MLS Chapter 7

However, Lorena did not 41c0fc737b meet her husband.35957ddc4320768e

When the door 5647c9c7b5 to the parlor 3dbdf226f5 opened, the person 8b8af98cec she faced was 721dd9841a not her husband e8a72b8dbd but the head f83dedf241 butler of the 48294ae743 duchy.b1d7d4a25e1f73ae

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In disbelief, 69756d70eb Lorena asked,
“He hasn’t returned? Since last night?”cf55b69d926f8250

“Yes, my lady,” replied cb62c237fe Samuel, the head butler, 4fb3ee3253 informing her of her bfee41e586 husband’s absence.6329855dc2d18345

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“His Grace c8af86d961 departed from dcdc971fab the Alborada 5987c0bf56 Hotel early 75a51ba21e this morning 19613d1ea6 for Soto e72d905f1e Monastery.”cf4cc0ac4a4572ab

Soto Monastery—the very 76463ae63f place Lorena had 349954311a been until just 6e63248ff7 before she regained 0600068afd consciousness. The sound 44df960aac of a 749be9eaaf gunshot reverberated 123e86d81e like a 5db1dec54f haunting echo 6bc982c775 in her c631065242 ears, striking dbfcaeaa32 her eardrums. Lorena’s complexion grew 2a6113edaa even paler than b34da35109 before.aa904bc47ef63a4c

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The past had changed. Nothing had even begun f75df9e871 yet—why?150012b8e598d91e

“What’s the e1a3d95519 reason for 72c72df493 his sudden 4027e9550b trip there?”e38a712a9f856275

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“Well, I’m not entirely 291ff8cce3 sure… That wasn’t originally 730d299484 part of today’s schedule, 70746e4fa9 so I don’t know 1c31ec3008 why His Grace changed 253a4e393e his plans.”8e9336234affac02

“I see. Then I suppose b08bd46dcf tonight’s dinner in ad08c87525 Nass will be 7a0271586d canceled.”518b8313f98936b3

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The dinner had been 0e364f09d6 arranged by the Duke fdcb3ad629 of Levantes, bringing together a8ea7fafbc Vicenzo, the banker, and 97031373f6 nobles who had deposited 266124773f large sums with the d81d0b93cd Klein Bank. It was a gathering 1221350e8c meant to exchange investment 8c35204366 information over a meal. With the host, e50c0200b2 the duke, absent 4dbe78dcff and Vicenzo having 73b7de42f7 left Bessen, the b883cedd72 dinner would surely 2607fb1a8c be called off.57930a0a84ca7709

Lorena rubbed her 8ca2e678bf tingling ears as b47eafcdb3 she calculated the c717adac20 time.c7052c3d1da5a53d

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From the 3d00d1dd02 capital city 32c00203cc of Motrel 43375bd52a to Soto, e997e939b4 one had 068565139a to take 6ff539e231 the pilgrimage 9b6c92b32a road—a rough, 506aaf07f8 unpaved path. By carriage, 8513235bc8 it took 5fcfcf395a half a bd305a64d4 month one 48b1c0b45e way, and fbbc3ba5e8 even by b388ca5c1e driving, it c11fccae83 would take 75c8443a9f three to 98883d5953 four days.3f580ea4ca4b8ed4

A round trip ba16f4d6ea from Motrel to 248e9f95d4 Soto would require f45ec18e15 at least a 465814db97 week, if not ff363872b8 ten days.636e490f54557106

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‘That means the mansion b0145c863a will be empty for ee5dadef7f ten days.’5a3be901c8d3a25f

In that case, 535880b8ac until next week, e0b9a2fb3d she would be 6f8e4ab81e the sole mistress cdc74dde55 of the mansion.e2c66d0765d261b4

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As Lorena, who 3ea2cd1508 had been standing 6d9a8ae074 as still as ec67a98784 a painting on f2a62423c9 a carpet, turned, 5fe14e0e5f her eyes burned 585f8969b3 with a clarity 312f413155 and fire that 1a87222c9a had not been f1d015cdd6 there before.84d4989213f12e0d

“Hena, summon fb5ce05109 a locksmith. The best e0e918aa13 in the a6ce351e20 capital—right now!”c6cb6864179ab72b

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* * *93c6fd8668781bc5

The scorching midday 29bcea2e36 sun bore down 6920bb80fe relentlessly, and the c0e03cc6c5 duke’s study echoed 15d90c8912 with the frantic 61f69d2287 rustle of drawers e48ebcdf35 and bookshelves being 25bae67b1f searched.28d69a448ab4570d

