The next month Anne missed her period.
Doctor MacKenzie was anxious but tried not to show it; the grandmothers were horrified and did; while Henry was delighted and assured Anne that it was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to him in his whole life, and even agreed to building a new children's wing for the hos, pital that Richard had planned before he died.
When William heard the news by letter from his mother, he sat deep in thought all evening unable to tell even Matthew what was preoccupying him. The following Saturday morning, having been granted special permission, by his housemaster, Grumpy Raglan, he boarded a train to Boston and on arrival withdrew one hundred dollars from his savings account. He then proceeded to the law offices of Cohen, Cohen and Yablons in Jefferson Street. Mr. Thomas Cohen, the senior partner, a tall angular man with a dark jowl was somewhat surprised when William was ushered into his office.
'I have never been retained by a sixteen - year - old before~ Mr. Cohen began. 'It will be quite a novelty for m& - - - P he hesitated ~ - - Mr. Kane.'
He found Mr. Kane did not run easily off the tongue. 'Especially as your father was not exactly - how shall I put it? - known for his sympathy for my co - religionists.'
'My father,' replied William, ',was a great admirer of the achievements of the Hebrew race and in particular had considerable respect for your firm when you acted on behalf of rivals. I heard him mention your name on several occasions. Thaeswhy I have chosenyou, Mr. Cohen, not you me, That should be reassurance enough.'
Mr. Cohen quickly put aside the fact that William was only sixteen.
'Indeed, indeed. I feel I can make an exception for the son of Richard Kane. Now, what can we do for you?'
'I wish you to answer three questions for me, Mr. Cohen. One, I want to know if my mother, Mrs. Henry Osborne, were to give birth to a child, son or daughter, whether that child would have any legal rights to the Kane fan - dly trust. Two, do I have any legal obligations to Mr. Henry Osborne because he is married to my mother, and three, at what age can I insist that Mr. Henry Osborne leave my house on Louisburg Square in Boston?'
Thomas Cohen's quill pen sped furiously across the paper in front of him, spattering little blue spots on an already ink - stained desk top.
William placed one hundred dollars on the desk. The lawyer looked taken aback but picked the notes up and counted thern.
11
'Use the money prudently, Mr. Cohen. I will need a good lawyer when I leave Harvard.'
'You have already been accepted at Harvard, Mr. Kane? My congratulations.
I am hoping my son will go there too.'
'No, I have not, but I shall have done so in two years' time. I will return to Boston to see you in one - week, Mr. Cohen. If I ever hear in my lifetime from anyone other than yourself on this subject, you may consider our relationship at an end. Good day, sir.'
Thomas Cohen would have also said good day, if he could have spluttered the words out before William closed the door behind him.
William returned to the offices of Cohen, Cohen and YabIons seven days later.
'Ah, Mr. Kane,' said Thomas Cohen, 'how nice to see you again. Would you care for some coffee?'
'No, thank you.'
'Shall I send someone out for a Coca - Cola?'
William's face was expressionless.
'To business, to business,' said Mr. Cohen, slightly embarrassed. 'We have, dug around a little on your behalf, Mr. Kane, with the help of a very respectable firm of private investigators to assist us with the questions you asked that were not purely academic. I think I can safely say we have the answers to all your questions. You asked if Mr. Osborne's offspring by your mother, were there to be any, would have a claim on the Kane estate, or in particular on the trust left to you by your father.
No is the simple answer, but of course Mrs. Osborne can leave any part of the five hundred thousand dollars bequeathed to her by your father to whom she pleases!
Mr.. Cohen looked up, 'However, it may interest you to know, Mr. Kane, that your mother has drawn out the entire five hundred thousand from her private account at Kane and Cabot during the last eighteen months, but we have been unable to trace how the money has been used. It is possible she may have decided to deposit the amount in another bank.'
William looked shocked ' the first sign of any lack of the self - control that Thomas Cohen had noted.
'There would be no reason for her to do that, - William said. 'The money can only haw gone to one person!
The lawyer remained silent, expecting to hear more, but William steadied himself and added nothing, so Mr. Cohen continued.