My thanks for Flickr for this image of the  Sun clock on
Chartre Cathedral

This November is interesting. Light festivals are taking place, Christians are preparing for their upcoming festival of goodwill and rebirth. The Son/Sun is a hot topic in secular conversations too with the eclipse a few days ago - and the Lunar eclipse is coming up.
At the back of all this is the awareness of Light. Modern man has literally lit up the globe with his use of electricity and gas, as the Christmas tree lights popping up in shop windows testify. Yet these lights are nothing when compared to the source they spring from.
The light that powers our Universe is All that Is. This energy, so unlike the emotive sentiment which goes by the same name, is that stupendous force of Love.
Down at street level we can all enhance the light in our lives by little acts of good will, by choosing the peace of silence rather than sharp criticism, by the generosity of a smile to a stranger - we are all related aren't we?


Chapter 8 continues:

Rhona made a phone call later that afternoon to her Aunt Grace, who was full of news about the sale of the cottage next door. The new owner was single and apparently keen to renovate. Her Aunt was delighted there would be no children on her side boundary and relieved that Rhona’s expressed desire to buy it as a weekend place was now out of the question.  “It was never a practical notion," Grace pronounced."Now you can give up any ideas of taking it on.”

Rhona realised they would have to get this out of the way before she got to the point of her call. Assuring her it was never a serious prospect, she added as an afterthought “I don’t have the wherewithal to buy anything at the moment anyway.”

 “Why are you pinching and scraping?” Grace demanded. She seemed to think Rhona had been left money in trust and accused her niece of gross mismanagement.

This was all news to Rhona. At first she thought Grace was confused but it seemed unlikely, given the amount of detail she recalled- even down to the fact that John had been a trustee. When Rhona  confessed she had never seen a statement or recalled signing any papers Grace expressed a very low opinion of her financial literacy. “Surely your solicitor set you straight?”

Rhona had to admit she hadn’t consulted one, which sent Aunt Grace into an impressive display of indignant outrage. She calmed down as quickly as she had exploded, Grace always did. Finally she remembered to ask Rhona the reason for her call.

 It hardly seemed important now. “I met someone you may remember- a Mr Bates.”

“Oh lord, you don’t mean Eric Bates do you? How did you come to meet him?”

“Oh just by chance.” Rhona had no wish to elaborate.

“Is that so? If anyone could find out what John was up to with your money it would be Eric Bates.”

Rhona could think of no reply to that. Her Aunt invited her for the day on Saturday. The new people were moving the builders in next door the week after, so she wanted to see them before the chaos set in- or so she said.

 Rhona replaced the receiver, knawing at her bottom lip. She knew her father had been a very wealthy man but she had never been on good terms with him. Even if only a portion of his wealth came to her it must have been a substantial amount. She flopped on to the sofa. No wonder John wanted to keep her from seeking a legal divorce settlement. He had banked on her innocence. No, she thought, on my ignorance and trust in human nature- the bastard.

Rhona sat frozen there until after 5 o’clock. Oh my God. Oh My God ran over and over in her head. She tried to breathe over it and think calmly. Gracie walked in after practice about then, demanding to know why she was so upset. Over the meal Rhona explained she needed to get some legal advice about their situation. She didn’t mention any details.

Later that evening, she dialed Mr Bate’s number for the first time. He recognized her voiced immediately - and the anxiety behind it.

In answer to the question she hadn’t yet asked he said “Tell me your difficulty.”

She told him of the news of a trust, of her separation and subsequent position. She mentioned the meagre allowance she had from John since he left and alluded to her reluctance to consult a solicitor because of his threats. It took some time to relate the whole story. Mr Bates encouraged her to speak without interruption until she came to her request. “Would you advise me? What I should do?”

His voice was kind but his reply was business like. “First of all: do you know a solicitor you would use if you felt able to?”

“Grace uses Marcus Bearing.”

“Yes a good choice. I know of him. His father I know better. I suggest you ring him and request an interview. Ask for Monday if you will. That gives us time in which to gather some information through other channels.”

Rhona was silent, unsure what information and what channels he was referring to. His matter of fact tone was reassuring as he suggested she leave the rest of the matter alone, discussing it only with himself or her solicitor. There seemed no alternative but to follow his directions.

Marcus Bearing came out from behind his desk to greet Rhona as soon as she was announced. He was a tall well built man in his late forties. Although his figure was showing signs of a comfortable middle age his face had the animated open cast of a younger man. He was smiling widely as he said “This must be the first time I’ve met you without your Aunt Grace.”

Rhona took the arm chair offered and perched on the edge of it. He returned to his own seat and pulled himself up to the desk. There was further family small talk until he asked her how he could help. Rhona took a deep slow breath before beginning.

“John has left us Marcus. I’m not sure where to start.”

He sat back in a relaxed way, unconsciously flicking his pen with his finger. He had already guessed the reason for her visit, having heard gossip to that effect. He asked her whether John had made any overtures about settlement. Rhona frowned at the carpet while she tried to explain how insistent her husband had been that she should not consult a solicitor.

“Really.” Marcus had leaned forward and was beginning a list of bullet points on his pad. He encouraged her to keep talking until she mentioned something about Grace and a trust.

He smiled up at her and held up his hand in a stop sign. “Just hang on there a minute Rhona. I think what your Aunt means is that he has financial reasons for objecting to a legal settlement.” He took the opportunity to pause and confirm dates of birth and other data relating to the marriage.  He asked “Now what’s this maiden name? It was Hagar back in our student days, wasn’t it?” He looked up at her, obviously delighted with his own powers of recall.

She explained  she had used her mother’s name from the time I left home. “I was christened Rhona Chalmers, as it says on the marriage certificate.”

Marcus was flicking his pen with his finger again. “Chalmers. Now that’s interesting.”He shook his head, smiling, and waved a hand in dismissal. “Just a coincidence probably, Dad had a bit of a gathering at his place last Saturday. It was mostly his older cronies and family, one or two strays. They must have been talking over old times or something.” He grinned at her. “You know how they go on. Anyway that name came up – Chalmers. Was he something to do with media and paper mills and that sort of thing, your father?”

She nodded cautiously, silently considering Mr Bates’ definition of retirement.  When she shifted uncomfortably in her chair Marcus dropped his pen casually and sat back from the desk. He promised to “look into that business” and get the things rolling on a separation agreement. That was all there was to it apparently. A few moments later she made her way out to the lift rather shakily. It occurred to her between floors that she ought to get the locks changed as Charlie had suggested.

As soon as Rhona left, Marcus put through a call to his parents’ house. When his father answered Marcus came straight to the point, asking how the subject of the Chalmers empire tied up with him having Rhona Manners nee Chalmers appear in his office. “What’s going on?”

 He was surprised that a trust had indeed been drawn up by the firm. When Marcus explained that Rhona had known nothing about it he was amazed to hear his father say “So I understand. That’s what Eric and I were talking about the other night.”

Marcus whistled. “There’d be a lot of money involved.” He paused then said “I knew this was going to be trouble. She was always a worry that girl.”

Mr Bearing ignored the remark and suggested he get hold of Eric Bates. “He’s been compiling a bit of a dossier on your old school chum John Manners. He met Rhona by chance a month or two ago.”

Marcus sat thinking for some time after that call. He realized that what was being suggested here was loosely termed a “gentleman’s agreement” to secure the best outcome for his client. Whether John Manners would ultimately face a criminal prosecution was not his immediate concern. If the document had been drawn up in his father’s time as senior partner, how had it been administered in the interim? Had they failed somehow in their duty of care? Marcus Bearing went home a worried man.