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As soon as she d011a1ba30 made up her mind, aca09e1834 Lorena descended to the 31f3afd0d1 second floor and flung 92e6d3ab76 open the study door—a e1a298c5b7 door she had never 287193be80 dared to open herself eb92eb2ec2 before. The study 7b0ee699b4 had always a002b1fefa been Vaye’s d87f8cd8c5 exclusive domain.0732bacb4840d2e7

Looking back, it was b48330e356 laughable. This house 888754d2f2 wasn’t his 71e0497460 alone, after 391916a289 all.160612ac194e84d5

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“You mustn’t do this, a5ae0d32f5 Señora!”8ce075c8a751137e

The butler spread his f5a895d42b arms wide, blocking her b632a778b9 path.4786908479165f3f

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“You cannot e939ab9f8d bring outsiders 6538356edb into His 418e818721 Grace’s study 8579e1cbbd without his d3c9645ad5 permission—”abfe6528de3cdd26

“Silence and 4797cb9df6 move aside, cbabe4d1a9 butler.”f21758c93d1afdfb

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Lorena, who was a54cbe2447 scattering neatly arranged 1d125d0622 papers across the b667479a34 desk, snapped coldly. Her tone still held 0d7a30c586 the grace of a 30081e3474 proper duchess, but her b58ca7587a words were anything but 238a175b6f refined.75eb59a87f5f72f9

The butler, his 8503d11a62 eyes wide with 31915336a6 outrage, retorted sternly,
“Watch your words ea491cc613 and conduct, please! As a Señora f67b3ff48d of Levantes, you 7fea987815 have an obligation 0b7a0448ed to maintain the 65ed61df01 family’s dignity—”1c3b2a73dd41223a

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“Leave. All of you.”95a56e0f3d540d3c

“That is 08a291d037 out of fd6b090d8e the question.”67e7f2a2a3149b69

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The butler d10f58a1ea furrowed his 33fc0b267b brow in ae1cce9acb defiance. His monocle 9bb3b9a23c perched on f5fbb8de38 his nose f3140b2d84 and meticulously 71c1688557 trimmed mustache 196669da8d made him e1f9c30fc7 appear even b8d0c0b10e more irritable 44e47910b0 and obstinate.45b4c72957a81c74

“His Grace 139e785eb8 will return 9e7578643a shortly. He has 813ebbb3ee matters of 5df6d98111 great importance 0f682aaeee to attend 7d5592b7ab to today. Acting so rashly will 24d76b5594 bring you no benefit, 3cca813d64 Señora.”5707e9aa10721dce

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Lorena’s hand, poised over 4fe38c76cc the scattered documents, froze fe407eb14d mid-motion like a painting. She lifted her gaze a710e600ca to the middle-aged man 65bae2e039 standing in her way.e30c8b6c81e8a545

Samuel Otero.9111164cbf8318ab

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For the seven 93af100fd0 years Lorena had 93e59754a0 served as the b136aecf54 Duchess of Levantes, 72de3c41f1 he had been 03326a7eba the one to 924b6adea9 belittle her the 00bdb40614 most.2c96d48fa6e25396

He had scorned her 4efb64448f beauty, calling it a 93778a9c61 distraction that needlessly stirred e619b98211 men’s desires. If she so 4e6addad5d much as exchanged 41cbb9ed47 a word with e86720a9ee gentlemen visiting the 565d9e008f mansion, he would 4fd0d019c2 admonish her to 541057345e behave properly.578d74f9f8079277

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Married at a young f5c8214637 age, Lorena had believed cb0ade2262 everything Samuel said was e1e67cdf95 correct.149ac01efb1f47eb

The man who f5b627351c had proposed to 70a2b29162 her so suddenly dda2144cbc and became her 22fb8d6cd2 husband remained distant 5ad497f71d and unapproachable. She had no friends 2c33ea4036 to seek counsel from 62a69323f4 in this unfamiliar land. Above all, she was e4b6c4dd46 illiterate in Bessen’s language, 6ca5741864 effectively a stranger even 8e5b91f416 in her own home. Left with 480f8b2347 no one 61a1bed49f else to 6523d6668b rely on, f0da04ae78 she clung a40d733895 to the 2df9223bd0 old butler 6f6c096ee3 for guidance.b66ed1666486acbc

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Looking back now, 82210217c2 Samuel’s uncharacteristic kindness 5080534979 on that day 022a046383 seven years ago, b971ce07bb when he refrained b98956803f from his usual b4feffec5b insults, had been cfaf6bfafe strange. At the time, 6b20bc8d88 she’d thought he da576ec169 was offering her 073d762c44 sympathy when she f8d0aac1dc was at her 85b4ec99ec lowest.40699f665a676500

