apter48DougIsHerMaster Eleanorwascarrieddownthemountain,whileMichelleand Matildaweresentawayaheadoftime.

Theofficialswhohadarrivedthatdayhadalldepartedsavefor Tyler.

+Pearls ItwasntthatTylercouldntleave,hesimplyrefusedtowalkalongsidethem.Onlyaftereveryoneelsehadgonedidhefinallybidfarewell.

Geoffreypersonallyescortedhimtothegatesofthemanor.

Thegoldenhuesofthesettingsun bathedtheentireestateinawarm,gentleglow,castinglong,softshadowsacrossthecountryside.

But Tylerremainedstill,hisgazelockedontoGeollrey.Hisvoice,carryinganoteofresination,brokethe silence.Geoffrey….howdiditcometothis? Tylersighed,clappingahandonGeoffreysshoulder.

Whenthecasefirstarose.Ideliberatelydelayedthetrial.Ihadmymensummonyouhere,hopingyourpresencealonewouldbeenoughtodeterthoseintheestatefromgivingfalsetestimony.AnyonewithhalfamindcouldseethatthiswasasetupmeanttoframeIsolde.And yet…youdidntseeit?Youarrivedandactedwithoutevenquestioningthecase.

Withthat,Tylershookhisheadandturnedaway.

Geoffreywatchedhimgo,hisfiguredisappearingintothelengtheningshadows.Heturnedhisgazetowardthecourtyard,wherethejujubetreescastflickeringsilhouettesunderthefadingsunlight.

Everyonehad seenthroughthetrap.Everyoneexcepthim.

Hestoodthereforalongtimebeforefinallymakinghiswaybackinside.Butwhenheenteredthehall,Doug,Oliver,and Isoldewerenowhere tobeseen.

Oliverstoodattheedgeofthepavilion,overlookingthedistantreservoir.

Withhisheight,hecouldjustmakeouttheripplingwaters,themarksalongthebankwhereMichellehadbeendraggedunder.

Dougsatonalargeboulderbythereservoir.Beforehim,Isoldeknelt,herposturerigid,herbody.unwaveringbuthertearsfellfreely,oneafteranother,insilent,unstoppablestreams.

Toseehermasteragain…itfeltlikealifetimehad passed.

Inherpreviouslife,beforeshehaddiedDoughadalreadybeenlonggone.

Crying?Dougsvoicewascold,detached.Imnotdeadyet.

ButIsoldeonlycriedharder,hersobsescalatingintounrestrainedwails.

Allthepain,alltheresentment,everythingshehadcarriedaloneuponseeinghermaster,itallsurgedforth,overwhelmingherinaflood.

Dougletoutaquietsigh,thecoldnessonhisfacesofteningjustslightly.Hereachedout,pattingherbackgently.Whatswrongwithyou,girl?hemuttered.YouwerealittletyrantbackinWindermount,sharpasa TA C < 19:45Sat ,8MarDOG Chapter4DonginHerMaster crying.Withmehere,noonewilldarelayafingeronyou Isoldeonlycriedharder.

FrombehindOliver,afigurequietlyapproached.

D +Prants Oliverdidntturnhedidntneedto.Fromthefootsteps,fromthefaintbreath,heknewexactlywhoitwas YouaskedmetointroduceOrsontoGeoffrey,Oliversaidcasually.Heswaitingoverthere.

Geoffreystoodinsilence,watchingasIsoldeclungtoDoug,weeping.Hisfacewasunreadable,hislipspressedintoafirmline.

Then,withoutaword,heturnedand walked away .But afteronlyafewsteps,hehesitated.Turningback,heaskedOliver,hisvoicegrave,Oliver,tellmeonething,andtellmethetruth.

Askaway,Oliverreplied,turningslightly.Thewindfromthemountainsstirredhisrobes,makingthembillowlikebannersinthefadinglight.

Ifyouhadntknown beforehand…wouldyoustillhavebeenabletotell,ataglance,thatIsoldewasinnocent?Geoffreysgazewascomplex,searching.

Oliverchuckled.Itwasacarefreelaugh,fullofunbridledconfidence.Butinthedepthsofhiseyes,aflickerofironyflashedtoobriefforanyonetocatch.Knownbeforehand?heechoed.VincenzocametoSouthernWatch,seekingoutMr.Becker,pleadingforIsoldesrescue.Wehadnopriorknowledge.Wewerent lyinginwaitwewerethelastonestoarrive.

