Page 5 of The Wise Daughter
“Hiding has done nothing! I want to know the servants here.” Besides a few trusted servants who regularly attended to him, Aaron knew almost none of the staff. “The thief could easily be among them.”
“Exactly. Staying hidden prevents our thief from getting close to you. Your father wouldn’t want you to endanger yourself.”
At the mention of his father, Aaron hesitated, but he had already made up his mind. “I am going to visit the people, Carver. Tomorrow.”
Carver raised both brows. “What? Visit the people? Tomorrow? Visit whom? With no plan, no invitation? Absolutely not.”
“I’m the duke. I don’t need an invitation.”
“But if you go promenading through the village market declaring yourself to be the duke, people may not even believe you. I cannot recommend it, Your Grace.”
“There are several families I have been remiss in not visiting since arriving in Ravenglass.”
“True, Your Grace, but we must not be hasty. I know the people. Given the death of your father and the extenuating circumstances in the castle, they will understand your need to protect yourself while we unravel this thieving trouble. Please, listen to me. I only strive to live up to your father’s express wish for me to guide you.”
Aaron nodded, waiting for the thickness in his throat to subside before he spoke again. “Thank you, Carver, but you must not forget the final decision lies with me.”
“Of course. I only fear that by consorting with too many people, you become more vulnerable. If this thief should harm you, I would never forgive myself.”
“That means a great deal to me, Carver, but I feel foolish hiding behind the walls of the castle when danger is already within.”
“But that is precisely why we are being careful. I promise, Your Grace, we’ll catch whoever is behind this and expose them to the people. You’ll have your chance to show your strength and prove that Ravenglass is once again safe. You’ll make your debut among the people in your moment of victory. Then we can move on to the matter of selecting an appropriate bride.”
Aaron quickly turned away, lest Carver see how those last words affected him. Aaron did want to find a bride as soon as possible. It was another wish of his father’s, the most strongly expressed in his last letter, and it was likewise Aaron’s deepest hope to find a suitable young woman with whom he could enjoy comfortable companionship and settle the business of producing an heir. It was, after all, his duty, but it was more than that. It was a chance at happiness. He was not so optimistic as to harbor schoolboy hopes of finding the perfect love, but a deeply buried part of his heart wouldn’t deny how fortunate it would be if he did find a woman he wanted to share his life with.
Yes, he needed to catch this thief quickly, and despite Carver’s opinions on the matter, Aaron was convinced keeping his distance was serving no purpose.
As if sensing Aaron’s thoughts, Carver added, “I know a great deal depends on this, but let us be cautious, Your Grace. I pray you will not put yourself in unnecessary danger.”
Aaron was silent. He didn’t like Carver’s plan. If he was being completely honest, he despised it. Even taking into consideration his late father’s wishes, Aaron could not abide the thought of cowering in the castle any longer. He was the duke now, and he was taking matters into his own hands.
Chapter 3
Aaron held perfectly still behind thick shrubs and trees and waited. With the sun below the horizon, the world was washed in that strange mix of light and shadow that turned everything an ill-defined grey. His nose itched from wet stone and thick ivy, but he resisted the urge to sneeze. No one had seen him find footholds among the jutting stones outside his window and escape down the three stories from his study to the ground, and he needed to ensure it stayed that way.
More hiding!he cursed, but this variety of concealment was necessary tonight. No one, especially not Carver, could know he was venturing out like this. It would only arouse suspicion. Besides which, if word escaped of his nighttime watches, the thieves would be put on their guard, sabotaging his entire purpose, and Carver would once again complain and make him feel guilty for going against his father’s wishes. No, he could not be discovered. There were too many advantages to this freedom of anonymity.
As quietly as he could, he crouched his way through the greenery, past the formal, manicured gardens to the rougher side of the castle where servants tended hens and a patchwork of vegetable gardens. Close to the kitchens, there was always much coming and going withservants. Or at least, that is what he remembered as a young lad. He hadn’t been out this way in years, but if he were a thief, he would have chosen an exit from the castle where he might be able to lose himself among other servants rather than risk being seen alone on a less frequented path.
He didn’t recognize a single person he saw. A woman with crinkly curls carried eggs inside. A balding man with a heavy brow was bringing in a crate of onions. One young man carried a ladder toward the stables while a very young maid balanced a large wicker basket full of linens on her hip. Everyone seemed focused on their work, though a few servants paused to give orders or exchange complaints.
Aaron was beginning to think his efforts were wasted when a newcomer caught his attention. Dressed for labor in plain, brown trousers and a dark brown coat with a tear down the sleeve, a short, pudgy man slunk out from a copse of overgrown trees and strode along the path that led to the castle’s back iron gate. From there, it was a short distance to the main road. Whether he was one of the employed staff, Aaron couldn’t say, but the man looked over his shoulder multiple times, holding a bulging satchel to his side.
Aaron waited to see if anyone else noticed this newcomer. No one did. Servants continued rushing in and out. Were they always so busy at this hour?
Aaron’s heart thudded as he slipped from his hiding place, wishing for something plainer than his dark traveling cloak, and attempted a casual but brisk pace after the pudgy man. There were no trees or shrubs on the path to conceal him now.
The evening air was heavy with moisture, weighing his hair and seeping into his lungs, salty with hints of earth and dried leaves. With the thief checking over his shoulder every other minute, it was only a matter of time before he noticed Aaron who was still following at a fair distance back.
The man slipped down a small dirt path to the side carved deep with ruts from wagons and carts of farmers who wanted to bypass the village’s main roads. Aaron might have missed it had he not been watching carefully. When they reached the outskirts of the village where the forest grew thicker, the man looked back again, saw Aaron, and ran.
Aaron leapt into a sprint. “Stop, sir! A word with you!” He tried to keep his tone civil in case he had misunderstood the man’s strange behavior, but the man kept running.
Past a shabby inn and a small stone bridge to the edge of the river and trees, Aaron gave chase. Cradling the satchel gave the pudgy man an awkward gait, but Aaron, who was in excellent health, had nothing to slow his progress. His muscles twitched the closer he drew.
A brawl was coming.
As his hands reflexively pulled into fists, he realized his mistake. He still wore his signet ring, the tell-tale sign of who he was. If the thief saw it or managed to pull it off, Aaron would be in even greater trouble.Stupid,he cursed, then impulsively threw the ring behind him. He would rather lose it to some villager than ensure this thief find it on his person. With luck, he could find it later. He didn’t like it, but it was a risk he would have to take. With nothing else holding him back, he was upon the man in seconds, knocking him to the ground.
