Deadly Secrets by M J Marlow (good short books .txt) 📖

any nonsense from them. She treated them with a maturity that was surprising in a girl of seventeen; but then most girls of seventeen had not gone through what his young sister-in-law had endured over her lifetime. Her family had left and she only had him and the two silent, stone-faced men following her like shadows, to keep the rest of the family from pulling their tricks on her. He locked all the entrances to the passages and kept the keys on his person. The solicitors arrived after three days of this dance and Geoffrey noted that the Rom were no more ready to relax their guard then he was. “Is everyone here?” the thin pale man asked as he sat in a chair in the sitting room with the twelve people who stood to benefit from Thomas’ death. He looked at Elis and smiled. “We are here to hear the will of Lord Thomas Marston, Earl of Dunstan. It is a short will, one he wrote out in my office the day after he married.” He looked at the other members of the family. “He left everything to his wife, now widow, Princess Elissa Milosevic, Lady Marston; to be held in trust for their child.” He pulled out twelve envelopes. “He has left each of you a lump sum with the advice that you learn how to be useful members of society.” He looked over at Geoffrey. “Your brother has named you as Executor of his will, Lord Geoffrey. You will understand why when you read his letter to you.” He eyed the others sternly. “Lady Marston wishes you all to quit this estate at your earliest convenience. In her delicate condition, she finds having to see to the needs of so many guests very exhausting.” Huntley was rising to his feet when the door was kicked open. Zeller strode in with five armed men. The armed men took positions around the room as he went to Elis and bowed his head to her. She rose to her feet and met his gaze calmly. He smiled and shoved Huntley aside, taking his seat behind the desk. “Please sit down everyone,” Zeller smiled as he looked around the room. “You have heard Lord Marston’s will; now you will hear mine.” He looked at Elis. “Lady Marston is coming with me. As long as you do not do anything to interfere in my plans for her, you will receive all the money you need from the estate. If any of you,” he looked pointedly at Geoffrey, “try to stop me, all of you will be cut off.” He looked at Stefan and Karel. “You will go to her Grandfather and tell him that he is about to have a new grandson-in-law, and that it is neither of you.” “You can’t just walk in here and make demands!” one of the younger cousins protested as he sprang to his feet. He was shot down in cold blood. “Leave them alone!” Elis cried in protest. “This is between you and me, Herr Zeller. There is no need to spill any more blood.” “This was not our deal, Zeller!” one of the older cousins snapped. He pointed at Elis. “You were supposed to make her sign the Quit Claim document. You were not to come in here and shoot family members down like dogs.” He glared at Elis. “My cousin had no right to leave our family holdings to a creature like you! Gypsy blood! Our family has been nobility since the Conqueror’s time. We cannot allow you to pollute our line!” Zeller saw the slow smile cross Elis’ face and he hissed. “You fool! They set us up!” He moved around the desk and came at Elis. Her companions caught and held him and she rose to her feet, smiling at him calmly. “You should have stopped, Herr Zeller,” she said simply, “when you had the chance” She turned to the men and they removed their masks. Her cousins and the MacGregor sons stood there. “We knew you would try to pull something. We’ve been waiting.” Zeller was taken away and Huntley resumed his seat. “Now that the drama is over, Huntley, could we read the real will, please?” “Very well, Lady Marston,” Huntley nodded to her. “We will begin with Lord Marston’s brother, Geoffrey…” He finished with the bequests and pulled out the envelopes. “Inside each of these is evidence of your criminal activities. If anything happens to Lady Marston or her child, it will be sent to the authorities. Is this clear?” They nodded and he smiled. “Very well, then. Everyone is free to leave except Lord Wellesley.” He looked at the man who had hired Zeller. “Unfortunately for you, sir, there is no reprieve. You are under arrest by my authority as an agent of His Royal Highness’ Security Agency.” “Are you certain this is what you want, Elissa?” Geoffrey asked an hour later as they stood at the gates watching a man bring her stallion to her. “You could stay here.” “I’ve lost eleven years that I could have been getting to know my Grandfather and his people, Lord Geoffrey. It is time I knew about that part of my heritage.” She looked over at the two men bringing their own stallions and a wagon up to the gate. “I want to know before I make my choice. And my choice,” she said adamantly as she laid her hand on her abdomen, “is not my child’s choice. You may be seeing us both back sooner than you think.” “I will be looking forward to it, Elissa,” Geoffrey smiled. He watched her mount and ride off with her guard and the wagon. “I am really looking forward to it.”
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Text: M J Marlow
Images: Bookrix
Editing: M J Marlow
Publication Date: 01-10-2010

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