Page 55 of Ghost

"Mason, it will be Thanksgiving in four days.” Ellen began pacing in front of the fireplace in her parlor.

“I’ve been keeping these documents in my safe ever since we came back from Hobonny.

” She stopped to face him. “It is time to get this taken care of. After Thanksgiving, we will be well and truly into the holiday season, and no one will have the time to deal with this kind of business. Besides, it’s bad luck to carry old business into a new year. ”

“Right you are, my dear.” Gerald took up the pacing once Ellen sat in her chair.

“No, Arthur will be here shortly, and we will get this done once and for all.” Ellen lifted the small bell next to her and rang it. “He is bringing his secretary and assures me that it will not take very long at all and then we may have a nice luncheon.”

Mason scowled at the woman. “And what if I don’t want it? Huh? Ever think of that?”

“What?” Gerald all but bellowed.

“Would you like some tea, Ellen?” Sharon asked.

“Yes, please, Sharon, and a special sherry.” She nodded towards Gerald and then Mason. “I swear, I don’t know how men ever get any business done. It’s enough to drive any good woman to drink.”

Mason and Gerald glowered at her.

Sharon laughed, shaking her head as she left the room.

“Why would anyone not want such a vast fortune?” Gerald demanded. “Do you know what you can accomplish with that kind of funding behind you?”

“And with such a ‘vast fortune’”, Mason said, using air-quotes, “comes a great deal of responsibility and work.”

“Balderdash,” Gerald said, stomping his foot, his hands on his hips.

“Oh, good lord, Gerald, you’re like a toddler having a tantrum.” Ellen sighed. “Can you please take some air and leave this to me please?”

Gerald squinted his eyes at Mason and then disappeared.

“If I get through this day without a migraine, it will be a miracle,” Ellen murmured, rubbing her temples.

“Ellen, I’ve really thought about this, and I just don’t think I’m the right person to deal with all this. It’s a lot to take on and I have no experience in dealing with large sums of money.”

“I don’t pretend to understand how you are feeling.” Ellen took the cup of tea from Sharon who had returned. Sharon set the sherry next to Ellen, giving her a quick wink.

Mason smirked at Sharon. He knew that wasn’t sherry in the dainty little glass. No, it was a healthy shot of bourbon. He also noticed that Ellen didn’t offer him any either.

“However, I have known Arthur his whole life and most of his father’s. He has given me his promise that he has lined up two financial planners with excellent reputations, good references, whom he trusts. That’s all I needed to hear.”

“Two?”

“Never put all your eggs in one basket, Mason.” Ellen rested the teacup and saucer on her lap. She reached for the sherry and drained the glass. “I’m actually going to ask him to find a third if possible. I have a feeling you will want one in Europe. Perhaps Switzerland would be a good choice.”

“Three? In Europe? Are you serious?” Mason sat down, resting his head against the back of the chair. “Just seems too complicated.”

“It’s why you divvy it up, so it’s not so much work. They do the work for you.”

Mason sighed heavily.

“Do you trust me, Mason?” Ellen asked.

Mason sighed heavily. “You know I do.”

“Then will you just let me handle this please? There will be time for questions later, and Gerald will help of course. He does have his uses.”

“I heard that!” Gerald’s voice echoed around the room, even though he wasn’t there.

Ellen rolled her eyes. “Of course you did, dear.”

There was a knock on the door and Sharon escorted Arthur Stockbridge and a woman. They were both wearing business suits, and each had a briefcase.

“Sharon, would you bring some coffee for us and serve in the office?” Ellen stood. “I think it will be easier to conduct business with a desk.”

Sharon left and winked at Mason. Mason had begun to count on Sharon more and more since they returned from the plantation. She was proving to be a good friend and he genuinely liked her. It didn’t hurt that she was very smart, too.

Once everyone was seated and Sharon had set up the coffee, each of them with a cup, Ellen stood, opened a door that looked like a closet and began to open up a fairly large safe.

“You know, it took a lot of convincing from Gerald to have this big safe installed.” She got the door open and retrieved a stack of documents, tied together with a red ribbon. She then shut the door and spun the tumbler. “Now, I’m very glad he did.”

“Arthur, I trust you to be very discreet in the handling of this.” Ellen held out the bundle to him. “As it is, only the people in this house know of this.”

Arthur pulled a pair of glasses from his suit jacket pocket. “Let’s see what we have here.”

“Read the letter on top before you delve into the rest of it.” Ellen sat down in a small chair beside the desk, leaving Arthur the larger chair at the desk.

After a moment he looked at Ellen over his glasses. “Where did you find these?”

“I didn’t find them. Mason found them in a drawer of the bedroom furniture that had been Francis Watson’s. I returned all the furniture that I had collected from Imogene Watson, so that it would remain with the house.” Ellen didn’t bat an eye at telling such a white lie.

Arthur removed his glasses. “So, what you’re telling me is that this,” he held up the stack of papers, “that all this belongs to Mason?”

“Yes, that is what I am telling you, yes.”

Arthur handed the handwritten letter that Francis had authored to his secretary. He had noticed that there were three witness’s signatures as well as Francis’. “We need to make an itemized list of each one of these documents, make a copy, and give one to Mason Montgomery as a receipt.”

