“No,” Molly muttered. “No, this cannot be happening.” She stared unseeing at the rug.
Out in the corridor, Nicole straightened. “Now. Giveme five minutes.” She turned to face Mark. “Your uncle knows what to do, correct?”
Mark nodded.
Nicole pushed open the door to the salon while the others hid against the nearby wall so they wouldn’t be seen. “Oh, my. Miss Lester, Mrs. Lester, Mr. Cartwright. I didn’t know you were here.” Nicole closed the door behind her.
“It’s all right, Mrs. Grimaldi,” Cartwright said, obviously relieved to see her. “I was just telling Miss Lester and her mother that I am not the duke’s heir. A fact I believe you’re already aware of.”
Nicole bowed her head. “Yes, I know. It turns out Mark is the true heir. None of us knew.”
“What are you both prattling on about?” Molly’s voice was high-pitched and filled with disbelief. She shot to her feet. “You’re both mistaken. You’re both mad.”
Mrs. Lester pulled out her handkerchief and fanned herself rapidly. “No. No. No,” she mumbled, shaking her head.
“I’m afraid I’m not mistaken.” Nicole sighed and blinked innocently at Miss Lester. “The duke told Mark and me the night John died. I saw the paperwork myself. A unique codicil in the will. It was as much a surprise to Mark and me as—”
“Stop it!” Molly clapped her hands over her ears. “I won’t listen to a moment more of this insane drivel. Mr. Cartwright is the heir. Everyone knows it. Even Lord Coleford did.”
“No,” Nicole said calmly. “John didn’t know Mark was the heir. His father never saw a reason to explain it to him. Mark hadn’t wanted his family connection to berevealed. He’s never publicly acknowledged them, nor they him.”
“That’s madness. It makes no sense,” Molly gasped. “Who wouldn’t claim a connection to a duke?”
“If you knew my husband, you’d know why it makes perfect sense,” Nicole replied, glancing at the door.
“You’re lying,” Molly insisted, narrowing her eyes on Nicole.
Nicole met the younger woman’s stare. “What possible reason would I have to lie about such a thing?”
Molly turned on Mr. Cartwright, her face a mask of outrage. “How long have you known about this?”
“Since yesterday,” Mr. Cartwright admitted, glancing uneasily at Nicole.
“You’ve known you weren’t the heir sinceyesterdayand you’ve allowed me to continue traipsing after you like a lovesick fool?”
“Careful, Miss Lester,” Nicole warned. “You sound as if you may only have been interested in Mr. Cartwright while he was the presumed heir.”
“Of course she was only interested in him if he was the heir,” Mrs. Lester barked. “Why would she give a toss about a nearly penniless mister?”
Mr. Cartwright’s face hardened.
Molly opened her mouth to retort, but a knock on the door stopped her.
Mark pushed open the door and cleared his throat. “The duke asks for everyone’s presence in the drawing room. It’s time for the announcement.”
Molly and her mother exchanged uneasy glances before stomping out of the room together, hurrying away from Mr. Cartwright. Nicole and Mr. Cartwright followed slowly behind them. Once in the corridor, Mr. Cartwright paused to give Nicole and Mark a wry smile. “Seems you may have been right about her after all.”
Nicole, Regina, Daffin, and Mark exchanged hopeful glances.
“Just one more part,” Nicole said, nodding to the room where the others waited. “Let’s get this over with.”
They all made their way into the blue drawing room. The duke sat in his wheeled chair at the front of the room. All the other guests, including Lord Tottenham and Lady Harriet, were gathered there. The will lay on a side table next to the duke’s chair. As soon as everyone entered the room and Mark closed the door, the duke cleared his throat and regarded the room full of people. Some were standing and others were sitting, but everyone stared intently at the duke.
“We’ve gathered here this afternoon for the reading of John’s will, which I shall allow my solicitor, Mr. Brooks, to handle.” A small bespectacled man at the front of the room nodded to everyone. “But first I want to get on with the other part I’m certain you’re all waiting for. The naming of the heir.”
Silence filled the room as if the assembly drew a deep breath.
“I know many of you thought the heir was Mr. Cartwright…”
