy but there is always tomorrow I thought as I fell to sleep hoping to dream of him in a very naughty way.

L^ҏ