Chapter 24 - MARTIN AND THE BANK MANAGER
Martin testified about Sophronia searching Dad’s handmade gifts.
“She opened Clara’s jewelry box looking for a compartment.”
“When?”
“September.”
“Did she explain?”
“She said Alistair hid documents.”
Then:
“Did she ask about Aurelia’s horse?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Whether its runners came apart.”
There.
Then the bank manager.
Dad signed voluntarily.
No family present.
No confusion.
The notary confirmed identity.
The signature matched.
Then Dad’s cardiologist submitted records:
No cognitive impairment.
No sedating medication likely to affect understanding that day.
No delirium.
Capacity challenge effectively ended.
Then Miles testified.
Had Sophronia stolen estate funds?
“No evidence of that.”
Had she failed to disclose her knowledge that an executed amendment existed?
“Yes.”
Did that increase legal costs?
“Yes.”
Did she have sole authority to decide the old trust controlled?
“No.”
Did Dacre have authority to change workshop locks?
“No.”
Good.
Everyone got precision.
Then the judge looked at both of us.
“You each appear to have mistaken proximity to your father for authority over his choices.”
That hurt because it was true in different ways.
Sophronia thought:
I managed him, therefore I interpret him.
I thought:
May you like
I loved him, therefore I know what he meant.
The documents were cleaner than either of us.
