“There is a car coming up the driveway,” Julian said. “An older gentleman and a man who claims to be our former family attorney.”

Miranda’s breath hitched.

“Nathaniel?” she whispered, her hands starting to tremble.

“Nathaniel Vale retired ten years ago, Julian.”

“He’s supposed to be in Florida.”

“He came back for this,” I said.

Julian looked at the dark hallway behind him, then back at us.

“I’ll go down and let them in,” Julian said.

“Julian, no!” Miranda cried. “Don’t leave me here with her!”

“I need to hear what he has to say, Mother,” Julian said, his voice flat.

He turned on his heel and walked quickly out of the library, leaving the door ajar.

Miranda and I were left alone in the vast, dusty room.

The silence stretched between us, thick and heavy.

“You think you’ve won,” Miranda whispered, her voice dripping with venom.

She stepped closer to me, her eyes wild.

“Even if Clara was Arthur’s sister, those documents are gone.”

“I personally saw to it that the filing cabinets were cleared out after my husband died.”