SIR Nicholas Fairbairn secretly arranged financial security for his

three daughters, despite his death-bed decision to cut them out of part

of his will, Dr Lorraine Inglis, a close friend and witness, has

claimed.

The former Tory MP, she says, was also in sound mind when he decided

to alter his legacy less than 24 hours before his death on February 19

this year.

In an interview with The Herald yesterday, Dr Inglis provided a

fascinating insight into Sir Nicholas's last hours and the sad torment

of his widow, Lady Sam, 53.

The Perth and Kinross MP cancelled individual legacies of #10,000 to

his daughters, Charlotte, Anna-Karina and Francesca, the day before he

died, and left his entire estate at Fordell Castle, near Dunfermline,

valued at #408,000, to his second wife, Suzanne, known as Lady Sam.

The girls are Sir Nicholas's only children from his first marriage to

the Hon Elizabeth Mackay, daughter of Lord Reay -- although it was

recently revealed that he also has an illegitimate son, who now lives in

Australia.

Now they are contesting the validity of the will, with one daughter

claiming their father might have been hurried into a decision and that

the amendment might not have been witnessed contemporaneously.

Under a will made in 1984 -- the year after Sir Nicholas married for

the second time -- the three girls had been the sole beneficiaries.

In August 1993, however, Sir Nicholas decided to bequeath his estate

to Lady Sam, apart from #10,000 and various paintings for each of his

daughters, and #5000 for Mr Andrew Fenton, then his gardener.

Mr Fenton subsequently left his job and, in September last year, Sir

Nicholas revoked the gardener's legacy.

The death-bed changes were made when the 61-year-old former Solicitor

General for Scotland signed a hand-written codicil or amendment,

sometime on February 18, drawn up by Mr Keith Bovey, the family

solicitor.

Eldest daughter Charlotte, 31, who is married to composer Ross Pople,

said: ''I am not suggesting there was anything improper. But it seemed

to me that the codicil was drawn up in a rather over-hasty way.''

She also remains puzzled why one of her father's last actions was to

cut his three daughters out of his will and whether this occurred while

he was in the throes of dying.

Mrs Pople is taking legal advice because she says she is uncertain

whether Sir Nicholas's gardener, Mr Peter Rozanski, and close friend Dr

Inglis -- the only witnesses to the documentary change -- saw her father

sign the will.

Mr Rozanski -- who is still employed by Lady Sam -- refuses to comment

on his involvement.

However, Dr Inglis says that the alteration to the will was made early

in the day when Sir Nicholas was alert and in reasonable health. She

also claims that Sir Nicholas ensured secure financial provision for

each of his daughters.

''He didn't cut the girls out,'' she asserted, ''Even though it says

that the #10,000 has been revoked, there is no question of the girls

getting nothing, because I have heard the details.

''But that is not to say they yet know all those details,'' she added,

hinting that Sir Nicholas had already provided for his daughters in

other ways to avoid death duties.

''I witnessed the codicil the day before he died,'' she affirmed.

''And I asked him if what he was going to sign was his wish. He said it

was.

''I handed him the pen, which was given to me by the lawyer, and

watched him signed FoF, for Fairbairn of Fordell, and then I signed --

to suggest it happened in any other way is nonsense.''

Dr Inglis also gave an insight into Sir Nicholas' condition. ''I admit

the man was in poor health, but the haemorrhaging, of which he

ultimately died, had not taken place when the codicil was signed earlier

in the day.

''I even took his pulse and it was strong, and he was clear as a bell

mentally.''

Dr Inglis added that Lady Sam had endured ''a terrible time'' from the

''penny papers'' and revelations over Sir Nicholas's illegitimate son

and the disputed will as well as coping with her own bereavement.

''As for the boy in Australia, that has really upset her. She doesn't

know why he couldn't have told her before he died . . . she would have

understood.''

Solicitor Adrian Ward, who originally represented all three daughters

in the dispute over the MP's will, has severed ties with Mrs Pople and

now acts solely for Francesca and Anna-Karina.

Last night he said: ''My two clients are not party to any dispute, but

are having a discussion over the provisions of the will, which is normal

in circumstances such as these.''