Gemotions

The solicitor cleared his throat, the sound echoing in the cavernous room. Amelia’s breath hitched. She hadn't expected this. Not *this*. Her jaw felt locked. Their uncle’s will, delivered with such solemnity, revealed not a quaint cottage, as they had imagined, but a sprawling, dilapidated estate. The papers detailed the deeds, the land holdings, the debts. Her brother, Thomas, let out a low whistle. Amelia could feel the color draining from her face, leaving her feeling lightheaded. She fumbled with the clasp of her handbag, her fingers clumsy and unresponsive.