Page 10 of Hawthorne

For many, this may sound stupid because she wasn’t my real family. She was not my blood, but I don’t expect everyone else to understand how she was all I had left.

I’d give everything so as not to let this happen and have her here with me.

It’s only when Henry’s words reach the naming of the heir that my attention comes back to the present time.

“I hereby appoint my nephew, Vincent Hawthorne, the Duke of Hawthorne, and second in line to the throne, the sole heir to all of my belongings, properties, and titles,” he states, and neither one of us reacts. I expected as much.

As Henry trails about the duchess’ many estates, properties, and other belongings, my mind trails off again.

If Vincent Hawthorne had been rich before this, he might be close to being one of the wealthiest in the world now. His worth is not only related to royalty but to the company that his father built from the ground. He’ll be the centre of all tabloid’s attention from now on. Whether for business magazines, society or gossip ones.

And it still doesn’t explain why I am even here...

“However, there are two conditions that must be strictly followed for this will to be executed. If my nephew fails to do so, it’ll be null, and everything will be divided through the charities mentioned in Article nº 55.”

Those last words make me snap my eyes up to the unknowing twist that Mrs Hawthrone has left in this document.

“First, my dear housekeeper, Camilla White, is to be kept as such until she decides otherwise. She cannot be fired in any way or form if it isn’t per her own request. Even if so, she’ll have the right to keep her bedroom in the manor house until she desires it no longer, even if she doesn’t work there anymore.” Henry stops to look at me.

There’s a warmth in his eyes I haven’t seen in a while. And this shows he knows how much this means to me; how much Mrs Elizabeth knew…

“She made sure I could stay home,” I can’t help but blurt, my hands flying to my mouth, covering it right away.

Stealing a glance to my side, I notice the duke’s face twisted in a frown. “Why would I even fire her? I need someone to maintain it. It’s not like I’ll have much use for it. At least someone who will not let it crumble to the ground.”

“Ahm, Your Grace,” Henry gingerly chimes in. “There’s another condition.”

What?

Just like my face must be showing, the duke’s expression shows how much he’s questioning what’s coming next. Still, in a second, he gets a grasp of his composure and nods for Dr Henry to continue.

“Second, my nephew, Vincent Hawthorne, the Duke of Hawthorne and second in line to the Throne, is to use the Manor house as his private residence. Meaning, he needs to move and live there permanently, effectively immediately. Being the only accepted exception—if it happens—the situation in which he is Crowned king and compelled to move to the royal residence, the palace.”

4

Vincent Hawthorne

Hawthorne Manor is the most imposing, richest house in Gamia, second only to the King’s Vacation Palace. Monera’s capital, Livia, is just an hour away from this manor, far enough from the city that I can escape my mother’s smothering claws but close enough that I can be at work quickly if needed.

The other Hawthorne property, back in the capital, where I used to live, is just as magnificent, though more recent.

This property was created to be a summer house back in the seventeenth century when this land was purchased by my ancestors. However, when Aunt Elizabeth was promised to marry Joseph Gotta, my grandfather used this and half of his wealth as a wedding dowry, allowing them to live comfortably.

Even if I have been here several times before, I can still gawk at the grandiosity. The long hall of the entrance is slightly chaotic now, with all the employees running around carrying furniture, portraits, chandeliers, and whatnot, up and down, east and west, hastily following my mother’s dictatorial orders.

As I look around, I take in all the small details decorating the hall. The long rectangular division by the entrance has its walls covered with intrinsic nature-inspired decorations, enhancing the neoclassical influence.

White is the main colour, contrasting with the pearly and golden details of the decorations. It’s subtle but classic, letting the family portraits be the focus of the walls. The one closest to the doorway is one of my Aunt Elizabeth and Joseph adorned with this beautiful gold frame.

Right next to them is my grandparents with my aunt and father while they were still ten and four years old. The line of family portraits continues up until the first duke, where this beautiful U-shaped staircase starts, leading to the noble floor.

This property is even bigger than the one I grew up in, and now it’s mine.

My aunt had no children, as she and Joseph had planned. They were third-degree cousins who had grown up together but never developed romantic feelings for each other. I became the sole heir to reunite the wealth that had been divided.

Thus, turning our family into the richest and second most important in Monera. The lineage of our family is old. The first Duke of Hawthorne having received its title not long after the creation of the kingdom.

Augustus was the fourth child of the royal couple that had founded Monera just twenty-five years prior. Clara, a Portuguese noblewoman, the first queen had married a British Prince and made the archipelago independent.

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