Stuart Woods - Palindrome

"Oh, Lord," Germaine said, "he was sweet, but he didn't have two million dollars."

Liz read on. I do give and bequeath the house known as Plum Orchard, and the tract of land on which it rests, to my grandson Hamish, along with the sum of two million dollars.

I do give and bequeath to my grandson Keir any other tract of land on Cumberland Island he may so desire which has not been bequeathed to another, along with the sum of three million dollars, in the hope that he will construct a house of his own on this land. I do give and bequeath to my natural son, James Moses, any tract of land on Cumberland Island which has not been bequeathed to another, along with the sum of three million dollars, to be held in trust until his twenty-fifth birthday. It is my desire that James receive the finest education that he can absorb, and that he use funds from his trust to travel widely, as I did in my youth. I appoint as his trustees Germaine Drummond and my friend Elizabeth Barwick.

Liz turned to James. "We'll have a lot to talk about," she said. I do give and bequeath to my great-grandson, Aldred Drummond, the sum of three million dollars, to be held in trust until his twenty-fifth birthday, except that the income of the trust may be used for the purpose of education and travel. I appoint as trustees his mother, Hannah Drummond, and his father, Hamish Drummond. On reaching his twenty-fifth birthday, Aldred may choose any tract of land on the island which has not been bequeathed to another, and the trust shall pay him the sum of one million dollars, adjusted for inflation, to be used to maintain the land and to build a residence for his use if he so chooses. I specifically exclude my grandson James Weathers from any inheritance from my estate, and I instruct the trustees of The Cumberland Island Trust to bar him from the island at all times. I do give and bequeath to Martha Weathers, the wife of James Weathers, the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, on the condition that none of this sum be spent directly on her husband.

I therewith instruct my executor that, in perpetuity, if any United States, State of Georgia or county politician shall advocate the purchase of any part of Cumberland Island for public use the sum of fifty thousand dollars from the residue of my estate be made available to that politician;s principal opponent for use in his campaign."

"I love it." Germaine laughed. Liz read a list of small bequests to servants at Dungeness and workmen on the island. There were also cash bequests to a number of charities.

Finally, including all the unbequeathed lands of Cumberland Island, and all my stocks, bonds and cash, to The Cumberland Island Trust, the liquid part of my estate amounting to approximately seventy million dollars, before taxes, administrated by the Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York."

"Good God!" Germaine exploded, "he must have been hallucinating. He didn't have any real money, just the island. I mean, there was some money a few generations back, but I thought it had been frittered away."

"Records of these funds and a financial statement are to be found in the safe in my study at Dungeness."

Germaine was on her feet, rummaging in the safe. "He wasn't crazy," she said breathlessly. "Here's a brokerage statement dated last month, with a balance of more than twenty million dollars! Where did it come from?"

"I suppose he must have invested wisely," Liz said. "It would be interesting to know if he got out of the market before the 'twenty-nine crash. Now sit down, Germaine, and let me finish."

I appoint as trustees Germaine Drummond, Hamish Drummond, Keir Drummond, Elizabeth Barwick and a representative of the Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, to be chosen by the bank. I appointJames Moses a trustee to be effective on his twenty-fifth birthday. The trustees are directed to meet not less than four times a year to discuss the management of the estate and those trustees who are not employed by the bank are to be paid salaries of fifty thousand dollars per annum each from the Trust. When a trustee becomes deceased, the trustees will elect a replacement. I instruct my named heirs to remove from the house called Dungeness all furniture, silverware, books, works of art, and any other effects which might be useful to them or any other person. I wish them to divide these possessions among themselves and their friends.

Should they be unable to agree on the ownership of any object, that object shall become the property of the Trust and shall be sold at auction for the benefit of the Trust. It is my view that Dungeness is an anachronism, and that it should die with me. No member of my family wishes to live in it, and I have no wish for strangers to occupy it. It is for this reason that I have allowed the house to deteriorate for the past twenty years. It is my wish, and I so instruct my heirs, that when all worthwhile furnishings and objects have been removed, the house be set afire on a windless day, and, when the structure has been consumed, the land be cleared and planted in trees, flowers, and other plants indgenous to Cumberland Island. It is my wish that, apart from an appropriate and modest tombstone this new planting will be my only memorial. Finally, I wish to say to my heirs and my friends and to anyone who knew me that I have lived, for the most part, a joyful and rewarding life comforted by the generosity of my forefathers and the love of my family and friends, and the respect and affection of the people who toiled in my service and that of Cumberland Island. I leave this life a happy and contented man, and I wish that same happiness and contentment to those I love."

"That's all," Liz said, tears rolling down her face. Then she looked and saw that tears were on the faces of Germaine and James, as well. She wondered where Hamish was, and why he had left.

The three of them, Liz, Germaine, and James, sat silently in Angus Drummond's study, drained. Nobody seemed to know what to do next. "I suppose we ought to think about a time for the funeral," Germaine said finally. When no one said anything, she went on. "Today's Thursday.

We'll want the announcement in tomorrow's papers, and we'll need to allow some time for people to travel-Hannah and Aldred will come, I'm sure, and there'll be others from Atlanta and Jacksonville. I think Monday morning should be good. We'll have a special run of the Aldred Drummond Monday morning, and I'll give everybody lunch at the inn after the service. What do you think?"

"That sounds sensible," Liz said.

"It's fine with me," James said. "I'll just miss school that day."

"Well"-Germaine sighed-"there doesn't seem to be anything else to do here. I'll go back to the inn and phone the papers. I'm fully booked this weekend, too, and I've got some things to do around the place."

They rose to go, and, as they did, the doorbell rang. They went together to answer it and found Dr. Blaylock standing on the front porch. The sheriff's helicopter was just landing on the front lawn.

"I've just heard about your grandfather, from Hamish," Blaylock said, and he looked upset. "Please accept my sympathy, Germaine; he was a wonderful man and my friend for a long time."

"Thank you, Dr. Blaylock," she said. "What's the sheriff doing back, I wonder?"

"I'm afraid I called him, as I said I would yesterday. It was before I ran into Hamish and learned about Angus's death. I'm sorry this is such a bad time, but I really must speak to you and the sheriff now, Germaine."

"All right," she replied. "And you, too, Miss Barwick," the professor said. "We're going to need your advice, as well as the family's."

"If this is a family matter, then James should be there, too," Germaine said. "He's my grandfather's son, and everybody had better start getting used to the idea."