He looked at the letter and found it strange...

Law firm? What could be the problem?

He got home, put his things down and opened the letter. They were asking for a meeting on the 8th of the month at 10am to discuss matters relating to an inheritance. He furrowed his brow, inheritance? What inheritance? His parents had already died, he had no siblings or relatives that he knew of, with money.

However, he booked it on his mobile phone so he wouldn't forget, and went back to his routine.

Thomas was a middle-aged man, interesting and intelligent. He had an unusual job as a sound assistant and worked for state television in Portugal. Even though he had already worked in England but in the middle of his path to growing older he had the desire to know the country of his descendants, also, because he had heard friends speak highly of it. The climate, the food and the very warm people. He took a chance.

When he arrived at 10am, they were already waiting for him.

After the presentations, they sat down.

I'm assuming you have some idea why we're here today.

I have no idea whatsoever.

Your uncle Grandpa Thomas died at the beautiful age of 80 and left a will in which Mr Thomas Barbosa is the sole heir, since there is no one else.

- I don't remember that uncle.

- That's natural. But he remembered you and your father. That's why he made you the heir to his wealth, since your father had already passed away.

He looked at him with a frown.

But was he rich?

Your uncle lived on the island of Madeira, more specifically in Estreito da Câmara de Lobos. As well as money, he had a vineyard that produced highly regarded Madeira wine and, of course, a house and workers on his behalf. At the moment, his uncle's entire business is being managed by Dra. Emma, who has a degree in viticulture and oenology. He trusted her implicitly. They'd collaborated successfully together for 15 years. I can confidently say that Mr. Samuel was indeed a wealthy man.

Thomas was perplexed. He was at a loss as to what to say or do. The seconds passed in silence, punctuated only by the steady rhythm of each person's breathing.

- It is up to you to decide what you are going to do with the inheritance.

- But I have no idea...

- I strongly advise you to go to Madeira and experience everything that's yours for the taking. It's the perfect place to decide where to go from there. Before that, we'll fill you in. As soon as we sign the papers, we'll transfer some of the money into your account. In the meantime, we'll discuss the inheritance and how to manage it. We can also agree to keep our services for as long as you see fit.

- Ah!... Yes... OK, thank you

After spending another two hours being enlightened and making plans to go to Madeira, Thomas left.

He was so stunned by all the information he had received that he wasn't sure what to do. He sat down on a terrace, ordered a beer and rang his best friend, Martins.

- Hey, mate, what's up?

- Martins, you have no idea what's happened to me!

- But are you alright? Do you need anything? Are you in the hospital?

- No, no, calm down. Can you come and see me? I'm here in Ferreirinha.

- 15 minutes and I'll be there.

Maria was incredulous, but he looked like he was enjoying himself.

- So Tomi, you're rich. "Don't forget me," he said, laughing loudly.

-Don't talk like that – I'm scared to death. I'm not an expert in business, and I'm heading to Madeira to meet people I'm likely to dismiss. I think you understand the issue. Everything seems so strange to me. I'm not aware of this uncle's existence.

- Let me be clear: you do have a problem. I'm not the right person to ask. This is outside my area of expertise. I only drink wine! I don't know what fortunes you're talking about. Tell me what I can do to help, mate.

Thomas was silent for a few seconds.

-I'm going to Madeira and I want you to come with me.

Martins was a web designer. He owned his own successful company, where he worked closely with two other key members of his team: his sister and another friend.

- I'll speak with my partners, but rest assured, you can count on me.

They set off. Thomas felt a little anxious, but he was in control of the situation. Martins, on the other hand, was in a fantastic mood.

- What an incredible adventure! I've got a friend who produces one of the world's best wines and he's a millionaire too! He laughed!

- Don't say something like that! I'm stunned!

- Tomi, take it easy. I'm with you, and you've got the lawyers, which means you're backed up. Relax. The worst that can happen is that you go back to square one.

When they arrived at the airport, a car was waiting for them. A woman of medium height approached and introduced herself with confidence.

- Good afternoon.

She greeted the lawyer, Horácio Teixeira, who made the necessary introductions.

- Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to Dra. Emma Rosário, your uncle's assistant and the person primarily responsible for the quality of the wine the quinta produces.

Thomas thanked her for her efforts in ensuring everything ran smoothly and that she had kept everything running.

They went straight to the quinta, with Emma, who asked to be called by her first name, acting as their tour guide, showcasing the stunning beauty of the small town by the sea.

The area was characterised by high hillsides of various colours, many of which were covered in vineyards. She stated that the rooms had already been prepared, the workers were also there because they wanted to meet their new boss, and then they would have an excellent dinner to savour the quinta's wine

- Madeira wine is the perfect choice for aperitifs, socialising and festive moments. Our farm produces the best red wine for enjoying with any meal. This is your uncle's bet, which we both worked on for three years, and it really is a success.

- I want to hear all about it.

When they arrived at the farm, Thomas was blown away by the sheer scale of the place. The farm was huge. From the main house to everything around it, the sheer size was overwhelming.

Dinner was fantastic, the wine was outstanding, but Thomas was completely exhausted.

They rested.

The next morning, he woke up at 10:30 a.m. He strode to the window to find João already socialising and Emma right there with him. They were visibly excited.

He went to get ready and was about to go out the door when Mrs Sonia, the cook, called him.

- I'm going to stop you. Where do you think you're going without food?

- I was going to see my friend... He felt like a kid who'd misbehaved.

- I can assure you he'll be right there. But we're going to eat breakfast first. Sit down.

Thomas obeyed without question. In front of him was a magnificent display of appetising snacks. The cheese, butter, coffee, milk and bread are all homemade.

After breakfast, they released him to meet his friend.

He left the house and didn't find him.

He led himself to the place where his great-uncle had dedicated his life and set out to discover it. He returned home after a brief excursion and went to see his uncle in his office.

He began by viewing the library. It was an impressive personal library, packed with books on a diverse array of subjects. The collection indisputably demonstrated his diverse taste in books. He also had the old Portuguese novels by the great writers, no doubt about it. Eça, Camilo, Régio, Brandão, Ortigão, Florbela, Torga and many more. The books are in alphabetical order. He was an organised man.

He opened the drawers. He quickly scanned a few and found some interesting things, but decided to come back to it later.

 - Come on, friend, you should be enjoying this incredible weather outside, not stuck inside!

Thomas was scared. He was not prepared for an interruption. It was Martins.

I was looking for you but couldn't find you. So I've come here to get to know my uncle better.

You will know him better in the fullness of time. Emma was showing me the farm, and I was there to see the wine production area. Right, now we're going to launch.

Emma, you're clearly amused by her.

They both smiled complicitly. They hugged and went into the dining room. Emma and the solicitor were already there to greet them.

- I hope you had a good night's sleep,' said Emma.

- Absolutely, thank you. I slept like a stone.

They sat down at the table. It was a long and very pleasant lunch. There was plenty of conversation and the food was excellent, accompanied by a fine bottle of wine.

In the afternoon, they went to see more of the farm and even the wine production. Emma took them to the city centre for dinner at the end of the day.