Chapter 39
The carriage ride back to the estate was quiet.
Aurora rested her head against the window as the countryside rolled past.
The engagement was finally over. A weight she had carried for years seemed lighter now. Not gone completely. But lighter.
Tonight was the banquet, and she already felt exhausted just thinking about it. Before that, however, she had more important matters to deal with.
The duchy's ledgers.
The corruption.
And the people who thought they could steal from House Ambrose without consequences.
Upon arriving at the estate, Aurora immediately went to check on her parents.
The sight that greeted her made her pause.
Her mother had somehow convinced the servants to move her into the duke's room.
Eleanor lay beside Owen, carefully curled against his side, her hand resting over his heart.
As if she could awake him through his sheer stubbornness.
Aurora smiled sadly.
Even unconscious, her father was still being held captive by his wife.
"If Father wakes up and complains, Mother will probably knock him back unconscious herself," Aurora muttered.
Julianne nearly choked trying not to laugh.
Aurora quietly left the room, a dull ache settling in her chest.
She hoped one day she would love someone as deeply as her mother loved her father.
Aurora headed straight to the study, "Philip."
The butler appeared almost immediately, "Yes, My Lady?"
"Did you manage to get the items?", Philip looked apologetic.
"We should have them by tomorrow. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to obtain everything today."
Aurora sighed but nodded, "It's fine. We can work with tomorrow."
At that moment Emily entered carrying tea and snacks.
The sweet aroma immediately filled the room.
"What would you like for lunch, My Lady?"
"I'm not hungry."
Emily narrowed her eyes.
Aurora immediately recognized that look. It was the same look her mother used before forcing her to eat.
Dangerous...Very dangerous.
"Emily..."
"No."
"I haven't even said anything."
"You were about to make an excuse."
Aurora looked toward Philip. Philip wisely pretended to be fascinated by a bookshelf.
Traitor.
Aurora sighed dramatically, "Fine. I'll eat later."
Emily looked unconvinced but accepted the compromise.
"Good."
Aurora pointed toward the reports.
"Emily, please have my things prepared for the banquet. I want to finish reviewing these documents."
Emily curtsied and left.
A short while later, Philip returned after speaking with the kitchen.
Aurora was already buried beneath piles of ledgers and reports. The more she read, the deeper her frown became.
Something was wrong...Very wrong.
Turner's investigation report sat open before her.
Aurora studied the pages carefully.
"Philip."
"Yes, My Lady?"
"It appears they've drastically reduced the recorded supply purchases."
Philip leaned over the desk.
Aurora tapped the report, "Yet the duchy continued paying the same amounts."
Philip frowned, "Then where did the supplies go?"
Aurora's eyes darkened, "That's exactly what I intend to find out."
She flipped through several pages.
"Look here."
Philip moved closer.
"The extra supplies were purchased by the duchy but never used."
Aurora tapped another column.
"I believe they were sold elsewhere."
Philip's eyes widened, "They were stealing directly from the estate?"
Aurora nodded, "And not in small amounts."
A heavy silence settled between them.
"My Lady," Philip said carefully, "how did they move so much without anyone noticing? There are guards everywhere."
Aurora leaned back in her chair.
"According to the daily reports, I suspect the supplies were packed into ordinary crates and moved to the servants' quarters."
Philip nodded slowly.
"The guards wouldn't question servants moving supplies."
"Exactly."
She pointed at another report.
"And if it happened near the end of the day, everyone would assume it was rubbish or unused stock being moved."
Philip whistled softly, "That's actually quite clever."
Aurora sighed, "Unfortunately....Philip, did you manage to get the plant from Hazelwood?"
A guilty look crossed his face, "My apologies, My Lady. They didn't have any available."
Aurora nodded, "It's alright."
"Lord Isaac did say he would contact several farmers and send word if he found any."
"That's something at least."
Philip smiled, "You've had a rather eventful week."
Aurora laughed, "A week?"
She gestured toward the mountain of paperwork.
