“Why wouldn’t she be here?” asked Samuel. “She comes home more often than you do.”
“When did she get here?”
“Just after I phoned you. That’s why I phoned you. And to say I am upset is an understatement.”
Edmund frowned. “Upset about what?”
“What she said you did to her.”
“What did I do to her?”
“You had your henchmen abduct her for one!”
Maude was floored. “That is such a lie!” she blared out, shocking Samuel and Eloise, just as Colin and Natasha walked into the room.
“It’s not a lie,” Natasha said.
“Just sit down,” Samuel said to his daughter. She quickly sat down beside her parents. Colin sat back down beside his brother. And that was the arrangement their entire lives: Edmund and Colin on one side, with Natasha and their parentson the other side. Only now, Edmund had Maude on his side too.
“What is this about an abduction, Natasha?” Edmund asked her.
“She told us a harrowing story of abduction at the hands of your men,” said Samuel.
“What men?” asked Edmund. “I have nomen.”
“That’s what I told Father,” Colin said. “Tasha’s story doesn’t make any sense.”
“It makes perfect sense,” said Natasha.
“But what men are you talking about?” asked Edmund. “I have no men.”
“You have Donnell,” Samuel said. “And he has men.”
“He has a security firm that does security work. They don’t go around abducting people. And especially not my sister!”
But it made even less sense to Maude. “Why would he abduct you, Natasha?”
“Because he wants me out of the line of succession. That’s why!” She looked at Edmund with venom in her eyes. “I’m the oldest child. Everything is supposed to go to me by birthright. And Edmund hates that fact. He wants me dead.”
Maude looked at him. She expected him to lash out at Natasha. But he didn’t. So she did. “If he wanted you dead, why would he do everything in his power to get you released from jail?”
“And you see what happened after I got released. I was almost killed.”
“So were we!” Maude said.
“And who was driving that BMW, Tasha? Edmund asked her.
“You tried to set up Hamp so you could get me arrested. You wanted Daddy to declare me unfit to be his successor and therefore you would be next in line.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Colin said. “Edmund doesn’t want you out of the line of succession. Do you, Eddie?”
But when his big brother didn’t respond, even he became worried. “Does your silence mean that you want her out of the line of succession?” Colin asked him.
Edmund’s jaw tightened. “She’s not capable of heading this family. She’ll squander all Father has built up in a matter of months. She’s too unstable.”
“See what I told you!” Natasha said.
But Maude and Colin looked shocked. Eloise did too.
