Coveted (Completed)

2. Maisie

I glared at the letter the postman had just delivered before ripping it in half and tossing it in the fireplace. How dare they chase me like this, I had already said no and nothing was going to change my mind. 
The threats they had already made, the behaviour and questionable work ethics. No, they would get my land over my dead body.  The deal they had made with Stewart was nothing to do with me.

I lifted Pluto from the back of the chair and cuddled him close, Pluto belonged to our housekeeper Mary and had been a gift to her from my parents before they passed in a car accident.  The huge grey main coon cat with amber eyes resembled a miniature version of the fabled black lion on our coat of arms and had taken over the house as his own, Mary had tried to keep him to her part of the house but he preferred looking out of the windows over the loch, eventually she had stopped trying and he had made his favourite bed on one of the old cashmere covered windows seats, not that I minded, he suffered my hugs when I needed him too and eased my stress when I got writers block by appearing like magic and demanding my attention.

I grinned into his fur, thinking of the children's books already out there that he had inspired.  They had been so popular that there was even a cuddly toy of him available now.  Not that my usual readers knew I was the author, I had used a different pen name for Pluto's adventures.

"Ohh, if you're cuddling my demon this morning somethings happened" Mary's voice said from behind me and I turned, smiling at her over Pluto's head.
"Another letter" I mutter and she scowls.
"Yer cousin should be shot, how dare he act like that, yer aunt would turn in her grave if she knew he had sold the land away" her accent getting broader as she expressed her displeasure.

"Mary, what can I do, it was his to do with as he wishes, though I do wish he had come to me first, I would have given him a good price for it"

"Yer need to speak to yer lawyer and to the police, this isn't right" she adds setting a tray down for me and pouring two cups, passing me mine before joining me with hers.

"It will be alright lass" she offers watching me hug Pluto tighter and gaze out the window.
"I know, I just don't want to... people" I whisper out.
"I don't blame ye lass" she laughs and I gently put Pluto back down, watching him stretch and settle in the shaft of sunlight.

"Maybe your right, I should at least let Bishop know" I grimace knowing that conversation would probably lead to him scalping Stewart but it had to be done, his land also bordered the land Stewart had sold to a development group, he would not be happy with any potential threat to the peace of our hills.

We sip at our tea as I contemplate what to do, the room silent but for the sound of Pluto now snoring loudly and the grandfather clock ticking.
"Don't put it off too long, it will only get harder" Mary offers as I finish and set my cup back down.
I smile at her "Nosy old lady, don't worry, I will do it now, what are your plans for the day?"

"Neave and Katie are coming up to start the spring clean" she holds her hand up as I start to speak "I will be supervising from the chair, I promise not to do anything strenuous" she tells me with a smile and I nod back, leaning down to hug her as I blink away my fears.

"Please do, I don't want to worry about you, please" she nods again at my words and I hurry out heading to my desk in the library that I had claimed as my office, rather than use my fathers old study.  The library had been my space all my life and I protected it fiercely using it as both bolthole and for inspiration as I wrote, but a couple of months ago I had come in to find Mary passed out on the floor, she had been cleaning the windows, despite a company from the village coming up to do it once a month, they were not allowed inside the library, so Mary had decided to do it for me.

After the shock of finding her had worn off I had called in the family doctor to run some tests and he had found an imbalance in her B12 levels that were now getting much better due to ongoing medication and treatment. We had sat down and both ended up in tears as I told her my fears of losing her as well, she had become a surrogate parent to me after my parents death and I did not consider her staff but family.  So... We had agreed to compromise, she would do less and supervise more and take regular rests throughout the day.

I had also arranged for part of the royalties from Pluto's Adventures to go to her, so she really did not need to work.  She had fought me on it but I had been firm, without her, without her cat, Pluto's Adventures would never have happened.

I sat down in my chair and reached for my phone, taking a deep breath I called Bishop's number.
"Good Morning, Commander Frasers office, how may I help you?" his PA answers
"Beth, good morning its Maisie Greystone, is Bishop available?"
"Lady Greystone, I am sorry, the Commander is out of the office at present, can I get him to give you a call back on his return or if its urgent I can put out a call for him"
"Please Beth, but no rush, it's not urgent, just a family matter, please don't disturb him if he's busy" I reply before thanking her again and hanging up and leaning back in my chair as I contemplate more calmly the situation with Stewart.