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speaks as he opens the folder and
rifles through papers, pulling out one document with a light blue
backing.
    As he begins formally reading the will, I
suppress the urge to sigh in bored frustration. It’s not that I’m
not grateful for whatever my uncle Malcolm left me. I was closer to
him than practically anybody for the first half of my life. It’s
just that I have other things—and other people—on my mind, making
it hard for me to sit patiently through something like this when
I’d much rather be sitting across from Kennedy. Watching her.
Studying her. Formulating a plan for getting her back in my bed
with the greatest speed.
    Mr. Bingham gets my full attention with the
mention of my name.
    “In deference to Mr. Harrison Spencer’s
departure schedule, I’ll begin with the family estate known to all
as Bellano. Per Malcolm’s wishes, ‘The estate will be left, in
equal parts ownership, to my nephew, Harrison Ronaldo Spencer, or
his closest living relative, and Mary Elizabeth Spencer or her
closest living relative. All decisions regarding the grounds, the
estate holdings and the upkeep will be made jointly, with the
exception of the presence of Mrs. Judith E. Tannenbaum, whom I
hereby grant a life estate at Bellano’.”
    When Bingham pauses to continue, hushed
whispers break out around the table. I’m as surprised as everyone
else to hear that Malcolm left Bellano to me, but, also like
everyone else, I’m very surprised to hear of a female
Spencer relative being named as well. Since its existence, Bellano
has never been left to a woman, much less one who no one has ever
heard of .
    It’s my father who finally asks the question
on everyone’s mind. “Who, exactly, is Mary Elizabeth Spencer?”
    Mr. Bingham glances nervously around the
table. “Malcolm had this codicil drawn up just weeks prior to his
death. I was out of town, so my partner did the work for him.
Unfortunately, being unfamiliar with the family, he didn’t get any
more information on Ms. Spencer, so I’m still in the process of
locating her.”
    “Well, you’d better make quick work of it,
Bingham, because if you can’t produce this supposed heir, a woman
with whom none of us are familiar, you can bet your ass I’ll be
contesting this will. Bellano is the Spencer family home, and it
will stay with the real Spencers if I have to take it to the
Supreme Court to see that it does.”
    I catch movement from the corner of my eye
and glance over to see Tanny drop her head and close her eyes. I’m
sure she’s thinking it’s a shame that grown men have to act like
this only days after the death of a loved one. And over
possessions, no less. It makes me feel ashamed for being so much
like my father.
    “Mr. Spencer, I assure you—”
    “I don’t trust that you can assure me of
anything, Mr. Bingham,” my father snaps.
    I look at Tanny’s pale face again and it
spurs me into action.
    “Mr. Bingham, will that be all the need you
have of me or Mrs. Tannenbaum? If so, I think we’d both like to get
on with our plans for the day.” The least I can do is spare Tanny
any more of this unpleasantness. “Please forward copies of the will
to my attorney. You have his information already, I believe.”
    When I glance back at Tanny, she’s watching
me with watery, grateful eyes. I smile at her and she gives me a
subtle, regal nod of acknowledgment.
    “Yes, I do. And yes, this is the only part
that pertains to either of you. It’s my understanding that Malcolm
has already given to Mrs. Tannenbaum any of his possessions that he
wanted her to have. Is that accurate, Mrs. Tannenbaum?”
    “Yes, it is,” comes her quiet reply.
    No one in the room argues. Whatever Malcolm
saw fit to give Tanny is still probably less than she deserves for
staying with him all these years. Even my cold, hard father knows
that.
    “In that case, I think we’ll be on our way.”
I stand and walk to Tanny’s chair, pulling it back as she comes to
her feet.