“Do you know how the Bishop inheritance works?”
“Bishop inheritance? Why would that matter?”
“Do you know?”
“You mean like a will?”
“I mean the way the rules have been written from as far back as there was a fortune to inherit.”
“Not really, no.” I’ve never thought about it. Never really thought it applied to me anyway.
“Right now, Carlton is the sole inheritor of the estate. And as the only direct descendent of the inheriting line, apart from you that is, he’ll remain so until his fortieth birthday.”
“Next year?”
“Yep.”
“What does his age have to do with anything apart from him being first-born?”
“There’s a catch.”
“What catch?” I ask, amazed at the extent of her knowledge.
“He needs an heir to keep hold of the fortune.”
“What?”
“Or it goes to you. If you were to produce an heir that is.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You and Carlton are the direct descendants of Marius Bishop. You are the sole descendants.”
“But an heir?”
“It’s the rule and a male heir is preferable as you know. They hate to give their fortune to a woman, but they’ll have no choice if Carlton doesn’t get busy.”
“But he and Monique are separated.”
“Exactly.”
“And she’s in France.”
“M-hm.”
I consider this and have a question of my own. “So, if I hadn’t come into the picture, if no one had figured out who my biological father was, and Carlton failed to produce an heir, then what?”
“Well, then the fortune changes lines.”
“To?”
“Leonardo, his younger brother.”
Something clicks into place then. “Your father.”
“M-hm,” she says again.
“Which in turn means you. You’d inherit if Carlton or I failed to produce an heir?”