A Changing Land(119)
‘No,’ Sarah said quietly. Her fingers closed around the gold fob watch in her hand.
‘Excuse me?’ Tony Woodbridge rubbed the back of his hand ferociously.
Sarah looked directly at Jim. ‘No, I’m sorry. I cannot accept that a stranger can demand a share of something he has contributed nothing to. If it’s proven that you are indeed my half-brother, Jim, and you’re that desperate for money – I assume because you’re either incapable or too lazy to earn your own – then I can probably raise a million dollars, although I’m staggered at your lack of pride and stunned by the greed of your entire family.’ Sarah paused. ‘If, on the other hand, you proceed with this trial I will spend every last dollar I have fighting you and if you lose you will have to pay my court costs as well.’ She leant forward in her chair. ‘Take more than what I offer today, Jim, and I swear I will despise you for the rest of my life and haunt you after my passing.’ Sarah clutched at the fob watch. ‘That is my promise.’ Sarah stared stonily at Woodbridge and Jim and then sat back in her chair, folding her arms across her chest. She knew the ramifications of the ultimatum she’d delivered.
Jim opened his mouth to speak and then, thinking better of it, sat quietly. Tony Woodbridge scribbled on his legal pad.
Frank shuffled his papers. ‘There is the state of Angus Gordon’s mental faculties at the time he wrote his will. Having suffered a near death accident only weeks before it could easily be argued that his mental capacity had been somewhat diminished.’ Sarah had just edged them closer to a day in court.
‘I want the thirty per cent that belongs to me,’ Jim said flatly. ‘If our grandfather was happy enough to leave part of his beloved place to a jackeroo then I’m sure I’m entitled to my share.’
Tony Woodbridge smiled. ‘Precedent, I have always relied on such basics.’ He smiled at Sarah, cleared his throat. ‘If we go to court I would be entitled to bring to light certain facts. A prominent pastoralist you may be, Ms Gordon, however all I need do is establish the doubt in the jury’s mind that by contesting your grandfather’s will you are not being fair and reasonable in the eyes of the law. To do that I would argue that your attitude could be the result of a history of somewhat dubious activity that has occurred in your family.’
Sarah laughed. ‘What? Is this a joke?’
‘No joke, I assure you. Some of your property was purchased through dubious activities. There are links to stock theft, illegal dealings and some rather shadowy speculations regarding an acquisition in the early 1900s. Although probably hard to prove, it makes for interesting discussion.’
‘And you were there were you, Mr Woodbridge, in the 1900s?’ Sarah asked. If she were a man she would have punched him in the nose.
‘Defamation is a serious issue,’ Frank countered. ‘I doubt your client would have the funds to pursue a second court case.’ Frank looked pointedly at Jim.
‘If you could let me finish,’ Woodbridge complained, ‘any information that reflects on the character of Ms Gordon would, I imagine, be quite admissible.’
‘You are drawing a fine line,’ Frank intervened.
Woodbridge puffed out a breath of air as he collected his papers and shuffled them into a neat stack. ‘And your client’s offer is not acceptable, despite the passion with which it was delivered. We will have our day in court and we will win.’
Sarah stood, her hands clutching at the fob watch. ‘We shall see,’ she said icily.
‘Oh Frank, what the hell do we do now?’ They were back in Frank’s office, sipping coffee and feeling glum. ‘And what is this crap about dubious activities Woodbridge is talking about?’
‘Forget it, Sarah. The man’s an arse of the tenth degree. He loves to send a rocket out to a feisty opposition.’ Frank looked across at the young woman with the great burden on her shoulders, wondering how it had befallen her generation to right the wrongs committed in the past. ‘It would seem we will go to court.’
Sarah thought of the sprawling acreage that had been in her family for generations and mentally mapped out the property. Every single paddock held a story, told of the lives of those that had gone before hers. There was not one part of it that wasn’t valuable in terms of productivity. Not one speck of it that wasn’t important to the past and future life of Wangallon. Sarah knew she should be considering her only other option, to sell and pay Jim out. ‘You do understand, Frank, why I have to pursue this?’