Inheritance

Chapter Twenty-five. Reconciliation.

Chapter Twenty-five.

Reconciliation

Susan Edgar had barely slept despite the fatigue caused by the long trip from Germany. She had tossed and turned the night away, feverishly remembering the parting argument with Heinrich, the refusal of her grandparents to sanction her upcoming marriage, and the chaotic state of arrangements for the upcoming engagement party. She was still awake when the first grey of dawn appeared over the hills. Hoping to see a spectacular sunrise, she moved to her bedroom window.

Through the ground mist, she saw a man approaching the house. It must be the postman with even more replies. Not the regular postman, but probably one of the student replacements hired to cope with the Christmas rush. The tall figure looked vaguely familiar. Could it be John Gregson? Surely, that reprobate hadn't the nerve to return to this route, especially after what he'd done to poor Sheila. Determined to give him a piece of her mind, Susan threw a dressing gown over her silk pyjamas, thrust her feet into her slippers and rushed down the stairs.

*****

John was stooping to slide a huge bundle of mail through the letterbox when the door burst open.

"You bastard, you dirty bastard," screamed Susan as she attacked him with flailing arms. "How could you do such a thing?" John, cowering in the face of the blows raining down on his shoulders, was unable to answer. "You knew she was crazy about you, yet you ditched her without a word. Have you any idea what damage you've done?"

The fury of the assault abated a little as Susan tired. John, protecting himself with a raised forearm, rose from his doubled up position and grasped the wrists of the angry young woman.

"Stop it right now. Right now, I say. It's all a mistake, a big mistake. Just stop a minute and let me explain."

"A mistake? What sort of mistake?"

John could feel the aggression seeping from her arms. "Do you promise to listen to me if I let you go?"

"Yes, yes, I promise," she answered, her voice trembling. As John released her wrists, there was a sudden welling of tears. "Please, please forgive me. I don't normally go around attacking trades people, but right now, I'm so stressed out, and when I saw you, I just snapped. You have made my sister so unhappy. I hate seeing her in such a state. I love her so. She's my baby sister. I've always looked out for her."

"I love her too," replied John.

The tears stopped. Susan, shock etched on her face, looked directly at John. "You do? Then how could you treat her this way?"

John then explained about the devastating announcement in the Guardian. Susan listened intently, and her disposition softened.

"Didn't you see the correction in a later edition and the announcement of my marriage to Heinrich in the local paper?" John shook his head. "And nobody told you about them?"

Nobody.Rachel must have known. The bitch!

"You dumb ox. You would have found out the truth if you'd only opened Sheila's letters."

"What letters? I never received any..., wait a second. Oh my God... of course."

"Well, tell me."

"I've moved, and my old landlady has gone back to Cornwall. Her house has been empty for some time, so the mail was probably never delivered."

"Are you telling the truth?"