FOLLOW YOUR HEART

Chapter 18 - The Biggest Regret

George looked from one to the other and his mind ticked over everything and then it was as if it all made sense and a look of understanding dawned on his face.

"Fucking hell," he muttered. "You're bloody-well right! It makes much more sense now....but....then WHO was my father?"

"Garry was wrong about that, your mother's letters clearly indicate that she got pregnant while she was here. It sounds like your mother didn't want either you or Garry to know who it was."

The only person that was always there was Tally, and surely it wasn't him? Tally would never betray Garry by having a fling with his daughter! Plus he didn't seem to know much about her at all, and Tally was no liar. They needed to get back to Unger Hall and sort it out. But first there was the matter of George.

"George, breaking in to steal the painting, it was wrong. You trashed Garry's room, you desecrated it man, it was the place where he died. He was a character, eccentric and brilliant and we loved him. I'm sorry you never knew him, but what you did was criminal and we could tell the police and get you into trouble."

Shawn wasn't sure that was true, since George was technically Garry's family, had used a key and the painting was meant for him anyway.

George looked contrite. "I'm sorry, I just lost it when I saw my name on that envelope. I wondered if he had left something for her, my mother, and I started looking through the papers, and it was all just medical stuff, I got frantic and frustrated. I had parked out on the road, so I went and put the painting in and then.... I don't know, I wanted to look at the house again. It's not mine, I don't even want it to be mine, but it was where I was made, and there is a part of me that belongs there."

"You don't think you have a claim on the house?" Camila asked. She never beat around the bush.

"No," he said frankly. "My Mum was right, I don't need that kind of responsibility, but the other thing she said about the trust fund? I don't know about that. She told me that my Dad had provided for my education, but Mum never told me about a trust. I've been working stocking shelves at Tesco's to make money. My tuition and rent is all covered but not my living expenses."

Shawn realised they needed to talk to the solicitor about this. Once George's identity was confirmed, they could make sure he was provided for. Of course there was always a chance that his could all be an elaborate hoax to get Garry's house and fortune, but the letter seemed to support his story and he seemed genuine.

"We'll see what we can do about that. I'll speak to Garry's solicitor myself."

George nodded. "I've missed lectures, so I'll be in trouble, but I should go back today. I'm sorry, I really am."

"Please tell me you didn't tell anyone about Shawn and I living there," Camila said. George shook his head.

"I didn't want to bring any more attention to the place than there was already," he said with a sigh. "Look, thanks guys, I'm going to check-out and head home I think. If I leave now I might have time to look in on Mum on the way. Maybe she might tell me some more things about my Grandfather. So he really was friends with Sir Elton?"

"Yup," they answered in unison.

They gave him the solicitor's name and phone number which Shawn had in his phone and asked him to stay away from Unger Hall until it was all sorted.

"So will you two be there all the time or what?"

"No, we won't be there until end of next month," Shawn said. "Good luck George. The solicitor will let us know anything you find out, just leave messages for us with him."