Bury the Ex, Wed the Heir novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: Roots

The Ravenscroft board met in the library at nine the next morning.

Nine directors sat around the long table, in black coats and with grave faces, and not one of them knew why Madam had called them.

Linnet sat at the foot of the table with her hands folded.

Edith sat beside her in her best coat, and she had been given the whole story the night before, in the kitchen, over four cups of tea.

She had listened without a word.

Then she had said, "I want to meet this man," and gone upstairs to the east wing herself.

"Madam," said the eldest director, "we are here to discuss the shares."

"We are," Madam said. "Under the family charter, they pass to a living widow. You were told the heir was dead."

"We were told by you."

"Yes," said Madam. "I lied."

The room stirred.

She nodded to the footman at the door, and the footman opened it.

Silvan walked in, leaning on his cane, in a dark suit that fit him again.

Nobody spoke.

A glass tipped over, and water ran across the table, and the director beside it did not touch it.

"Good morning," Silvan said. "I am told I was buried."

The eldest director got slowly to his feet.

"Silvan," he whispered. "My God. We held your service."

"I was in the east wing," Silvan said. "A man cut my brake line, and my grandmother kept me alive in the one place he could not look."

"Who?"

"You will hear it on Saturday, in front of everyone he has lied to. Today I need one thing from this board."

Keep reading free with an account. Start Bury the Ex, Wed the Heir from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.