“You do not need to thank us, Lady Blackmar. Everyone is thrilled that you have returned home, even if it is on account of losing your father.”
Perhaps the servants didn’t realize that she didn’t think of this place as home and that she had every intention of selling the estate at the first opportunity.
Once she left, Charlotte had no intention of ever returning.
Except, where would that leave the servants who had been so good and dear to her when she had lived here?
“Here you go, Lady Blackmar,” a maid said as she joined them from the dining room. “An upstairs maid heard you stirring and alerted Cook that you would be down soon.”
A footman was behind her with a tea service.
“You are too kind.”
“Will you wish to be in the parlor?”
“I need to return to the library.” She needed to determine what she would like to do with her father’s holdings and be in a position to explain all that he had to Victor, and possibly the solicitor.
“Put them on the desk like before,” Charlotte instructed and followed the servants into the library.
Once the maid and footman were gone, Charlotte closed the door so that she could be alone but found Maria stepping through the door that led to the terrace.
“Hello, Charlotte.”
“Why are you here?” Charlotte asked cautiously.
“That is the wool I wanted, isn’t it.”
“Yes.”
“Youwere the special customer?”
“I was,” Charlotte answered. “Again, I ask Maria, why are you here?”
“I came to bring about your end so that Victor, thus my family, can inherit your wealth.”
A chill ran down her spine. She hadn’t liked Maria before but never suspected that she could commit murder. Though wishing to murder and being able to actually do so were two different matters, Charlotte knew better than to test her sister-in-law. But, if Maria managed to kill Charlotte, she would lose what she hoped to gain. “He will not inherit anything by my death,” Charlotte assured her.
“Yes. I understand that now after reading the Will while you slept. If something happens to you before you have had a child, we get nothing. Nobody gets anything. Your father did not make any contingencies and assumed you would pop out a child or two, males preferably.”
“He accepted no less.”
“Well, that does leave me with a dilemma.”
Victorfrownedwhenheand Marcus arrived at Hartfield Hall to find Maria’s carriage.
“Why is she here?” he asked.
“Did she know Charlotte would be here and would Maria appeal to your wife for financial assistance?” Marcus asked.
“Maria knows better because she already tried.” Victor stepped from the carriage, his gut twisting. His sister was up to no good and even her husband claimed her to be more dangerous that anyone knew.
The fire, the dam…their comments.
Maria had said,“You will have more money than you could possibly spend once Thompson kicks up his toes. I have heard that there are few men who are richer than him.”
Plus, his mother claimed that he wouldbe rich again soon enoughand that she was certain Charlotte would give him a loan becauseit was not as if she will need all that money.
His mother and sister had known that Thompson was dead before he had.
