LEWIS, MARK (1967 - ) I always enjoyed a cordial relationship with Mark's mother Constance. Our friendship was cemented when my investigation revealed irregularities in the Lewis household that resulted in the dismissal of a gardener and Mark's departure for boarding school. Discretion prevents me from elaborating, but details are contained in the Hamilton Coe archive, scheduled for release in May 2020, a definite black letter day for Mark! I was of further use to Mrs Lewis on various further occasions, once locating a missing cat and later exposing the roguish intentions of a salesman introduced to the household by her son. At other times, I would simply enjoy Mrs Lewis's company, occasionally dropping in for a cup of tea and a chat. When Mark was present, he did nothing to conceal the fact that he didn't welcome my presence: a natural hostility from one whose wiles had more than once been thwarted by my intervention. Later, immediately prior to Mark's marriage to Barbara, relations between us deteriorated when my investigation revealed not only her grandfather's war-time association with Mosley's black-shirts, but his subsequent rapid departure from a series of teaching positions. As the old man was scheduled to play a prominent role in the wedding, providing a bible reading, I thought it only fair that Mrs Lewis be aware of his calibre. My own presence at the wedding, in the guise of ‘Sammy the Sweep', a caution against further shenanigans on the part of the bride's family, caused further problems when Barbara's grandfather, startled by my sudden appearance in his wardrobe collapsed and, unfortunately, suffered a stroke.

When Mrs Lewis died in 2002, I was more surprised than anyone by the revelation that she had rewritten her will in my favour. Mark, I regret to say, took the news without grace, alleging that I'd taken advantage of his mother's dotage, insinuating myself into her affections and encouraging her to alter her legacy. This is as unsubstantiated as it is offensive. If I visited Mrs Lewis it was out of concern. I've never had any interest in financial gain, as many grateful recipients of my assistance will attest. Mark's claims reflect on his own perspective far more than they do mine. When my mother died I'd have been unperturbed to learn that she'd left everything to the paperboy (though, admittedly, I would have been concerned had Spencer been given the opportunity to squander an undeserved inheritance.) Despite the fact that he is, by any standards, a wealthy individual, Mark was still pre-occupied by his mother's will at the funeral and caused a disgraceful scene when he spotted me in the front row. His demands that I be removed, I'm happy to relate, were ignored, but he's subsequently made a nuisance of himself, objecting to various Hamilton Coe Foundation initiatives on the grounds that they're funded by the ‘contested' inheritance. The inheritance has not, in fact, been contested by anyone other than Mark and he'd be advised to swallow his sour grapes lest they choke him.

 

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