Chapter 33
The study was illuminated by a single candle. Shadows danced across the walls as two men sat in silence. A thick book rested upon the desk between them. The older man slowly flipped through its pages, his expression growing darker with each entry.
"Mm..."
He closed the book, "So this is all the evidence you managed to recover?"
Eric nodded, "Yes, my lord. I searched the rooms personally. Every servant connected to the operation is dead, and any document that could lead back to us have been removed."
The older man's eyes narrowed, "Are you certain?"
"I am."
For a moment, silence filled the room.
The lord tapped his fingers against the desk.
Slowly...Thoughtfully.... Planning...Calculating...Searching for weaknesses.
At last, he leaned back in his chair.
"Very well.", A cold smile touched his lips, "Then the greatest threat remaining is Aurora Ambrose."
Eric stiffened.
The young duchess. The one person who refused to stop digging. The one person who had already uncovered far more than she should have.
"She is becoming troublesome," Eric admitted.
"Troublesome?" the lord scoffed. "She is dangerous."
His voice dropped, "Every day she remains alive is another day she gets closer to the truth."
The room seemed colder.
"If Aurora disappears, Duchess Eleanor will be forced to focus on her grief. She won't have the time or the clarity to manage the duchy's affairs."
Understanding dawned in Eric's eyes.
"And that is when we move."
The lord nodded approvingly, "Exactly."
Eric hesitated, "But the Duke is still alive."
A cruel smile spread across the man's face, "One problem at a time."
He rose from his chair and walked toward the window, "The Duke loves his daughter more than anything. If she dies, he will be devastated, it doesn't matter if he's unconscious, he still will feel it."
The lord stared out into the darkness, "And once we are firmly established within the duchy's administration..."
His smile widened, "...the duke can suffer an unfortunate end as well."
Eric remained silent.
The casual way the man discussed murder should have been disturbing. Instead, it was familiar. The two had worked together for years.
Shared secrets...Shared crimes...Shared ambitions.
"My lord," Eric said carefully, "how do you intend to eliminate Lady Aurora?"
The lord turned and his eyes were cold, "Tomorrow night."
Eric frowned, "The banquet?"
"Precisely.", The lord returned to his desk, "Everyone's attention will be focused on the festivities. Nobles will come and go. Guards will be distracted. Confusion will be everywhere."
The plan had clearly been considered long before tonight.
"You will select a handful of men you trust completely."
Men who were loyal. Men who wouldn't ask questions. Men who knew how to keep secrets.
"You will intercept Aurora on her journey home."
Eric listened carefully.
"Then?", The lord's voice became chillingly calm, "You kill her."
The words hung heavily in the air.
"No witnesses. No mistakes."
He tapped the desk once, "And afterward, make it look like a bandit attack."
Eric considered the plan. The roads after large banquets were often dangerous.
A robbery gone wrong would not be difficult to believe.
"It could work," he admitted.
"It will work," the lord corrected.
His confidence sent a chill down Eric's spine. The older man stepped closer.
"If anything remains that could connect the Bracken family to these crimes, destroy it immediately."
Eric bowed his head, "As you command, my lord."
The lord watched him carefully, "You have served me faithfully for many years, Eric."
The statement was both praise and warning. Eric understood. Failure was not an option.
"My loyalty remains with you, my lord."
A satisfied smile appeared on the older man's face, "Good."
Outside, thunder rumbled in the distance.
Neither man noticed.
Nor did they realize that while they were busy plotting Aurora's death...
Someone else had already begun uncovering the truth.
And time was running out.
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