Thenotairetook off his spectacles and polished them carefully. “This is a delicate matter, Madame le Comtesse. How long have you known of Philippe’s existence?”
“Less than a fortnight,” she replied. “Simon and I visited Château Chambron to see what condition the estate was in. We found that the château had been burned down and Philippe and his wife were living in the ruins and in dire straits.”
“It doesn’t upset you that your husband had a natural son whose existence he concealed from you?” Morel asked curiously.
Suzanne shrugged. “Not really. Jean-Louis never spoke to me of important matters. He allowed Philippe to believe that he is legitimate. Philippe wants to believe, but he’s doubtful.”
“And justly so. Jean-Louis never suggested to me that his son was the product of a legal marriage.” Thenotairehummed thoughtfully. “Your late husband left his affairs in a confused state, I fear.”
“An understatement,” Simon said dryly as he removed Philippe’s power of attorney from his inside pocket. He handed it to thenotaire. “We are all interested in whatever clarity you can offer about Jean-Louis’s estate.”
Morel studied the power of attorney carefully, including the witness signatures. “This appears to be in order.” He sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “You are both among those with a right to know about the will and its dispositions. It is an unusual document. I can produce it for you to study here in the office, but if you like, I’ll summarize the points that affect you.”
“The summary, please,” Suzanne said firmly.
Thenotairelooked at Simon. “You are the heir to the title of Comte de Chambron. I can say with reasonable certainty that the heirs between Jean-Louis and you are all deceased. Congratulations, Monsieur le Comte.”
Simon was still for a long moment. “I regret that so many of my kin have died.”
“Inheritance usually comes from a bittersweet hand,” thenotairesaid. “If it makes you feel any better, no property or monies are attached. Properly speaking, you would also inherit some ceremonial regalia that goes with the title, but I have no knowledge of where it might be.”
“Probably at the bottom of the sea,” Suzanne said dryly. “Jean-Louis would have brought such trappings with him to Naples so that the locals would know his rank.”
Simon shrugged. “So the title is an empty shell. I never aspired to it and I certainly never expected to inherit any money or property from my cousin.”
“Titles can be useful socially,” Suzanne said with amusement. “Much grander to be announced as the Comte and Comtesse de Chambron when we attend a ball.”
Simon chuckled. “You are already the Comtesse de Chambron, milady. But apparently now you will no longer endure the humiliation of having a commoner husband. Will you mind if I renounce the title? It seems wrong to claim it when my future lies in Britain.”
“The title holds no joy for me,” Suzanne said slowly. “I do not wish to be the Comtesse de Chambron again. I am much happier as Mrs. Simon Duval.”
He caught her hand for a moment and their gazes met with mutual agreement. He kissed the back of her hand before relinquishing his clasp.
Monsieur Morel gave a discreet cough. “There are more provisions that will interest you,” he said. When he had his guests’ attention, he continued, “Jean-Louis did leave a not inconsiderable amount of property. Since Château Chambron was not entailed, he left it to his ‘beloved son, Philippe Duval.’”
“So the estate really is his!” Simon said. “He’ll be very happy to know that. Perhaps he can sell some of the land to raise money to restore the rest of the property.”
“That shouldn’t be necessary,” thenotairesaid. “Because of the uncertain state of the French economy, I persuaded Jean-Louis to transfer the bulk of his fortune to England. London is banker to the world, and the investments I made on his behalf have prospered. Most of that sum was bequeathed to Philippe. He won’t have wealth unlimited, but the income will allow him to make the estate profitable again if he uses it carefully.”
“I think he will,” Suzanne said. “Philippe seems truly dedicated to the land and now he will be able to restore it to productivity. This will be a great comfort to him and Marie. They are expecting a child, so their lack of resources was upsetting.”
“You are both very generous,” Morel said, tilting his head to one side curiously. “You want nothing for yourselves?”
“As you know, my mother was English and her fortune remained there,” Simon explained. “My inheritance provides all that we’ll need.”
“There is another important provision of the will,” thenotairesaid. “Madame de Chambron, you were so young that you probably weren’t aware of this, but your father was an expert negotiator, and the marriage contract drawn up with Jean-Louis protected your dowry to a remarkable degree. That money is also in England, and it’s quite a substantial amount.”
Suzanne’s jaw dropped. “So when I was doing piecework to keep from starving, I had a fortune sitting in a bank a few miles away?”
Simon gave a slow whistle. “How ironic.”
After a long moment of silence, he said, “You could have kept all this money for yourself, Monsieur Morel. You have been a remarkable protector and manager of the Duval family assets.”
Hearing the unspoken question, thenotairesaid dryly, “I serve the law, Monsieur le Comte. Honor is not the sole preserve of the aristocracy.”
“So I have found myself,” Simon agreed. “I trust you have been well compensated for your efforts?”
“My fees are quite adequate.” Thenotairecleared his throat in a meaningful way. “The Morels have handled the affairs of the Duvals for generations. I gather your financial life will be based in England, but naturally I will be pleased to handle any matters that involve France.”