The woman nodded and opened her briefcase, pulled out a pen, a legal pad and a box. She put the box on the desk, and used the briefcase as a desktop where she began to make a list.

“Ya’ll can go about your business,” Arthur said looking at Ellen and Mason. “This is going to take a little while.” He sighed. “Much longer than I anticipated.”

Ellen stood. “Please, let me know when you’re ready for lunch. Nothing fancy mind you, only soup and sandwiches.”

“Sounds good.” Arthur was already back into his work.

Mason and Ellen settled in the front parlor, each sipping on a cup of tea.

“Is Debra still planning on a big Thanksgiving luncheon?” Ellen asked.

“She is going to skin you alive if you keep calling her Debra. She hates it.”

“Is that not her name?” Ellen looked over the rim of her teacup.

“Yeah, but it was also her aunt’s name, and she can’t stand the woman. She prefers just being called Deb.”

Ellen scrunched up her nose. “So undignified. I will honour her wishes, however.”

“I hope you come to Thanksgiving lunch, but will understand if you don’t. That group can get a bit rowdy, especially with all the kids there.”

Ellen laughed. “That’s just the way it should be.

Family should be themselves with family.

” Ellen smiled. “There were days in my childhood where things got quite rowdy. There was a time when Francis’ father and my father got into a fight almost every time they got together.

Complete opposite personalities but both good men, and they genuinely cared for one another. ”

“I have a question.” Mason took a moment to gather his thoughts. “If Francis’ brother was older, why didn’t he inherit Hobonny?”

“He didn’t want it.” Ellen set her cup down. “He actually hated farming and everything that went with it and Francis loved it, and Uncle Colin understood that. You have to love running a large farm and Francis loved Hobonny more than anything in the world. Well... with the exception of you.”

Mason looked into his cup of tea. “I still miss him.” He met Ellen’s gaze. “Every single day.”

Ellen nodded her head. “I know. I am the same. There are days where it’s easy and then there are days, like today, where I would rather just go to bed and stay there.

” Ellen dabbed at her eyes with her ever present handkerchief.

“I adored Francis. He always made time to play with me. Show me things and of course tease me unmercifully.” Ellen smiled.

“He was also one of the best-looking men around. So easy to be around. Made everyone seem special.” Ellen looked at Mason. “He loved you very much, Mason.”

Mason turned to look out the window. “I’d like to go to bed and just stay there. He could hear Paul and Mitch walking on the sidewalk. They were talking about what they were going to have for lunch at Nick’s deli.

“They are your chosen family.” Ellen smiled warmly. “There is family you are born to and then there is family you choose.”

“Speaking of family, how’s my sister doing running Hobonny?” Mason asked, having turned back around to face Ellen.

“She’s brilliant.” Ellen set her empty teacup on the table next to her. “She sends me detailed reports weekly via computer, which Arthur prints out for me. This computer age makes things happen so much faster.”

“I’m still trying to figure things out. Thankfully, I’ve got Deb to help me out. I didn’t know she knew so much about computers. I think I’m going to hand over all the bookkeeping to her. She’s much better at it than I am.”

“How does she know so much?” Ellen rang her little bell.

“From her last job with that construction company she worked for.” Mason grinned. “That’s how she and Paul met.”

“And how are you liking your new mobile phone?” Ellen asked as Sharon came into the room. “Be a dear, Sharon, and go and ask if Arthur is ready for lunch, please? I’m starting to feel a bit peckish. They’ve been in there for over two hours now.”

Sharon nodded and left towards the small office.

“There are times I’m glad to have it and then there are times when I hate it.” Mason rolled his eyes skyward. “Mitch thinks it’s funny to call me from across the room just to see me dig it out of my pocket.”

Ellen laughed. “I can actually see how that would be entertaining.”

“Ha! Let’s see how entertained he is when I dock his pay for all the minuets he’s used up.”

Ellen laughed. “Please, let me be there when you do that. I would love to see the look on his face.”

“Deal.”

“Ellen, Arthur said he was good to go ahead and have lunch. Said he would have about another hour afterwards before he is done.” Sharon chuckled. “He looks a little flabbergasted if I’m to be honest. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so agitated.”

“Agitated?” Ellen looked at Mason. “There’s going to be some very interesting conversation over lunch, I’d say.”

Mason could only shake his head.

During lunch, neither Arthur nor his secretary would discuss the work they were doing. The only thing Arthur would say was it was too early to comment on anything. He would need to do a lot of research.

“Needless to say,” Arthur said as he pushed himself away from the table, “it will be after Thanksgiving before I can have a preliminary report for you.” He looked at Mason.

“You’re a very wealthy man, Mr. Montgomery.

” He then looked at Ellen. “You do realize that Hobonny will belong to Mason here, don’t you? ”

“Do what?” Mason jumped up, nearly knocking the chair he’d been sitting in to the floor.

“Yes, Arthur. I understand completely.”

“And that whatever money you’ve spent there will be lost unless Mason here agrees to reimburse you?”

“I do,” Ellen answered, after dabbing the napkin to her lips.

Arthur frowned. “I must say, I’m rather surprised at how calm you are about all this.”

“Arthur, I’m old but not senile as yet.” Ellen’s eyebrows raised and her head tilted slightly. That shut Arthur down.