The Late Cornelius Kraus
Cornelius Kraus amassed an extraordinary fortune and died recently under peculiar circumstances. Sprawling properties, formidable accounts, and carefully kept favours made him impossible to ignore. He was Margot Brennan's great-uncle, and he appointed Margot and Harrison Brennan executors of his vast estate.
Near the end, Cornelius no longer knew whom to trust. So, in one final act of calculation, he arranged for his friends, family, and foes to gather at Brennan Manor on October 30 to determine who should inherit his fortune.
Some are perplexed to be present, having barely known him. Others, who knew him dearly, are equally stunned that the fortune was not clearly left to them.
A fortune is not a reward for being seen; it is a measure of whom one can trust when no one is watching.
Cornelius Kraus, 1926