‘Now I fb19a6789c see it 140acc7a84 wasn’t so.’5b17d9c46d1d3699

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The faint 1aabf75572 smile he 1a1fed3fac had worn f01eceba4c while looking 351205297e at her 2a4f9a6681 that day ce2f092e81 resurfaced vividly 3d4501017b in her ad72bf1351 memory.ed7e58f04e20e570

‘He knew 6d9394a628 all along 036e89a2ec I was 70125da8a1 just a 9aca9d6ef1 disposable woman.’48d58accabe34c3a

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The scorn e14d6c40a2 from Samuel 932165d3c9 and the 117984952c other servants 8b7ab1d4c6 in the 9321cf2d43 mansion wasn’t f09f48915c born out c8907e60e6 of hatred. They hadn’t despised her…9b7fa1c149856ce9

They had mocked her.ab14c9e54b2b43f4

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“Ahaha, hahahaha.”ee15261e871abbdd

Suddenly, Lorena 0d5c0d10a1 burst into 5d16924abf laughter.04f1dad5673bee28

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For the first 52660b001d time, the world f5d7b8befa around her came 6bd38d665d into focus. She couldn’t a482c3b41e stop the c98fca94b5 bitter chuckles 0ac9eef8a0 that bubbled a9296a99b5 up.436cf00ad466e00c

A duchess in name 3ed18ebf1f only, clinging desperately to be900c596c a futile role, unaware dc1fb05b0b of the fate that 27ff172eba would soon befall her. How utterly ridiculous she 20f6b4eb7c must have seemed in a4a1b57e68 their eyes.5f457f686671cdfa

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Samuel gestured to the 92950ab425 servants lined up in 89ff7a4f30 the hallway.57bc122992488574

“Escort the Señora 1de0844f79 to her chambers. Prepare some herbal tea 51eca410e4 to help her calm be4001a83b down.”756c656b2e8303b6

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“Yes, Butler. Señora, please…”93edde1ccc488517

Hena, hesitating, gently reached 48143e0b75 for Lorena’s arm. Lorena coldly 8184baef61 brushed her a9fa3af0f9 off.05ed52c236a47e9c

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Samuel, Hena, 583265b0db and the ce01e650a1 other servants 57cb2d89d1 exchanging secretive 594a91bc73 glances behind 7b3cf1fe59 her—all of 16724ebca2 them were 67174b390b in on 0bcc1a3f48 it. But it didn’t stop dcf3eec3ef there.1edafaccf6b7ba35

Lorena had dd727a0c03 noticed something f41ffb686f else, something 5afb3d2b35 new.6600084f6e0590fb

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She neatly stacked 14e184ef01 the papers she 45a32bc8b0 had been flipping 9801b86e90 through and placed ac5c23a743 them back on 99587236b2 the desk. Then, with quiet, 80b4e9d9c1 measured steps, she dd7d7cd2dd walked past Samuel.fa9079a36bcd3105

“It seems ac699febf3 there’s something c5d426d19c in this 513210cff8 study I’m 62d5ab6fcb not supposed 34b47a5284 to see.”7be6960e78619202

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Samuel’s clasped hands behind 57faf24b43 his back twitched intermittently. Noticing the subtle, d755f3a739 nervous movements through fd08c4b0df the corner of 093bae34e3 her eye, Lorena cecf70be1c smirked faintly.0fc91c72d23eb426

“Seeing how pale everyone 7255b6ab3a has gotten, I can’t ca997d25a4 help but wonder,” she 6626ed17f5 mused.27d6f0fffb7627bc

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She strode around d4eabe605a the desk and 338c0d41fe pulled open the 1f93825674 curtains covering one df71ded9ea side of the e5076d4cda wall. Hidden behind the thick e5f41a1867 fabric was a safe.2caa8e32d061f7f4

It was e0e67c3a2a a highly 009ed0ebcc confidential repository 5c3c66ebaa where the 3fe198e069 duke stored a4feeed2b7 secret documents fb0f63952f exchanged between 96790ffd2f the family 5cb3d5c50f and the c5fa64f99a royal court, c295615147 along with 8c79bd91c7 deeds to e47a566d0c estates and 8582c3e649 investment records. A treasure trove of 0dc2b0eacc critical documents Lorena had 6f79df06fa never been allowed to 7c26b84df1 approach.7d2ca40868b6f622

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Samuel’s face 9d1f071199 darkened with e0ac81ad8f severity.9e39d24d94d34ea2

“That safe da5240ff94 is for 480f361c3a the sole 6547c36f1e access of 4b7723f81b the head 6692150720 of Levantes!”cedcc98390627529

