Chapter 49

“Young master, it has been far too long. I am deeply ashamed that I could not bring the master back with me.”

The loyal steward, looking utterly exhausted from his travels, bowed deeply. Merely looking at Elwin brought a sudden rush of tears to the older man’s eyes.

Elwin, too, felt a thick wave of emotion rise in his throat. Dale was the one who had remained by his father’s side in that distant, unfamiliar country. He burned to ask about his father’s final days, but knowing it was cruel to press a weary traveler, he kept his voice steady.

“Please, do not say such things. You have survived an incredibly grueling journey.”

“How could my journey compare to the burdens you have borne alone, young master? Without the capital you managed to send, the master and I would have been utterly ruined in Savar.”

“You faced immense hardships abroad. I am only relieved that my contributions were of some help.”

“I wished to return sooner to stand by you, but untangling the accounts delayed me. Nevertheless, everything has been settled in a manner that will not disappoint you. To put it plainly—”

“Ah, wait a moment.”

Elwin gently stayed Dale’s hand as the older man began unbuckling his leather document satchel right there in the foyer. It would be disastrous if any details of their finances drifted to Dwight or his sharp-eared valet, Isaac. Even if the baron’s family possessed a legitimate claim to the Ravenwell title and lands, they had absolutely no right to the private overseas investments his father had made. Still, Elwin had no desire to hand them ammunition for a dispute.

“Let us retire to my study first.”

“A wise precaution. I nearly allowed my enthusiasm to override my manners, keeping you standing here, young master,” Dale agreed readily. Yet as he glanced around, his seasoned eyes narrowed, sensing the heavy, unsettled atmosphere draping the mansion.

“Pardon me, but do we have guests? I noticed an unfamiliar carriage near the stables, and a strange servant was lurking about, watching the grounds with singular intensity.”

The man Dale described was undoubtedly Isaac. Since daybreak, he had been hovering around the stables under the pretense of inspecting the baron’s carriage, making an absolute nuisance of himself. The servants whispered that Dwight was likely plotting a swift escape to evade the consequences of his crime.

“Yes. The designated heir from the baron’s household has arrived. Due to… unfortunate circumstances, he is currently occupying Mr. Alfred’s quarters in the annex.”

“Mr. Oswald?”

“No, the younger brother, Mr. Dwight. The baron sent formal word naming him as the successor.”

At this, Dale froze, a flicker of profound confusion crossing his features. Before Elwin could voice his questions, Dale’s eyes widened further as he looked past Elwin’s shoulder.

“That man…”

Following Dale’s stunned whisper, Elwin turned to find Leon walking down the corridor. Leon, noticing them, lengthened his stride. Elwin quickly stepped forward to introduce them.

“This is Mr. Leon, who arrived alongside Mr. Dwight. He is… Mr. Dwight’s former classmate from public school. Mr. Leon, this is Mr. Dale, our estate’s financial administrator.”

Explaining that Leon was almost certainly not Dwight’s classmate would require far too much explanation, so Elwin kept the introduction simple. Leon offered Dale a bright, extraordinarily pleasant smile—the very same enigmatic, unreadable expression he had worn upon his first arrival at the estate.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Dale.”

“Ah… yes. The pleasure is mine.”

Leon gave Dale a brief, searching look, offered Elwin a polite nod, and disappeared down the intersecting corridor. Dale watched his departing figure with a dazed, unblinking stare before snapping back to attention. Once they were safely inside Elwin’s study, he leaned in, his voice hushed.

“Young master… you are certain that the second son has been sent as the heir? And that… Lord Leon accompanied him?”

“Yes. Is there something amiss?”

“No. Not amiss, precisely…”

After a moment of intense, silent deliberation, Dale pulled a thick stack of papers from his satchel and presented them to Elwin.

“The ledger will explain everything in detail, but in short, the late master’s mining shares have been securely placed into a private trust for you. I must confess, I left a vital ledger in the carriage. Pray excuse me for a moment; I shall return shortly.”

Dale bowed hastily and retreated before Elwin could object. Knowing Dale’s meticulous nature, Elwin knew there was no ledger left behind. The man was undoubtedly using it as a pretext to seek out Dwight in the annex.

In truth, Elwin had hoped for precisely this. Dale had accompanied his father when they visited the Graymont barony en route to Savar, meaning he had surely met the baron’s second son. What troubled Elwin was the sheer bewilderment in Dale’s demeanor.

It is highly unusual for a second son to bypass the elder to inherit a title, but… he looked as if he recognized someone else entirely.

Shaking off his unease, Elwin examined the documents. Just as Dale had promised, a secure trust had been established to direct the mining profits directly to Elwin. The financial nightmare that had haunted his sleep was resolved. He could see the sheer, exhausting labor poured into these certificates, and his chest ached with gratitude.

With these, his livelihood was guaranteed. Yet, when he asked himself if he could now leave the Ravenwell estate without a backward glance, he found no easy answer.

When he finally emerged from his study, the mansion was once again in an uproar. Servants were whispering in the hallways, and Elwin’s first thought was that Dale had caused a scene in the annex. But the source of the disturbance lay elsewhere.

“Please… I simply cannot bear this any longer…”

At the sound of choked, desperate sobbing, Elwin stopped in his tracks. Huddled in the shadow of the staircase was Selena. She had spent the last several days locked away in her room, and she had grown painfully gaunt. Her eyes were swollen and bloodshot.

Elwin understood instantly.

Selena must have learned what Dwight had attempted the night before.

Alfred had forbidden the staff from speaking of the incident to Eleanor or outsiders, but he had likely forgotten to warn them away from Selena.

The maids, protective of Selena and well aware of her quiet affection for Dwight, had likely deemed it their duty to expose his true, monstrous character.