The Duke's Unwanted Second Wife

Damian arrived at the cottage in the late lunch afternoon.

”Where’s the Duchess?” asked Damian from the butler, who greeted him with a humble bow.

”Her Grace is upstairs,” the butler replied.

Damian moved to the staircase and went upstairs only to find Eilika standing near the window. He cleared his throat, making her turn around.

”Damian,” she humbly bowed to him.

”You were in such a deep contemplative state,” Damian remarked. He removed his cloak and let it set on the chair before taking a seat on the upholstered chair. She was quick to pour a glass of water of him while Damian glanced at the sketch which Eilika had prepared.

”You completed the sketch,” Damian said.

”Yes. Do you recognize the man in the sketch?” Eilika asked.

”I do,” Damian replied, taking the glass from her. ”It is Garrett, Xavier’s son.”

Eilika took a seat on the adjacent armchair, her eyes remaining fixed on the charcoal drawing. ”Maurice recognized him as well. Toby was simply caught in the middle. He delivered the envelope to our door strictly on Garrett’s instructions without knowing its contents. We should release him once it is safe. For now, our priority is finding Garrett. According to Toby, he is staying nearby.”

Damian finished the water and set the empty glass back on the table, his posture growing rigid.

”That makes sense. Now the question is whether my aunt passed this information to Garrett herself, or if Xavier left it behind for his son to use. Whatever the source, Garrett clearly wants something in return. You were right. He did not expose the truth immediately because he intends to leverage it against me.”

”Perhaps he seeks to reclaim what his family lost,” Eilika said thoughtfully. ”Though the crimes his father committed should not fall upon his shoulders.”

”That may be true, but resorting to threats is unacceptable,” Damian replied, rubbing his temple weary before dropping his hand. ”I can only discern his true motives once I confront him directly.”

He paused, his eyes softening as he looked at her. ”Have you eaten lunch yet? Or were you waiting for me so we could dine together?”

”I was waiting for you,” she answered.

”I knew. Let me wash my face and hands, then we can have lunch together,” he stated and stood up before heading to the attached bathroom.