"I feel like I've lived three years in three days."
Philip couldn't argue with that.
Suddenly Aurora froze. A thought struck her.
"Philip."
"Yes?"
"How often do we receive firewood deliveries?"
"One cart every three days."
Aurora immediately grabbed a ledger.
"Then explain this."
Philip leaned over. His eyes widened. The records showed a delivery every single day.
"That's impossible."
"I thought so too."
Aurora's fingers tapped the desk.
Slowly.... Thoughtfully.... Then realization dawned.
"The carts."
Philip blinked.
"The carts?"
Aurora nodded, "I think they were used to smuggle supplies out of the estate."
Silence.
Then Philip's eyes widened, "Using legitimate deliveries as cover."
Aurora smiled grimly, "Exactly."
The person behind this wasn't merely greedy. They were intelligent. Dangerously intelligent.
"My Lady...", Philip hesitated, "I think there may be someone powerful involved."
Aurora nodded, "I agree."
Then she reached for a notebook.
"From today onward, every visitor, merchant, servant, and cart entering or leaving the estate will be recorded."
Philip blinked, "Recorded?"
"Names. Dates. Purposes."
Philip looked confused.
"Why?"
Aurora smiled, "Because people lie."
She tapped the ledger, "But records don't."
Turning back to Turner's report, another name immediately caught her attention.
Eric.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Aurora's eyes narrowed, "Interesting."
"What is it?"
Aurora pushed the report toward Philip.
"Eric was assigned fifteen farms."
Philip nodded, "Correct."
"He only submitted tax payments from ten."
Philip stared, "What?"
Aurora flipped another page.
"Turner personally visited all fifteen farms."
She pointed at the report.
"All fifteen were occupied not ten like Eric reported previously. Eris stated that those farms were empty."
Philip's face darkened, "And they all paid taxes?"
"More than what was officially recorded."
The realization hit both, of them simultaneously.
Eric had been stealing.
For years.
"Philip.", Her voice became cold.
"Get Turner and Alistair to bring Eric here."
Philip straightened, "Immediately."
Aurora closed the ledger.
"I believe we've found another member of this little criminal family."
After Philip left, Aurora quickly drafted a new document.
By the time he returned, she had finished several pages.
"Philip."
He stepped forward.
Aurora handed him a piece of paper, "What is this?"
"It's called an invoice."
Philip frowned, "An invoice?"
The word sounded strange. Foreign... Complicated. Suspicious.
Aurora smiled, "It's simply proof that money changed hands for goods."
Philip starred.
Then starred again.
Then starred a third time.
"My Lady..."
"Yes?"
"Why do I feel like you're about to make everyone's lives significantly more organized?"
Aurora grinned.
"Because I am."
Philip sighed dramatically, "The staff will never forgive you."
Aurora laughed for the first time all day, "Good.....Take this to the printers."
Philip examined the document.
"I need two identical books."
Aurora pointed to the corner, "Each page must be numbered from one to one hundred."
Philip nodded, "I'll go personally."
"Good and schedule a meeting with both tax collectors."
She closed the ledger.
"I want Turner and Alistair present."
"As you wish, My Lady."
Before either could continue, the study door burst open.
Anne stumbled inside, "My Lady!"
She was completely out of breath.
"My Lady!"
Philip jumped, "Good grief, girl! Breathe first, speak second!"
Anne bent over, desperately trying to catch her breath.
"My apologies..."
"Take another breath," Philip ordered.
Anne obeyed.
Then looked up. Her eyes were shining.
"My Lady..."
Aurora immediately stood.
Fear gripped her heart.
Had something happened to her mother?
Her father?
"What is it?"
Anne's face broke into a huge smile, "The Duke..."
Aurora's heart nearly stopped.
"The duke has awakened."
For a moment, the world seemed to freeze.
Then relief hit her so hard her knees almost gave out.
Her father was awake.
Without another word, Aurora ran from the study.
Up the stairs.
Down the corridor.
With Philip, Anne, and half the household rushing after her.
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