Geoffreyfrowned.Thenwhy?WhywereyouandMr.BeckersocertainIsoldehadbeenwrongfullyaccused? Oliverstudiedhimfor amomentbeforespeaking.Itseems, hesaid finally,thatyoudontunderstandheratall .Iveonlymetherahandfuloftimes,butevenIknowthissheknowshowtofight.IfshehadtrulywantedEleanordead,shewouldhavesimplyabductedher,takenhertosomedesolateplace,andfinishedthejobhowevershepleased.Butinstead,shesupposedlypushedEleanorintothewaterrightinfrontofacrowdofmaidsandservants?Does thatsoundlogicaltoyou? Geoffreysex

pressiondarkened.Peoplecanactirrationallyintheheatofthemoment.Acrimeofpassionisntimpossible.

Olivershookhishead.Maybeforothers.Butnotforher.Shesspentherentirelifewithoutanyonetorelyon.Shewouldntpickafightunlessshewasabsolutelycertainshecouldwinbecausesheknowsthat,ifshedid,therewould benooneattheDukesestatetodefendher.

Geoffreysfaceturnedpaleasheasked,Mr.Beckeranalyzeditthiswaytoo,didnthe? Olivershookhisheadagainandsaid,No,Mr.Beckerdoesntanalyze.EvenifIsoldereallydidkillsomeone,hewouldgotogreatlengthstoprotecther.He…heisfiercelyprotective.HewouldntallowanyonetoharmIsolde.WhenVincenzoarrived,Mr.Beckerhad justreturnedtoArgentum.TheQueenMothersentsomeonetosummonhim,yethechosetocometothemanorinsteadofenteringthepalace.

Geoffreysfacegrewevenpaler.No…Mr.Beckeriscautious,rational.Hewouldnthavedonethisunlessattheveryleasthewasabsolutelycertain.

Oliver lookedathiminsilenceforamomentbeforefinallysaying.Yes,youhave apoint? Geoffreyremainedsilentfor a longtimebeforestaggeringaway.

ΓΕ Chapter48DongIsHerMaster +Pearls Oliversatinthepavilion,watchingasthegoldenhuesofthesettingsunbathedthehillsideacrossfromhim.Hisgazeunconsciouslydriftedtowardthereservoirsedge,whereasilentpairafather anddaughterstoodstill.

BeforecomingtoMonilinsManor , thepalace had sentsomeonetosummonDougforanaudience.

Butwithouthesitation,hecamestraighttoMontlinsManorinstead.Hehadsaid,WhatismeetingtheQueenMothercomparedtoseeingmyfamily? AstrangefeelingstirredinOliversheart.

Thesunsetovertheestatewasbreathtaking,butasthesunsankbelowthehorizon,theskybecameshroudedinheavymist.

Themanor,livelythroughouttheday,nowdescendedintoaneeriesilenceasnightfell.

Doughadtogotothepalaceforan audience,soheleftOliverattheestate,sayingitwastohelpIsoldeputthemanorinorder.

Butintruth,Oliverspresence wasntnecessaryat allyetDoughad stillgiventheorder.

Helena,bubblingwithexcitement,clungtoIsoldeandasked,IneverwouldhaveguessedthattheelongatedmasterwasactuallyDoug!MissLangley,didyoualreadyknow? YoukeptaskingmeifDoughadreturnedsurelyyouknewhisidentityallalong? ElongatedmasterwasHelenasnicknameforDoug.BackwhenhestayedatBelleviewManor ,shehadbeentheoneassignedtoservehim.

HelenahadalwaysbeenIsoldesattendant .Seeingaheadsolongandnarrowinsteadoftheusualsmall,roundonesshewasusedto,shefounditamusing.Eversincethen,shehadcalledDougtheelongated master.

Iknew,Isoldereplied,hereyesstillswollenandred,asignofherheavyheart.

Youdidnttellme!Helenapoutedinprotest.

Justthen,Jacquelineslippedinfromoutside,peekingaroundassheasked,Didnttellyouwhat? Helena,knowingJacquelinewas a snitch, didntbothertobepoliteandsnapped,Whydoyouasksomanyquestions?Wherehaveyoubeen? Jacquelinehadbeenwaiting forherturntotestify.Butstrangely,aftersomanypeoplehadbeenquestioned.noone hadcalledforher,whichmadeheranxiousthis wasaperfectchancetoearn merit.

Thenthesituationchanged,andshefeltrelieved.Thankfully,shehadntspokenyet.

BeforeRykerleftthemountain,hehadpulledherasidetogiveherinstructions.So,shehad takentheopportunitytoslackoffforawhile.Now,uponreturning,shesawHelenalookingelatedandwantedtofind.outwhathadhappened.

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