If we take Jeremy's early years of being bullied on the school bus because of his accent, always feeling slightly apart maybe but his life smoothed by the Bamber money at home, yet a desperate feeling of loneliness as he is sent away to a place where he doesn't excel and is again aloof, albeit desperately wanting to fit in with his peers as is the desire of all teenagers. Up to this point he has not been pushed or made excessive demands on, yet he has followed a regimented routine for eight years, of which he tires and begins to rebel. He is allowed to sow his wild oats on two foreign trips abroad maybe as an equilibrium to June paying for Sheila's modelling portfolio and the Hampstead flat, succeeded by Moreshead mansions.
At this point Jeremy is refused further funds and senses an unfairness in the quid pro quo of Bourtree Cottage, which he has to furnish himself in addition to expending long hours at the Farm, and sees the Gresham's years as wasted years which prepared him for very little. He cannot bring himself to relinquish his inheritance as Julie suggests, but is trapped on the Farm under the terms of his father's will, coupled with this having a sense that life is passing him by and "it's important to have money whilst you're young." The grievance with Sheila becomes personal and spills over to her children, who are reaching the age at which he was packed off to school, with all the expense that would entail. The final illness of Sheila in March 1985 is the excuse he needs to do away with her as well as his parents, who were always first in line anyway, but the demise of his sister and nephews tidies up the estate with himself becoming sole beneficiary and able to start life anew.
