The Wyndham Legacy by Catherine Coulter

certainly,” Marcus said, rising quickly and striding over to the fireplace. “Had I known before the legalities were completed, I would have posted immediately to Smarden and strangled her in her bed and thrown her body over the Dover cliffs. Yes, it makes a great deal of sense to a brigand of my stamp.”
    The Duchess cleared her throat. “He’s merely jesting, Mr. Wicks. Unfortunately, after the death of Charlie and Mark, my father took a dislike to his lordship, because he was alive and they weren’t. Then, of course, all his wife’s babes died. This must have been the reason for his behavior, not because he didn’t believe Marcus honorable, but simply to rub his nose in it, so to speak. Marcus, it’s true. I trust you will not think of it further.”
    â€œDon’t you believe it, Duchess. He blamed me for not being there to save them, that, or die with them. I was close by, over at the Rothermere Stud, but not close enough. He saw that as full measure of my perfidy, my lack of honor. He quite hated me, Duchess.”
    â€œSurely you’re exaggerating,” she said.
    â€œAm I, Mr. Wicks? Did my uncle tell you rather how fond he was of me? How delighted he was to see me succeed him?”
    â€œPerhaps it is best if I address that a bit later, my lord. Now, sir, you must wonder why I requested your presence.”
    Marcus merely inclined his head, an action that made him look older and strangely, quite forbidding.
    â€œThere’s no easy way to say this, my lord.”
    â€œThen spit it out, Mr. Wicks.”
    â€œThe former earl left all monies, all properties, all houses, and all possessions not entailed specifically to his successor, namely you, my lord, to his daughter, Josephina Wyndham.”
    There was utter silence. Marcus stared at her for a long moment, then said in a too calm voice, “Josephina? That is quite the ugliest name I have ever heard. You must thank me every night in your prayers that I renamed you Duchess.”
    Mr. Wicks looked at sea, and twitched his papers about nervously. “Did you understand what I said, my lord?”
    â€œYes, certainly, sir. You have just told me that I am a pauper. A pauper living in this great mansion, but a pauper nonetheless. I have been stripped of everything. If he had chosen to beggar his family in a more efficacious manner, why, I couldn’t begin to imagine what it would be. You see, Duchess, I wasn’t at all mistaken about my uncle’s true feelings for me. Did he bother seeing to his own daughters, Antonia and Fanny?”
    â€œYes, my lord. He left each of them ten thousand pounds. But that was in his previous will. That will still stands, including all the bequests to servants, other retainers, and the remaining Wyndham relatives.”
    â€œSo I was the butt of his vengeance—I, his heir.”
    â€œNot entirely, my lord. It is just that now, Lady Josephina is, well—”
    â€œDon’t refer to her by that repellent name. She owns everything except for Chase Park, I believe. Is there anything else entailed to me, Mr. Wicks?”
    â€œYes, my lord. The London house on Putnam Place is yours, rather it is yours for your lifetime.”
    â€œI quite understand. Aught else?”
    â€œThere is a hunting box in Cornwall that is entailed, nearSt. Ives, I believe, and some two thousand acres of rich farmland. There is nothing else, my lord. I’m sorry.”
    â€œThere is not a single bloody sou for the upkeep of this monstrosity of a house?”
    Mr. Wicks said slowly, “Your uncle, the former earl, feared that you would simply consign him to the devil if he left you nothing to keep up the entailed properties. Thus, he has left me the trustee for all the Wyndham properties, monies, houses, possessions. I am also Lady Duchess’s trustee and guardian until she reaches her majority. When she reaches the age of twenty-one, she is to act in joint