Page 90 of The Wise Daughter
“But Your Grace–”
“I must speak with Nora. I have too many questions, and there are too many facts that contradict this letter.”
Carver slowly nodded. “Very well. At least, have a drink to calm your nerves.” He took a glass from a nearby cabinet and mixed and poured.
Aaron took the drink without thinking and downed it in one gulp, expecting it to wet his tongue. Instead, it left a strange taste in his mouth. “Thank you for understanding, Carver. I can’t leave these matters behind me until I resolve all doubt.”
“Pardon me, Your Grace, but what is there to doubt? She wants your money and she lied about it. Attempting to steal fifteen thousand pounds might only have been the beginning of her deceit.”
Aaron studied Carver for a very long time. His steward, so composed now practically swaggered with confidence. “Carver, I never told you she asked for fifteen thousand pounds.”
Carver stopped suddenly. His face paled only for a fraction of a second before he regained his composure, but Aaron didn’t miss it. “I’m sure you must have told me, Your Grace. Consider all the burdens you’re bearing, and now you’re mourning the end of your engagement. Little wonder you forgot mentioning a small detail like that to me.”
“It isn’t small, and I didn’t forget. That letter was sealed when I received it. How did you know? Did you have something to do with the letter?”
Carver’s nostrils flared. “After all my years of service, you find one miniscule reason to doubt me, and now you think you understand everything?”
“No, I know I don’t understand everything, but now I’m paying attention to all the reasons I do have to doubt you, reasons I’ve been ignoring. Until now.” His mind raced as pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. “I’ve listened to your explanations, but they don’t make sense anymore. All this time. You’ve been the one keeping the books, managing so many of my affairs, covering your lies. Why don’t you start being honest with me and explain what, exactly, you hope to gain through this deception.”
A wave of nausea hit Aaron and rolled beneath his feet, making him catch himself on the desk.
Carver approached slowly. Aaron could see his limbs trembling. “Listen to yourself, Your Grace. You’re being unreasonable, which is why,” he said slowly, “I took the liberty of adding a sleeping draught to your drink. The doctor left extra should you need it, which I daresay you do. I was rather generous with the dose this time.”
“Carver!” Aaron’s limbs grew heavy just thinking about his veins being flooded with more opium.
“It’s for the best. Your father wanted me to look after you. I couldn’t let you talk to Miss Lacy in this state. Every time you talk with her, she meddles with your logic.”
“Is that why you set fire to her room?” Aaron was taking a risk. He didn’t know what he was going to do, especially if Carver had drugged him, but he would at least learn the truth. “She was catching on to things much swifter than I was, wasn’t she? She suspected you. Whatever you do to me, Carver, you haven’t fooled her.”
“I’m sure her pride will keep her away. I’m not worried about her anymore.”
“But you were,” Aaron pressed. “And I think you still are. In fact, I can’t tell whether you fear her more than you despise me. Why do you despise me so much, Carver?”
Carver pounded the desk. “You should stop talking now, Derricott! If you were half so observant as that chit, you might have noticed I’m your–” He stopped himself, clamped his mouth shut and breathed heavily. “No. I won’t satisfy your curiosity. Not now. Not after all these years. All you need to know is that I’ve seen to every detail. The dukedom will be mine and you will be dead.”
Ice crept over Aaron. “Every detail? Like new servants who wouldn’t be suspicious of you? Who you could manipulate and steal from with lowered pay?”
Aaron fought off the next wave of nausea. He wanted to know more, but the sooner Carver left, the sooner he could escape to the secret passageway. He just needed to stay alert long enough.
Carver, however, shook his head as a menacing glee rose to his eyes. “After all these years, why not tell you? Why not let you die with a full understanding of how much the Derricotts have wronged my family?”
“My father was good to you.”
“Your father was my uncle! My father’s own brother. He should have done better for me.”
This news ran through Aaron’s limbs like lightning, enough to rouse him from the stupor he had been on the verge of slipping into. “How can that be? My uncle never had children. He never married.”
“My dishonorable father may have never wanted a wife, but he still eloped with my mother. Unlike your mother, she conceived right away. I should have been legitimate, but he had the marriage annulled before I was born and turned her away. He wouldn’t recognize me as his son. My mother and I were outcasts.”
“But my father knew.” Aaron put the pieces in place. “He took pity on you and gave you a place here, didn’t he? Why would you turn on him?”
“Oh, he took pity on me. He certainly did, a pitiable boy born out of wedlock. Why would he recognize his relationship with me when my own father wouldn’t? Your father made me a servant! I should have inherited my father’s estate when he died, but who did it go to? Not his son. Everything went to your father, making the fortune you inherited even more vast. That is why I despise you. That is why I made sure your most precious trinkets were stolen first, anything that reminded me of how much you and your family loved one another.”
“My father was kind. I’m certain he meant to help you.”
Carver scoffed. “How would you know? I did every odd job imaginable at this castle from mucking out the stables to emptying the chamber pots. I broke my back for years before you were ever born. In my childish ignorance, I thought, perhaps if the duke and duchess never conceived, he might recognize me eventually. Years went by. I gained some seniority and was trusted with more important tasks. Then you were born.”
Aaron trained his eyes on Carver, fighting the tiredness.
