Sims 2 Tales

As the Inspector had predicted, the case was heard within months. Against the advice of her doctor Adelaide had insisted on attending the hearing, and was accompanied by the family’s solicitor James Gilbert. Unfortunately he was the bearer of more bad news that day: as William’s heir was still less than a year old he was not entitled to inherit the Manor and what remained of the estate. Instead it had to pass to another living Le Grande descendant of at least twenty one years of age, and as William had been an only child that descendant was a cousin by the name of Frederick Davidson (eldest son of William’s aunt Sarah).

Frederick had been born and raised in New York, and had no wish to take up occupancy of the Manor. In spite of Mr Gilbert’s efforts, he had refused to allow Adelaide and her son to remain at the Manor, and insisted that it be sold as soon as a verdict had been reached. Already widowed and with a young son, Adelaide would also be homeless.

The case against Jack Mills was fairly straightforward, and it took a matter of days for the all-male jury to find him guilty of manslaughter as charged. There was a stony silence in the courtroom as the verdict was delivered, which changed to a collective gasp as the judge, Sir Charles Watson-Smith, sentenced Jack Mills to be hanged.

"In carrying out the manslaughter of Mr Le Grande you have condemned his wife and child to a life of uncertainty and potential hardship," the judge began. "Therefore I see no other choice than to sentence you to be hanged one month from now. Your crime was one of unnecessary violence against a man who can in no way have been personally accountable for your loss of employment."

Jack threw an angry look at the faces in the courtroom before being led back to his cell, silently cursing the judge and jury.

All through the trial Adelaide had kept a check on her emotions, but now that it was over she abandoned her show of strength and broke down openly. Memories from her childhood flooded back and merged with her grief at losing William - she felt as if she was twelve years old again and alone, not knowing where she would live and how she would survive. However this time things were different: she had a child of her own to raise, and he needed her as she had once required all of her grandmother’s strength and love.

Six months later the Manor was sold, and Adelaide received nothing from the sale other than notice to be out of the house within two weeks. Cuddling Nicholas to her closely, she walked around the Manor one last time.

"This is all wrong," she thought to herself sadly as she gazed into Nicholas’ eyes. "If your grandfather had been a stronger man and hadn’t altered his will, the estate would be yours Nicholas," she cried softly.

Unfortunately George Le Grande had not inherited his ancestors’ strength of character, and had easily been persuaded to alter his will in favour of his sister’s family if the male heir of his line was not old enough to take control of the estate. Of course William had seen no reason to contest that clause, especially as his first child had been a son rather than a daughter. And so it was that after almost 800 years a new family would take possession of Normandy Manor.