“It seems your men have not been telling you everything. But it needs to be done,” Elara stated, throwing him a hard look. “Ithas been a year, and we are no closer to finding out who killed him than the day he died!”
Elara’s voice rose to a pain-filled shout, and Adrian forced his temper to cool.
“Elara, this is not what I want you thinking about,” he said with calm sternness.
“What else am I to think about?” she quickly retorted. “Mama has taken to bed since Evander’s passing, and you are busy with your new responsibilities as Duke of Redgrave. I was intended to debut in society this year, but neither of you has time to escort me to balls. I am withering in this frozen state. I must do something, and you are so secretive!”
Guilt poured through Adrian as he heard the emotion in his sister’s voice. It was not just his life that had changed since Evander’s passing. All of them had transformed into something else. Something they all hoped they would never be.
“Elara, forgive me,” he offered, reaching out for her hand. “You are right, of course. I will try to remedy our situation.”
Elara’s shoulders drooped, and she gave him an apologetic look.
“I do not mean to sound so vain,” she said softly. “If I must wait another year to be debuted, I understand, but it bothers me that our brother’s killer is still out there. Evander was such… such a remarkable man. I do not know why anyone would ever wish to hurt him, let alone take him away from us forever.”
It was a question that kept Adrian up at night, too. There were many men among thetonwith flaws. Gamblers. Cheats. Adulterers. Men who were overly pompous and men who cowered away from their responsibility. Evander was none ofthose. Yet he had his fair share of enemies for seeking to adhere to justice.
“I do not want you investigating this any further, Elara,” he said in a gentle but firm tone. “I want you to leave that to me. As it so happens, Damien and I found a lead last night, and we have our first serious suspect.”
Elara’s blue eyes widened in surprise as she leaned forward.
“Tell me everything,” she demanded.
Pride swelled in Adrian’s chest at his younger sister’s insistence. Women were not supposed to be as strong-willed as she, yet if Elara had been born a man, her fierceness would have been greatly admired and nurtured.
Even so, he could not let her know the full extent of his investigation. The last thing he needed was her braving an interrogation alone and finding herself in danger. Adrian would not lose another sibling because of his ignorance again. He would not survive it.
“Just leave the investigative measures to me,” Adrian commanded as he finished his breakfast. “And if you need something to do, you should spend more time with our mother. As you said, she has not left her rooms in a year.”
“I hate that you always leave me in the dark about the things that matter.” After he said nothing, Elara shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “And about Mother… she has recently changed her habits,” she confessed.
“Oh?” Adrian asked, raising a brow.
“She has been leaving her rooms daily now, though often just for a short amount of time,” Elara explained.
“Well, that is fantastic news,” Adrian answered. Though as he took in his sister’s expression, he wondered if perhaps he was mistaken.
“Elara,” he prompted. “What are you not telling me?”
“Well, she is speaking again and eating,” Elara told him, “However… it is strange.”
“How so? What do you mean?” Adrian asked.
As he said that, the Dowager Duchess of Redgrave herself breezed into the dining room. She was elegantly dressed as if she were going to a ball at the palace, and her smile was wide and bright—a bit too bright.
“Good morning, my doves!” Nora Mason greeted cheerily as she approached the table. “What a lovely day, is it not?”
Adrian caught the worried glance Elara threw him before they both stood and smiled at their mother.
“Indeed, it is, Mother,” Adrian agreed cordially. “How did you sleep?”
Nora opened her arms toward him, and Adrian had to bend far at the waist to hug his much smaller mother. She kissed his cheek lovingly, then patted it, her blue eyes sparkling.
“I had the loveliest dream,” she answered as she moved to hug Elara. “Your brother came to visit me.”
Adrian and Elara both stiffened as Nora moved away from them to take her seat.
“How… how lovely a dream that sounds,” Elara replied. Then she leaned toward Adrian and whispered, “Now watch her plate.”
