Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“What happened?”
Marina’s expression was one of absolute confusion as she looked at Rachel and Simon.
Rachel turned to Simon for help, her cheeks still burning red from having been caught in such an intimate moment.
“How is your head?” Simon asked. “You were struck when you tried to save Rachel.”
Marina’s fingers flew to her head, which had already been bandaged up. She winced and then tried to sit up.
“No, please, you need to rest,” Rachel chided.
“No, I am fine now,” Marina replied. “I just—I remember going downstairs when I heard Rachel scream, and then… there was someone there and… I do not remember much after that.”
“You were attacked by him,” Simon replied. Rachel felt glad that he was by her side at this moment. She would not know how to explain all of this to her sister.
Marina’s eyes widened, and her gaze darted between the two of them. “Who did this?”
“A man working for Grace Langston,” Simon replied.
“That woman from the ball?” she murmured, surprise coloring her voice. “But why would she—I thought she was friends with Father. Is he involved in this?”
Simon shook his head. “It is unlikely, but we do not have all the details yet. I will promise you one thing—I will bring the man who did this to justice.”
“But Simon, you must be careful,” Rachel cut in, suddenly feeling herself growing worried. Grace Langston did not have the best of intentions, and there was no saying what depths she was willing to go to.
“I know how to handle people like this,” Simon assured her, but it was not much use. He noticed the fear in her eyes, and his voice softened. “This is not about revenge anymore, Rachel. This needs to be dealt with.”
“But can’t you just let the authorities handle it?” Rachel argued.
Simon shook his head. “I do not trust them to get the job done fully, and I need to keep you safe.” He met her gaze. “And Marina is safe as well. Who’s to say that she will not go after her?”
Rachel felt a hard lump form in her throat. She had not considered that possibility till now.
“But what I do not understand is,” Marina jumped back into the conversation, “what motive does she have to do this?”
“Think of it as an old grudge,” Simon replied. “And even your father is not safe in this situation. I do not know what she wanted from him at the ball, but he may be in danger as well. He may not even realize it yet.”
“You think she means to harm him?” Rachel’s heart twisted painfully.
“I think Grace does nothing without reason,” Simon answered after a moment of contemplation. “And if she has been keeping close to him, there is a purpose behind it.”
“So, what do we do now?” Marina asked.
“We catch her,” Simon replied, and then rubbed an open palm across his face. “I do not know exactly how, but this will be sorted out. We need to stay vigilant from now on.”
Rachel swallowed hard, watching him take the lead.
“There is a traitor among us,” Simon continued. “That much is clear. No one should have been able to enter my estate so easily. No one could have known when to strike unless someone on the inside had been feeding them information.”
A gasp escaped Rachel’s lips. “You mean one of your own men?”
“Or women,” Simon nodded. “One of my staff is working for Grace, and I intend to find out who.”
“And what happens when you do?”
Simon’s lips curled into something vindictive.
“Then Grace Langston and her spy will both learn what happens when they cross me,” he said. “Now, please. Both of you rest up. I shall see you in a while.”
“Where are you going?” Rachel stood to stop him. “I do not want you to leave me.”
“I have to, Rachel,” he said to her. “Please, lie back down. You need to be well-rested. We don’t know how this is going to pan out.”
Rachel wanted to protest, but Simon did not seem like he would budge. Slowly, she sank back down to her place in bed.
“Do not get yourself into any trouble.”
Simon let out a small laugh. “My darling, it is far too late for that now. But I will be near, and you just have to call for me if you need me.”
Rachel bit down on her lip. “Please be safe.”
Rowan was pacing in the study when Simon walked in.
“Well, how are the girls?” he asked immediately, wasting no time.
“Rachel is awake now,” Simon stated, feeling relief flood through him as he said the words out loud. “And she seems to be doing fine.”
“And Marina?” Rowan asked.
“She has a head injury, but the physician says she will recover.”
“This was too close a call,” Rowan said, frustrated. “I still do not understand how they managed to get inside. Your estate is guarded, Simon. No common intruder should have made it past your men, let alone into your home.”
“They didn’t break in,” Simon exhaled slowly, his expression darkening.
“What are you saying?” Rowan paused mid-step, turning to face him.
“Someone let them in.”
“You’re certain of this?” Rowan sounded baffled.
Simon nodded.
“There is no other explanation. No one outside this house would have known when to strike or where. That means someone inside these walls has been feeding information to Grace.”
“Bloody hell. A traitor in your own home.”
Simon remained silent, though his mind was anything but. He was trying to make sense of all of this.
“The assassin knew exactly where to go and exactly where to find Rachel and Marina. Someone gave them that information,” Simon continued.
“So, what’s the plan now?” Rowan demanded, cracking his knuckles as he spoke.
“That I’m not sure about yet,” Simon admitted with a sigh. He had seemed so confident when he had assured Rachel, but in reality, even he did not know what exactly they should do next. “But I will come up with something.”
“That wicked woman needs to be taught a lesson,” Rowan sneered. “The audacity she displayed that day was astounding. I still feel regretful that I let her slip away.”
“You couldn’t have done anything else that day,” Simon said sympathetically. “You did the right thing by following me. But now, we are going to have to approach this a bit differently.”
Rowan’s amusement faded slightly as he considered the situation further. “And what about Rachel? Does she have a role in all of this?”
“I will keep her safe,” Simon replied immediately. “Now and for however long I am alive.”
“You have changed your stance on this.” Rowan was watching his friend carefully now. “Were you not of the opinion that you were better off leaving her alone? Now, you have become her guardian?”
Simon raised an eyebrow, realizing that Rowan had not yet caught up with the developments.
“I love her,” he admitted. “If I do not do it, who will?”
Rowan let out a loud chuckle, shaking his head.
“What a revelation. The great Simon Linwood finally admits to having feelings.”
Simon shot him a look, but Rowan only grinned more widely, shaking his head. The mood was temporarily lightened.
“I knew it, you know. Even before you did,” Rowan continued. “And all this time, you were being so stubborn and making it sound like I was ridiculous for suggesting it.”
“Are you done?”
“Not nearly,” Rowan smirked.
Simon sighed but ignored him, turning his focus back to the matter at hand. “
“We need to be careful. Grace will not stop until she gets what she wants. And whoever is working for her will try again.”
Rowan’s expression turned serious once more, the time for teasing over. “Then we make sure that this time, they fail.”