It was then that Elias noticed a frailness plaguing the lady. Shadows of unusual weariness settled beneath her pale green eyes, making them appear almost sunken. A hollowness accentuated her high cheekbones. She was still a lovely woman, but struggling to remain so, and was entirely too thin. She possessed an almost fragile translucence—like the finest porcelain. Elias knew without a doubt that Her Grace was dying. He had watched his beloved aunt fade from this world in much the same way.
“I can absolutely see to your will immediately, Your Grace. In fact, if you would like, I shall return tomorrow well before receiving hours so as not to hinder any of your social engagements.”
“That will not be necessary, Lord Raines.” The duchess appeared to be struggling with her composure as she turned to Miss Bening. “My list, Celia? Do be kind enough to fetch it.”
“Of course, Your Grace.” Miss Bening rose and hurried from the room.
“I feel I understand the need for expediency, Your Grace, but are you quite certain you wish to do this today?” Elias wondered if the ailing lady might need a rest. Her extreme fatigue had become even more apparent during their short visit. “After all, you said you arrived late yesterday. I am sure traveling from Germany is quite arduous.”
The duchess’s rueful smile didn’t soften the resentment in her eyes. “Do I appear so frail as to offend you, my lord?”
“You could never offend me, Your Grace.” He could tell the duchess hated that her life was being stolen from her, and he didn’t blame her. “You are a beautiful woman whom fate has treated quite unfairly. I wish it were not so.”
She fixed him with a piercing stare that seemed almost calculating. “How much did Master Hodgely tell you about the Hasterton line?”
Elias sensed she was asking him a great deal more than if he was familiar with their files. “He always spoke of Your Grace and your children with much fondness and admiration when informing me of the appropriate condition of the estate, and how it should be managed.” He paused, watching her closely. “Master Hodgely gave me the impression that he considered your account the most important of all his clients.”
Before the duchess could respond, Miss Bening returned to the room. “Forgive me for the delay, Your Grace,” she said as she handed the duchess a long, narrow envelope bearing the Hasterton seal. “It appears the maids attended to the library and moved it. I shall speak to Mrs. Harcourt immediately regarding how the servants will address a door locked by one of us.”
What an unusual thing to say. Elias also noted the high coloring on Miss Bening’s cheeks. The lady was frustrated to no end, and as fiercely protective of the dowager as a lioness protecting her young.
“It is all right, Celia,” the duchess said after examining the envelope. “The seal is still intact. Do not be too hard on them. Remember, we are new to them.”
Miss Bening cleared her throat with a nervous cough, then turned to Elias. “Would you care for tea, my lord? Forgive me for being so remiss. I should have offered it earlier.”
“That would be most lovely, Miss Bening, and no apology is necessary. As Her Grace pointed out, the two of you have barely had sufficient time to settle into your household here in London—since arriving late last night.” He wondered if she would pick up on his speaking of the household as though it belonged to her as well as the duchess.
She did.
“Her Grace’shousehold,” Miss Bening gently corrected him, with the slightest hint of displeasure creasing her brow. She excused herself with a subtle nod, then stepped into the hall and spoke quietly to Gransdon.
A deep, rumbling “At once, my lady, and I do apologize most heartily” came from that direction, but Elias couldn’t pick up on Miss Bening’s response. He did, however, find Gransdon’s reference to her asmy ladyquite interesting indeed.
“Here is my list, Lord Raines,” the dowager announced in a loud voice while waving the envelope at him. “The terms I require in my will. I trust you will put everything in order and bring it here for my signature by tomorrow?”
“By tomorrow, Your Grace?” Elias hefted the envelope in one hand. It obviously contained several pages.
“Yes. Tomorrow.” The duchess’s eyes gleamed with iron-willed determination. “I want nothing left to chance. No loose ends. The crossing from Germany made me quite aware of my mortality, and those things over which I have no control.”
“Tea will be here shortly,” Miss Bening said as she rejoined them. Her gaze settled on the envelope Elias held. “If you would like to review the list while we wait, that would be most acceptable. After all, there might be items you wish to clarify.”
He found it interesting that a lady’s companion would make such a statement about something that had absolutely nothing to do with her. But he didn’t comment on Miss Bening’s unusual behavior. Instead, he turned back to the duchess. “Do you wish me to do so, Your Grace? Review the list here and now?”
After a quick glance at Miss Bening, the dowager nodded. “Yes. I agree it would be best.”
Elias carefully opened the packet and scanned the sheets of instructions, finding all the terms quite unusual. The dowager duchess’s Bening holdings appeared quite impressive—if this account was accurate. He would have to confirm the figures with the records back at his office.
The solicitor in Germany, Erwin Von Gaelinson, was listed as the individual overseeing the duchess’s original provision account that was set up when she married the duke. Elias remembered that name appearing on the transfers from the Hasterton accounts to the Bening account he had handled. The man’s contact information was listed, and he wished to receive a witnessed copy of the will upon its completion. Nothing unusual there.
However, Elias had always found their need for an additional solicitor quite surprising, since Her Grace had expressed such trust and affection for Master Hodgely. Their office could have easily and efficiently handled all of her accounts.
When he reached the final page of the document, he came up short and read it twice. The duchess wished for everything to be placed in a trust for Miss Bening. Not a single item mentioned her daughter or her son. Most surprising, indeed. He lifted his gaze from the documents and looked straight into the duchess’s sharp-eyed stare. “This is most unusual, Your Grace, and I must caution that your son and daughter could successfully contest such a will.”
Before the duchess could respond, Miss Bening huffed a very unladylike snort. “It is my understanding, my lord, that the Hasterton holdings will not be affected. After all, we have already settled everything that belonged to the fifth Duke of Hasterton upon the sixth, including provisions for a generous dowry for Lady Cecilia. Is that not so?”
“That is my understanding,” Elias said while attempting to ignore a growing uneasiness in his gut. Instinct told him there was so much more going on here of which he was not aware. He returned his attention to the duchess. “But this still raises the question. Do you wish nothing to go to your daughter? Not even your jewelry?”
“She has jewelry of her own, and her brother will see to her until such time as she marries.” The duchess suddenly became cold and detached. She lifted her chin in defiance. “And of course, once she marries, everything becomes her husband’s property. Correct?”