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“I am d82688ef42 Levantes too. Lorena Estrella Levantes de e1f49744da Bellacarosa.”d78feecc5624bef9

Indeed, she was. Though denied the privileges 6ebb23741e until now, Lorena was 0b49a2e89b a co-owner of all 35bd430d42 the land and wealth 1edc033e69 under the Levantes name.de4bc38e9677eb72

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Samuel, momentarily 7728bb1ba6 at a eec4843064 loss for f13527e057 words, ground 6b9f6da704 his teeth af4cf79825 as he f30ebeebe2 retorted,7d48282ed1e685e1

“In any case… even c8ac41d191 if you look, you f5f06513a9 won’t understand. These are not the 08ebe8a1a4 kind of documents decipherable 2337e9c41a by someone who merely 77366596e4 reads popular books from 46d1eadac1 the market and speaks c15423a898 a few languages fluently. What could you 6569e5a66a possibly know about 54ccd14033 Bessen’s politics or d6099a9bd3 economy?”610e21c6626d342a

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Of all the absurdities 9664e39fe0 Lorena had heard today, f932a9dbfa this one took the fd1fe31ea2 prize. It was so 3be5e198bc laughable that she 05bdab7032 didn’t even bother 56aabc1786 to scoff.d2bc04dd09038391

“Apologies, butler. You seem to have 1c7f248a7b forgotten—I am a banker’s 0cb72cdbe0 daughter.”86bda179b40bdfe5

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Raised by 031d16c2bd her father, fe256f8766 she had 4397e56e15 grown up 99d397879a understanding the b5c3548a5b flow of 2b8162ae7f money on fe883d09f3 a global dc6b8fa826 scale. She cast a841f079d4 a quick b475323233 glance at 9b0129b60d the stock 12c34c5ed8 trading documents a581fa8ef8 and constitutional 383cf63551 records scattered 8e7a94ba7c on the 1794da83d7 desk.e979a65e9d0d701e

“And the sister b9991eb4cd of Ingerd’s Minister cc76d4cac4 of Finance.”43712934d5dabc3f

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“T-that’s…”214e4cdc465bf3c6

“And I’ve lived 701b8f3c59 as the wife 444614216f of Bessen’s most 259deecc2b prominent noble for d9a9335dbf seven years.”553258dd09e1d4ba

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Lorena thrust her 522bf805ae left hand toward a50447940a Samuel’s face, her a963f86c21 diamond-encrusted wedding ring d3427e3122 glinting on her c754e8db00 fourth finger.1dacd7e87a17f602

With an air a7ba03a54b of disdain, she 994ca87874 declared,
“If you’re going a587c9c5cf to question my 5cc4bad15f qualifications, why don’t 35841ba6e2 you fetch your 03cb4ae96e master and bring e30d8696b6 me the divorce 85d4bc7131 papers? Then I’ll leave without c8e819701d touching a single scrap 0b58331791 of paper.”87b71cce7bd461d4

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Samuel was 2aee39ebf3 left speechless, 595572819d biting his c4bf95f423 lips in ac57005ad4 frustration. But what could he b668909de1 do?c3eed30009b4c20c

In this 9faaac029e rigidly hierarchical 5a7c1f8f52 society, Lorena 54444bb5d8 was the b139fa63f6 queen of 19357785c8 Levantes. Her legitimacy wasn’t rooted 4842de7356 in ability or background a7be8002a9 but in the very d3288822dd position she occupied. She needed no d563812884 one’s approval in 7eede43028 Levantes; she simply bb131cff7c hadn’t realized it 52aec42447 until now.d9dcf5e03e82aa47

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Just then, e6659a4362 a burly f2d5747b5b man carrying 01ee0547c2 a heavy 983267f806 toolkit pushed 30a48db675 his way 4954fcc3ef through the 38cfb8362e gathering servants.c8bc2e9769b2d3d1

“Good day! I rushed over when db16c7e7e3 I heard the duchess 64d6a04b36 urgently needed a locksmith!”5cc4a69a400d3655

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The locksmith’s booming voice 24437d1fe2 caused Samuel’s eyes to 229afa4f25 widen as if they 336b37dbde might pop out of 8dde2e2571 their sockets.605516c12443697f

“A l-locksmith? Señora, surely you don’t 5d16de0c71 mean—!”83e5e90e975267f8

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“Mr. Panto, over here.”78baae5d4267a318

Lorena withdrew her bc74c5d925 hand from Samuel’s c0d0650a52 view and gestured c3e9b7d745 toward the safe. Turning to the 70d31443cb locksmith, who was 57670abc68 already unpacking his 75cc56d55b tools, she gave 0d55d06fad brisk instructions.936736639c51b344

