To Whom It May Concern

Chapter Two - The Will of Ms Mallard

Chapter 2 - The Will of Ms Mallard

Into the shop came two people as different from the extravagance and opulence of the Dawning's as physically possible.  A plumb lady in her late forties wearing a floral shirt and a skirt decorated with many splodges of paint.  She had a soft, relaxed expression but her eyes gave away inner sorrow.

Mr Morris guessed that this must be Linda Harrison.  Jane had mentioned her to him many times. They had been friends at school back in America.  After marrying her husband, Linda moved to England.  The two had kept contact, and Jane had often gone to visit the two of them at their farm.

Mr Morris suddenly realised that out of all the people in this room, he and Linda were probably the only ones truly sad about Jane's untimely death.

After Linda, almost unnoticed by Arthur Morris's usually keen eyes, passed a young man in a leather jacket.  He looked young, barely twenty or just a little older.  Dark blue eyes and a mess of blonde hair.  A handsome young man in truth, but something about him seemed off.  Not all there would be how Jane would have described him.

The mysterious young man chose to lounge in the plush green Queen Anne armchair by the fireplace, completely disregarding the curious looks of his fellows.  Linda chose to sit on the couch next to the Downing's, seemingly oblivious to their sneers at her obvious lack of wealth.

Mr Morris, observing this, realised all the new additions to the room seemed to be actively trying to ignore each other.  In any other situation he would have laughed, but he hadn't laughed since Jane had died.  Clearing his throat to attract the attention of his guests, wanting very much to finish very quickly and then escape to the local pub for the rest of the evening.  However, he would not rush this as he would with any other persons will.  He owed it to Jane to be as professional and efficient as possible.

She deserved at least that.

Clearing his throat yet again and adjusting his owl-like glasses, he took out from a drawer at his elbow the document that had brought them all together on this bleak Tuesday.  "  Greetings, my name is Arthur Morris.  I am Jane Mallards solicitor.  Welcome to Lower Baddesley.  I have here with me the most recent copy of Ja- Ms Mallards' will."  here, Mr Morris glanced at each of the faces of the guests in front of him.  Linda seemed to be on the verge of tears, the Downing's looked bored, and the mysterious young man seemed to have no emotions whatsoever.

"Will you hurry it along" drawled Mr Darling " We ain't hangin' 'round foreva'."

Allowing a look of disgust to dance across his features briefly before schooling his expression back into a calm mask he answered, " Very well, if you insist.  I will forward to the part that concerns the four of you," and from inside same draw in which he had retrieved the will, her drew out four letters."  In her will, Ms Mallard bequeaths a letter to each of you.  In each letter, she details what she wishes you to inherit, as well as a personal message to you." As he spoke these words, he watched the guests closely.

The look of greed that came onto the faces of the Downing's repulsed him.  Were they not rich enough already?  Linda looked at the letters in his hand with a kind of reverence.  It was obvious that she wished to read the personal message more than see what she had received.  The young man by the fire merely looked confused.

"We each have a letter addressed to us personally?" he inquired, still confused.

"Yes" answered Mr Morris shortly, already tired of their presence, wishing simply to escape and drown his wits in cheep beer.  " A letter each, here are yours, Mr and Mrs Downing."  The two Americans rose from their seats, grabbed their letters and swept out of the office.  " Mrs Harrison"  Linda took her letter, gave a watery smile and left the office in a rush.  The young man got up to follow.  " hold on Mr ... Jude Anderson"  he turned around quickly " How do you know my name?" he enquired defensively.  " It's on your letter" Mr Morris replied, with his eyebrows raised.

"Oh" Jude replied sheepishly. With this, he left, the envelope tightly clutched in his left hand.

Mr Morris grabbed his coat and swept out of the office.  Now that he had fulfilled Jane's last wishes, he had no reason to stay sober any longer.