Nicole watched as Molly’s face scrunched into a hateful knot.
“And you’re right,” the duke continued. “Mr. Cartwright, is, in fact, the heir.”
“What?” Molly leaped from her seat and stamped herfoot. Her hands were clutched in fists and her face was a splotchy red color. “He just told me he wasn’t the heir.”
“What’s going on here?” Mrs. Lester glanced around the room, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Molly rushed over to Mr. Cartwright. “Is it true? Are you the heir?”
Mr. Cartwright swiveled to look at the duke. “Am I?”
“Indeed,” the duke replied with a nod.
Molly fell to her knees in front of Mr. Cartwright’s seat. “Oh, Mr. Cartwright, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry I was rude to you earlier. I was just surprised and I—”
Mr. Cartwright’s face was a mask of stone. “I believe your mother said it all.”
“No. No. No. She didn’t mean it,” Molly insisted. “Did you, Mother?” She turned ferociously on her mother. “Tell him you didn’t mean it!”
“Of course not,” Mrs. Lester said, moving as quickly as her short fat legs could carry her to Mr. Cartwright’s side. “I meant nothing of the sort.”
Nicole cleared her throat and stepped forward. “Did you mean what you said about Lord Hillenbrand then?” she asked Molly.
Molly turned to look at Nicole, confusion sweeping across her face. “What do you mean?”
“You told me and Regina that Lord Hillenbrand insisted upon pouring the wine the night John died.”
Lord Hillenbrand surged to his feet. “Yes, I heard as much, and we both know that’s an outright lie.” He pointed at Molly. “You were the one who insisted on pouring the wine at the side table that night, Miss Lester.”
Molly’s eyes widened in fear and she glanced aroundat the sea of confused faces. “No, that’s not true. That’s not—”
“It is true,” Mr. Cartwright intoned. “Now that I think about it. I remember you pouring the wine in the corner of the room. Your mother was with you. You waited until the servants had left.”
Molly sank to the floor, her face pale, her dreams clearly slipping through her fingers.
“Molly.” Lady Arabelle stood, her voice filled with distress. “Tell me this isn’t true. You were pouring the wine that night, I remember, but… oh, no, no, Molly, you couldn’t have.” Lady Arabelle collapsed into her seat in tears. Her mother rushed to her side to comfort her.
“Oh, shut up, Arabelle,” Molly said viciously, grabbing the arm of a nearby chair and stumbling to her feet. “You don’t understand anything. You’ve always got whatever you wanted with barely having to crook your little finger. I’m the one who has had to accept second best my entire life.”
“What are you saying?” Arabelle sobbed, her blue eyes bright with tears.
“I’m saying, I wasn’t about to stand by and let you become a marchioness and a duchess while I married a nobody. Mr. Cartwright was the next in line and I intended to finally be one step ahead of you.”
Arabelle shook her head. “You would murder an innocent person in your quest to become a marchioness?”
“I wouldn’t have had to murderanyoneif it wasn’t for you,” Molly screamed. “If you hadn’t horned in on Lord Coleford when he was clearly interested inme,none of this would have happened.”
Molly’s eyes were wild as she swung her gaze about the room, lighting on each pale, pitying face. She scratched at her arms and turned in a wide circle. “I’ve always been overlooked. No one cared about me. No one looked twice at me. Lord Coleford barely noticed me. He asked about Arabelle when we danced. But when Mr. Cartwright was so kind and sweet and looked at me as if I were a person…” Her face went soft for a moment. “I thought I’d found someone who truly liked me. And… he was so close to becoming a marquess. So very close. I knew I couldn’t allow Lord Coleford to marry Arabelle and possibly produce an heir. That would complicate everything.”
“Yes, must do away with him before he produces an heir,” Mrs. Lester agreed, nodding, her eyes unfocused. She looked small and sunken into the chair she’d collapsed into, even as her daughter’s sanity crumbled to dust.
Molly lifted her chin and glanced around the room. “I know I was wrong, but they were wrong too.”
“Who?” Daffin asked, carefully.
“All the people who ever overlooked me,” Molly replied in a voice that had gone high, little-girl-like. “Everyone who ever treated me unkindly. Mr. Cartwright was kind to me. Mr. Cartwright saw me for who I truly am.”
Mr. Cartwright had a horrified expression on his face. He took a step away from her. “No, Molly, that’s not true. Ifailedto see you for who you truly are, a scheming murderess. I thought you were a sweet, quiet young woman who was looking for someone to share the rest of her life with and who didn’t mind that I didn’t have atitle. I’d no idea the lengths you’d go to in order to get one.”
