Chapter 56

Once more, the drawing room of the count’s estate fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.

Following Selena’s tearful confession of the events that had dragged her from the Graymont estate to Ravenwell, the gathered servants stood frozen in profound shock. Though they had long harbored quiet doubts about her noble lineage, the horrifying revelation that Dwight was an impostor who had targeted the late madam’s jewels left them utterly speechless.

“I am truly, deeply sorry,” Selena wept, her shoulders shaking violently. “I have confessed all my transgressions to the magistrate. I know I do not deserve your forgiveness, but I will do whatever it takes to atone for my sins.”

“And you think a simple apology mends this?” Toby snapped, his face flushed with indignation. “We welcomed a common thief into our home, treating him like a revered guest!”

“To think we served him hand and foot while he plotted to steal the mistress’s very jewels behind our backs…” another maid whispered, shaking her head.

Under the weight of their bitter reproaches, Selena bowed her head, her face pale as death.

“I have committed a sin worthy of death,” she sobbed, her voice trembling. “But this house… this was the very first place where anyone ever treated me with kindness. It was the first place where I was ever taught anything of value. That was why I could never bring myself to tell Lord Dwight where the jewels were hidden, no matter how fiercely he pressed me. When I looked at the angelic face of Miss Eleanor… I simply could not do it.”

She snuffled softly, her torment plain for all to see. Elwin watched her, his expression softening into one of quiet melancholy as he offered a slow nod.

“I understand the torment you faced, Miss Selena,” Elwin said gently. “And I do not believe you had any hand in the horrors of last night or today. You have barely spoken to Mr. Dwight since the Finch tea party.”

“That is true, Sir Elwin! Nay—young master,” Selena gasped, looking up with wet eyes. “I never in my wildest nightmares imagined that shameless scoundrel would dare lay a hand on you. You said he fled to the capital, did you not? If we ride after him now, surely we can apprehend him! I will gladly stand as a witness in court. I will expose every single one of his wretched deeds to ensure he rots in chains!”

“Indeed,” Elwin murmured, his gaze turning distant. “In any event… I must depart for the capital first thing tomorrow morning.”

The train Dwight had boarded was the final departure from Ravenwell Station for the day. Attempting to pursue him on horseback would take a grueling week of nonstop, exhausting riding. The only viable path was to catch the earliest connecting train the following morning.

Hearing this, Toby immediately stepped forward, his eyes bright with resolve. “I shall pack our bags at once, young master! I am coming with you, of course? Who else will watch your back?”

“No, Toby,” Elwin replied, offering a gentle but firm smile. “I believe it is best if I journey alone.”

As deeply as Elwin cherished Toby’s loyalty, the plain truth was that Toby was ill-suited for a journey demanding the utmost discretion, speed, and caution. Furthermore, the estate could ill afford to lose another hand.

“The sheriff will be entering and leaving the estate constantly over the coming days, and the mansion will be in complete disarray. We also need every hand available to tend to the injured. Everyone must remain at their posts and safeguard the manor.”

“But young master, surely traveling entirely unattended is far too dangerous!” Toby protested, his brow furrowed with worry.

Elwin found himself momentarily speechless. He had always taken pride in his horsemanship and physical resilience, but the traumatic events of the previous night had severely shaken his confidence. As he hesitated, searching for words to soothe his worried servant, a steady voice shattered the brief silence.

“I shall accompany him.”

It was Leon.

The moment their eyes locked, the icy dread that had gripped Elwin’s heart began to thaw. When Leon had materialized in his darkest hour last night, and when he had ridden to his rescue during today’s frantic pursuit, Elwin had felt a profound sense of security—as though an invincible shield had been placed before him.

He longed to accept the offer immediately, yet the weight of high society’s watchful eyes pressed heavily upon him. An unwed Omega of noble birth traveling across the country alone with an Alpha of unverified standing? Had Alfred been conscious to hear of it, the old butler would have suffered an apoplectic fit.

Furthermore, if Elwin openly favored a guest he had known for a mere month over the loyal servants who had dedicated their lives to his family, he risked breeding deep resentment.

As Elwin paused in agonizing hesitation, Toby suddenly clapped his hands together.

“If Lord Leon is by your side, we can rest easy!” Toby declared enthusiastically. “He knows the capital inside and out, and he surely possesses powerful acquaintances who can assist us!”

To Elwin’s immense relief, the rest of the staff murmured in hearty agreement, their worries visibly eased by the proposal.

Turning back to Leon, Elwin spoke softly. “Would that not be placing far too heavy a burden upon you, Mr. Leon? You have already done so much for us…”

“Not in the least, Sir Elwin,” Leon replied, his lips curving into a warm smile. “Being of service to you is a privilege I would gladly welcome.”

Though his words bore the playful, polished charm he so easily wielded, Elwin caught the unmistakable spark of absolute sincerity in the depths of his dark eyes.

“Thank you,” Elwin whispered, a weight lifting from his shoulders. “I am truly grateful for your presence, Mr. Leon. Now, the swiftest route to the capital would be…”

“Taking the dawn train to Westbury, then transferring directly to the overnight express to the capital,” Leon supplied instantly.

The fact that Leon had seamlessly finished his thought only deepened Elwin’s trust. Here was a man who held the intricacies of the national railway system in his mind as flawlessly as Elwin did.

“Precisely,” Elwin agreed. “That should place us in the capital by the morning after next. However, that still grants Mr. Dwight a full day’s head start…”

The capital was a vast, labyrinthine metropolis; twenty-four hours was more than enough time for a desperate man to vanish into the underworld or commit further ruin. Steeling himself, Elwin began issuing rapid, precise directives to the gathered staff.

“First, the moment dawn breaks, dispatch urgent telegrams to the constabularies in both Ravenwell and the capital to secure a warrant for Dwight’s arrest. Provide a detailed list of the stolen property. Send identical alerts to every major transit hub he might pass through along the northern line.”

“Forgive me, young master,” Dale, the estate’s seasoned financial manager, murmured hesitantly. “But those stolen items… what precisely did he take?”

As a veteran of the household’s ledger books, Dale understood the delicate mechanisms of noble estates far better than most. Though Elwin had danced around the specifics, Dale had clearly deduced that Dwight’s prize had been plundered directly from the butler’s private safe.

Before Elwin could carefully frame his response, the ever-impatient Toby blurted out, “Yes, young master! What did that scoundrel actually steal? Mr. Alfred was practically hysterical before he collapsed, weeping that because he failed to protect the safe, he had no right to face the memory of the late count and madam, and ought to offer up his own life in penance!”

“S-Surely it wasn’t the madam’s jewels?” Selena chimed in, her face draining of color. “I swear to you, I never revealed their location to him. Not once!”

Ever the gentleman, Elwin sought to soothe her panic first. “Rest easy, Miss Selena. It was not the jewels. What Mr. Dwight took was…”

Aside from Dale, the servants held their breath, completely ignorant of what lay within the safe. Yet, looking upon Elwin’s calm, commanding presence, a faint glimmer of hope began to bloom in their weary eyes. Observing their young master issue such clear, resolute orders, they felt a growing conviction that his brilliant mind would guide them through this storm.

It was an agonizing truth to deliver to those who looked to him for salvation. But Elwin could not bring himself to lie. Parting his lips with a heavy, leaden heart, he delivered the devastating blow.

“He took the family head’s signet seal, and the deed to the Ravenwell estate.”

Ssssshhhh.

The collective gasp that followed was so sharp and sudden that one could almost hear the blood draining from every face in the room.

***