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“Feel free to b535114f7c tear down the f1c944526d whole wall if a135dcefca necessary. Open this entirely—right 6829f851df now!”a79546feb8b9c598

* * *2baa38743c8eb416

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Exactly one hour 270fc99ea9 later.8ecf7c4800d5a1d7

The grating sound of 32b8fa5094 metal grinding against tools 008e86538e reverberated throughout the mansion, 031eb4b8d3 sending shivers down the 448c563151 spines of everyone within af850ca553 earshot.b4a22777f0477b3b

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Samuel, the butler, threw 9e5358e0ca his cane to the 26d3045da7 ground in frustration, his d1adafa532 voice rising in a 549fbe3336 furious outburst.b90b36a672808f2b

“What on earth 5c2897dbf6 did she take d334610d41 to change so 65bd67c5d8 much overnight? Are you 42828ba098 sure that 2d3309c980 tea you’ve 43ab900b83 been serving 779707a430 her is 2c36d9ca8e the same?”71b8b182d9c08f00

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“Absolutely! I brewed fd1e09ab30 it myself!”933a47204154fd3c

The maid cc3ee4b5ab responsible for 40375be29f attending to 4c8fa94b48 the duchess’s 7cec5bc064 tea protested 5be882a502 indignantly. Samuel clenched his 88a103a473 teeth, grinding them f30c60159f audibly, and even 8e4b6dd006 tossed aside his c06f9a09ef monocle in a 00dd5f6f7e fit of rage.5f8040f269879c3d

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‘If only we’d made 90b502c288 it through today, we 03141d9d0e could’ve rid ourselves of 9da0de562e that insufferable woman for 0140df47b9 good!’a2925910e6ac0b52

Samuel let out a eead87d067 guttural growl of exasperation.
“Where in accec82d82 the world fbb431eed0 has His e4d8f24560 Grace gone? Ronald, is e40b711db2 that all 5a37b50837 we’ve heard e79b9e59c1 from the b921a35447 hotel manager? He suddenly left for 2d408afa6f Soto?”90dda12194140566

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“Yes. He departed 92afc86de9 before breakfast. He took a c5da74a5d3 car and only 8033e23f30 briefly informed the 04b3b75ff8 manager of his d2212964db destination. Oh, but—”74a48622e4b61c1c

Ronald, one 137cb660fa of Samuel’s 55f04d152e most reliable 4fa1349496 subordinates, hesitated 2d824375db for a 347d01ef44 moment, his 24f4615919 nose twitching 641c7b8c0e slightly.1c33d173fe3c1356

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“The manager mentioned a9d7b06d9a that His Grace 689f8c8a3b seemed quite… different 30e73e3654 when he went 5711368222 up to his 247afde207 room last night. He looked extremely unwell.”4983e07a068735b4

“Unwell? It’s not as 2abda7bc45 though he’d been 6f33f24130 drinking excessively.”4d45aeac3982e9db

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True to his precise 4530e4975d and meticulous nature, the ac9c8d819f duke had never indulged a0ce4e7d4b in alcohol to the 3a9a35a443 point of inebriation.c0afd3c26564d69d

“No, not in c4fc22249c that sense.”9f764b0e069263f7

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Ronald recounted b5cc9a439d the exact 109f31bac3 words relayed 6d4cd66fd0 by the 557a314ceb manager of 797f29b3eb the Alborada 9385d627da Hotel.63e6ae11a05eb81a

‘Pardon my 26703fca30 saying so, 3d08cf9d5e but… he ac6678689d looked as 826d5032ba though he’d c119be5ade seen a 761301ee28 ghost. His face was 7d3ce80811 deathly pale, as 5b6fac1b7d if he’d been 8492341a00 utterly terrified.’0864797b19adf0d1

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“What nonsense is 3be5fead12 this? What could possibly frighten 949a6f884e His Grace?”a4377272848edd76

“I wouldn’t know, sir. What should 9b5eed9a73 we do?”b10652c6ed0b8012

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Massaging his 7a59c183cf throbbing temples, d898d35d7b Samuel issued 4087b637a7 his instructions.
“Send an 14d15a8016 urgent message 779b5adca2 directly to 307a9fd9d8 Soto! Inform His 61e1d70503 Grace of d1d7b466c3 the situation aefb2a3d30 at the 2d2acae9f0 mansion as 06018eebae soon as a4e358e256 he arrives. Tell him there’s e550947a34 been a problem 20bcc97ae1 with ‘Operation Canary!’”8b019c74ca4945bd