Something changed in Justin’s face then, all at once — the arrogance collapsing, and something frantic and pleading rising up to take its place.

He turned away from the lawyer and toward me, and his whole manner transformed, the cold contempt of three days ago melting into a desperate, oily warmth.

“Helena,” he said, and he actually reached out a hand toward me.

“Helena, please.

Listen to me.

You and I both know this is insane — a housekeeper owning this estate, it’s madness, my father wasn’t well at the end, everyone knows that.