Page 5 of An Offer for a Spinster
“They are notcrass. They’re wonderful.”
The Duchess snorted, tossing the book onto a nearby seat.
L. Sterling was a relatively new author, but their books were already sweeping the country. The critics, of course, decried them, preferring their books to have solid morals and heroines who did more Womanly things, like fainting and needing to be rescued.
Her current book, the second volume in Rosalie’s adventures, was just as thrilling as all the others. Rosalie was a plucky and intelligent young woman, who was naturally enjoying a romance with a likeable young man, but also managed to do things by herself, and rescued herself quite frequently. It was a refreshing change, and the swooning was kept to a minimum.
“We’re reading the will,” the Duchess said shortly. “Meet us in the study at once, Katherine.”
The Duchess turned on her heel and strode out, leaving a strong scent of rosewater in her wake.
Katherine didn’t immediately follow. Since her father’s death, it felt as if she’d lost two parents, instead of just one. TheDuchess seemed to feel her husband’s death more keenly than anyone else, although that made little sense to Katherine. The Duke had been just as cruel to his wife as he had been to his children.
Not the point,Katherine reminded herself.He’s dead. No need to be cruel. It doesn’t matter what he did to us, or how he treated us. He died, and that’s that.
She rose to her feet, shaking out her skirts with a sigh. Part of her was excited, which only made the guilty feeling worse.
By the sounds of it, everyone was already gathered in the study already, the murmur of voices drifting out into the hall.
Katherine was the last to arrive. Seats were arranged in a semicircle in front of the late Duke’s desk – she supposed that William was now the current Duke, although the estate had been in limbo while they waited for Henry to return – and the executor of the will, Mr Thompson, shifted from foot to foot behind the desk.
They all turned and looked at her, a trifle annoyed at the delay.
William’s face was white and drawn – the last year had been troublesome for him. Henry was deeply tanned and looked rather too handsome and satisfied for a man who’d lost his father. Alexander looked miserable, his round face thinning out a little. Their mother, of course, seemed to have aged at least ten years.
Katherine knew that she looked more or less the same, if a little paler from all their time shut up in the house, mourning. She flashed a weak smile around and sat down beside Alexander.
A year ago, she would have preferred to sit beside William. It would be a lie to say she didn’t have a favourite brother. But William had acted strangely since the accident, and of courseHenry was distant as always. If he couldn’t beliterallydistant from his family, he kept a neat emotional distance.
“Now that we are all here,” Mr Thompson said, with the barest hint of reproach in his voice, “we can begin the will reading, which has long been delayed. His Grace the Duke of Dunleigh left a specific will. Naturally, the title and the entailed estate goes to his heir, Lord William Willoughby, but that leaves a vast part of the estate which must be divided. I shall begin.”
Clearing his throat officiously, the man began to read. It started much as Katherine had expected, with a list of the late Duke’s belongings, wealth, estates, and so on. Some of it was connected to the title, so the new Duke of Dunleigh would inherit that, but what about the rest?
Katherine frowned, leaning forward in her seat. The executor appeared rather nervous. He was a thin, balding man, with wisps of grey hair at his ears, and too-tight pince-nez on his nose. He glanced frequently up at them, gaze flicking nervously around the room.
He must have already read the will, of course. What was he afraid of?
One by one, he listed the members of the family who would be provided for. The Duchess, being the primary heir, would naturally receive Dowager House along with a substantial jointure and a significant sum of money, easily enough to keep her in comfort for the rest of her life. He listed the sums of money each of his children would inherit. Only William inherited land and the estate, but Henry, Katherine, and Alexander would be tremendously wealthy in their own rights.
It had occurred to Katherine, of course, that their father would try some last-minute nastiness, like cutting somebody out of the will, or something equally spiteful. But no, he seemed to have provided for everybody. Katherine watched Alexander sink back into his seat with a relieved sigh and guessed that he hadoutstanding debts to pay off. She could almost see the maps revolving in Henry’s head, thinking of where he would travel next.
As for herself, that money meant freedom. No need to marry, if she couldn’t find a man who suited her. She could buy a house and live there by herself, if she liked.
I could travel, if I wanted. I can do what I like. I’m free.
The will seemed to come to an end, but Mr Thompson still stood there, eyeing them all nervously.
“His Grace added a stipulation to the will, shortly before his death,” he said hesitantly. “He was concerned about what would become of his family after his death. I… I shall read what he wrote. ‘In case my family should forget what is due of the Willoughbys and the great Dunleigh Estate, I have chosen to remind them. While I cannot stop my eldest son inheriting his title and the small amount of money attached to the estate, the rest of the property and money is mine to dispose of as I wish. The inheritance due to my widow will remain unchanged and unencumbered. However, before my children may access their inheritance, they are required to marry in a court of law. On the date of their marriage, they may receive their full inheritance, and…”
Clamor broke out. Henry leapt to his feet.
“We have tomarry?” he shouted, clenching his fists. “All of us? Are you mad?”
Mr Thompson held out his hand in a placating gesture.
“Please, Lord Henry, let me finish…”
He was not allowed to finish. Alexander started to shout, and William was saying something, and the Duchess was crying, and Katherine found herself on her feet, trying to tug the will out of the poor lawyer’s hands. He hung on grimly.
