The Search for Duquet Heirs

This flow traces a genealogical investigation that uncovers Indigenous descendants of the company’s founder and the company’s effort to avoid the implications.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Need for Succession

A Need for Succession No Obvious Successor Lavinia sees herself as the last Duke and seeks a family heir to inherit property and business. Records Become Evidence She hires genealogists to trace lines through Dutch and French documents.

The Bloodline Found

The Bloodline Found Adopted and Biological Branches Tetrazinni discovers that Charles Duquet’s legitimate descendants descend from Outger and Doortje, not the adopted sons. Mi’kmaw Descendants The surviving bloodline runs through Beatrix and Kuntaw’s descendants, including families in Canada.

Lavinia’s Refusal

Lavinia’s Refusal Investigation Halted Lavinia tells Tetrazinni not to continue tracing the Canadian descendants and discards his report. Legal Resistance Prepared Her will instructs the company to resist any claim, converting knowledge into a strategy of concealment.

Sophia Finds the File

Sophia Finds the File An Obscure Folder Sophia discovers a partly torn genealogical report among company papers and realizes it describes possible heirs. The Company Reacts Her discovery triggers anxiety among the directors, who fear a claim could threaten their ownership.

The Unfinished Claim

The Unfinished Claim A Lawyer Reopens the Trail James Bardawulf contacts Tetrazinni’s successor and learns that the heir inquiry may still be pursued. Closure Without Justice Tetrazinni dies, the company is sold, and the descendants’ claim remains unresolved rather than openly adjudicated.

Late nineteenth century, as Lavinia worries about heirs

After Tetrazinni reviews the family papers

After Tetrazinni presents his report

Decades later, during Sophia’s archival work

Near the novel’s ending