Eilika stared back at the sketch, hoping things turn better once they would find out Garette.

~~~~~

”Henry and Charlie, both of you must be charged for this fire. You were the ones in the kitchen,” declared the inspecting officer, issuing his ruling.

”Furthermore, the rest house is registered under Charlie’s name. He failed to inspect the fire altars, directly causing an accident of this scale.”

”This is an outrage! My brothers are the victims here,” Xenia interjected, stepping forward onto the courtyard ground. ”Officer, your investigation is entirely flawed!”

”Keep silent,” her third brother warned, grabbing her arm to pull her back.

The inspector scowled at her outburst. ”Your sister should count herself fortunate that I am sparing her, and the rest of your family, from being dragged into these charges.”

The townsfolk cast uneasy glances at Xenia, whispering urgently for her to stay quiet.

’Prince August promised he would not let injustice take place,’ Xenia thought, her eyes darting toward the entrance.

”The cost of the damages must be paid in full, accompanied by formal punishment,” Inspector Derek announced, his words sending a pulse of anxiety through the crowd.

”Before you proceed, Inspector Derek, perhaps you should examine this sample first,” a voice echoed from the entrance.

Everyone turned toward the sound, where Samir stood holding a folded parchment in his grasp.

Derek frowned, pushing back his chair as he stood up.

”What is the meaning of this, Samir? You ought to stay out of today’s proceedings,” Derek stated firmly.

Samir, however, paid no mind to the warning and stepped further into the courtyard.

”You forget that Prince August was staying in that very rest house,” Samir affirmed, his voice carrying clearly across the silent crowd. ”As his personal bodyguard, it is my sole duty to uncover the exact cause of the incident. An explosion of that magnitude could not have occurred merely from the wood in the fire altars.”

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the gathered townsfolk, their nods signaling that Samir’s logic was sound.

”Examine the contents of this parchment yourself,” Samir stated, extending the folded paper forward.

Derek snatched it, unrolling the edges to find nothing more than dark powder.

”It is merely ash,” Derek said dismissively. ”I am conducting this hearing precisely because Prince August’s life was placed in danger by these two men.” ℯℯ𝑙.

”Then your investigation remains incomplete,” Samir replied coldly. ”That is no ordinary ash. It is the residue of an explosive substance I recovered directly from the fire altars. Someone deliberately mixed powdered explosive into the wood, which is what triggered the blast.”

Xenia felt a surge of relief as confidence returned to her, certain the truth would finally come to light.

”What? My officers found no such substance at the scene,” Derek countered, narrowing his eyes. ”How am I to be certain this tainted ash even came from the rest house?”

A few murmurs of agreement circulated among the crowd.

”Because I have brought the true culprit myself,” August announced, stepping forward with a man bound in cuffs.

With a firm thrust, August shoved the middle-aged man to the ground, sending him sprawling into the dirt with a sharp groan of pain.

August pressed the heel of his boot firmly onto the man’s palm, drawing a sharp scream of agony from his lips.

”Tell Inspector Derek what you did in the rest house,” August commanded, his tone icy and unforgiving.

”I—I mixed the explosives into the wood piled near the kitchen’s fire altars! I was paid money to do it!” the man gasped, writhing on the dirt. ”Please, Your Highness, spare me!”

August pressed down harder, ignoring the man’s plea. ”Continue. They need to hear the entire truth. Tell them who ordered you to carry out this task.”

”Yes! I will speak!” the middle-aged man sobbed, his voice trembling uncontrollably. ”It was Sir Finley! He paid me one hundred sheels to do it!”

”Finley?” Henry murmured under his breath, the name instantly triggering a bitter memory.

Finley was a seventh-rank official who had held a grudge against them ever since they refused to pay him a commission for a service they had never requested.

August finally pulled back his foot and stepped forward. ”Derek, you failed to properly investigate a matter that directly concerned my safety,” he remarked, his voice sharp with authority.

”Your Highness, I assure you that was not my intention!” Derek hastily brought the parchment to his nose and sniffed the ash. ”It is indeed an explosive substance. I will issue an immediate warrant for Finley’s arrest.”

”You are too late, Derek,” August replied coolly. ”Surprisingly, your junior officer proved far more capable during this investigation.”

Just as he spoke, the junior officer, Jordan, entered the courtyard dragging a bound Finley behind him.

The sight of the man broke Xenia’s restraint. Overcome with fury, she lunged forward to strike him, but August caught her arm at the exact right moment, blocking her path.

”He hurt my brothers! Do not stop me, Your Highness!” Xenia demanded, her voice shaking with rage.

”Do you intend to get yourself imprisoned as well for assaulting a official outside your station?” August asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shook her head, drawing back immediately, though the anger inside her burned just as hot.

”Finley, why do you not confess your crime before everyone present?” August demanded, his gaze fixed on the official.

Finley clenched his cuffed hands into fists, his chest heaving as he began to speak. ”It began because Charlie refused the business arrangement I offered him. But Your Highness, I swear to you, I never intended an explosion of such magnitude to take place! I merely sought to cause a minor disruption—a small fire to teach them a lesson. I beg you to show some leniency!”

”Your fate will be decided by the magistrate’s court,” August stated, his voice absolute. ”Numerous lives were put at risk, and given that I was residing in the rest house at the time of the blast, this matter falls directly under royal jurisdiction.”

Panic seized Finley at the Prince’s words. A trial before the high court, involving treasonous risk to royal blood, meant execution was all but guaranteed.

”No—please, Your Highness, I beg of you!” Finley pleaded, his tone cracking with desperation. ”I swear on my life, I had no knowledge the destruction would reach such an extent!”

However, August didn’t pay any heed to his pleading.

”Derek, throw him behind the bars, will you?” August asked.

Derek quickly instructed the guards present there who dragged away Finlay from there. He was scared that August might come after his position if he failed to please the prince.