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no descendant had been found, his estate was
to be gifted to a specific charity of his choosing. Our firm has
been engaged in this search for ninety six years, but we believe we
have now found not one, but two living descendants: You, Madison, and your
brother, Ben.
    Maddy chewed
the skin on the back of her forefinger, her glass of coke sat
untouched on the table. A girl plonked a mug of tea in front of Mr
Vasey-Smith and put a large plate of cheese and tomato sandwiches
in the middle of the table.
    ‘ We ‘found’ you, so to speak, three and a half years ago, but,
as per the terms of the will, were unable to initiate contact until
your sixteenth birthday. We’ve been waiting for today.
    ‘ This relation, was he rich then?’ Angie asked. ‘Has he left
Maddy some money?’
    ‘ His estate has been willed to you, Madison, but there are
some conditions.’
    Maddy stayed
silent, but Angie’s mouth opened and closed. ‘Oh, Maddy, you could
be rich! Imagine.’
    ‘ There is a large house in Gloucestershire, just outside the
town of Tetbury. You will inherit this property on your twenty
first birthday but can live in it from the age of sixteen, that is,
today.’
    ‘ A house …’ Maddy couldn’t comprehend what the man was telling
her. She shook her head. ‘This is a wind-up, yeah? Oh very funny.
‘Madison Greene, delinquent waste of space inherits a house’. Ha,
Ha, Mr Vasey-whatever your name is. Nice try, but I‘m not falling
for that.’
    ‘ Maddy, shhh,’ Angie interrupted. ‘Excuse her, she’s got a
funny way of saying thank you.’
    ‘ I know this is a lot to take in,’ he said. ‘But I can assure
you this is not a joke. In addition to the property, there is a
generous allowance to be dispensed monthly, until such time as you
reach twenty-one-years-of-age or marry, whichever comes first. At
that time, the remainder of the estate is to pass in its entirety
to you, Miss Greene. The current value of this estate is sixty one
million pounds.’
    Madison
couldn’t accept what she was hearing. Thoughts of school, Haggis,
Ben, care homes, Angie and Trevor, flew through her mind along with
the unfamiliar images of piles and piles of cash, flashy cars and,
for some reason, very rich people in dark sunglasses.
    ‘ What? Sorry?’
    Mr Vasey-Smith
had been speaking, but her mind had drifted off and she hadn’t
heard what he’d said.
    ‘ I know this is a shock for you. But I do trust it is a
welcome one. I was just saying there are a number of stipulations
regarding the settlement of the will and, to that end, I suggest we
reconvene in my office, where we can go over the fine details more
thoroughly. Shall we say ten thirty tomorrow morning, if that’s
convenient? Here’s my card. Our offices are just a few minutes walk
from Baker Street tube station.’
    Madison
clutched the card. ‘Is it really true? You’re on the level? Me and
Ben are ... We’re rich?’
    ‘ Yes, Miss Greene, it’s true.’
     
    *
     
    That evening,
Angie and Trevor ordered a Chinese takeaway, letting Madison and
Ben order whatever they wanted from the menu.
    ‘ Well, it is your birthday,’ Trevor said, ruffling her hair.
‘Madison was amused and annoyed at his good mood. For days now,
she’d been careful to keep out of his way, trying to avoid riling
him and now it appeared she was completely forgiven. He and Angie
were sunshine and happiness, laughing, joking and
teasing.
    When Madison
had told Ben they were coming into some money, he’d got pretty
excited.
    ‘ Does that mean I can get a laptop and a DS?’
    ‘ Hold on there, shortie!’ Madison laughed. ‘We’ve got
to get the cash
before we can spend it.’
    ‘ So this relation of yours …’ Trevor asked through a mouthful
of chicken chow mein, ‘… he died a hundred years ago?’
    ‘ Mr Vasey-whatsit said they’d been looking for ninety six
years, so nearly a hundred, yeah.’
    ‘ Blimey. Lucky they found you then. Nice they found you
settled and happy with us