“That was for the best,” Niles said.
“Are you sure you are not just settling for Elsbeth?” Charles asked. “Or, perhaps, you are more interested in her dowry than anything else?”
Niles’s eyes flashed with anger. “How dare you!”
Charles shrugged nonchalantly. “I am merely asking questions—questions that should be considered.”
Niles took a step closer to Charles, his movements slow and deliberate. “Perhaps you are the one interested in Elsbeth for her dowry,” he retorted, his voice sharp with accusation.
Charles’s eyes narrowed. “Pardon?”
“If I marry Elsbeth,” Niles began, “then I control her dowry, and it will never revert to you. No matter what nefarious tactics you might attempt.”
Charles’s hands balled into fists at his sides. “I thought we settled this. I would never harm my cousin,” he growled.
“What about Elsbeth’s father?” Niles demanded.
Charles’s face displayed a flicker of shock before he masked it. “You think I had something to do with my uncle’s death?”
“If the shoe fits,” Niles retorted.
“You pompous fool!” Charles spat. “Why would I investigate my uncle’s death if I had something to do with it?”
“I don’t know,” Niles countered. “But you benefited the most from his death. That much is undeniable.”
Charles moved forward, closing the remaining distance between them. “I had nothing to do with my uncle’s death.”
Watching the tension escalate, Elsbeth knew she had to intervene before they engaged in fisticuffs. She stepped between them, placing a hand on each of their chests and pushing them apart. “Stop this!”
Both men froze at her touch, their heated gazes flickering down to her before meeting each other’s again.
“Enough!” she stated, her tone unwavering as she stared between the two men. “This isn’t solving anything.”
Charles turned his attention to her, his eyes clouded with both anger and hurt. “Do you believe any of this, Cousin?”
Elsbeth pressed her lips together before she admitted, “I don’t know what to believe.”
Charles’s face contorted with disbelief. “You truly think I’m capable of hurting you? Of hurting your father?”
“I just need time to sort this out,” Elsbeth said.
Charles took a step back. “Take all the time you need. But I am leaving for my country estate, with or without you.”
“Wait, Charles…” she began, her words faltering as he turned on his heel and strode away, the echo of the door slamming behind him punctuating his departure.
Elsbeth turned to Niles. “What if we’re wrong? About Charles, about Alfred, about all of it?”
Niles’s eyes softened, and he took a step closer. “I don’t have the answer to that,” he admitted. “But I think it’s better to err on the side of caution. Until we know for sure, you must focus on your safety.”
Her thoughts remained rooted on Charles. This was her cousin, someone she had trusted all her life. She couldn’t reconcile the Charles she knew with the one her stepfather accused. But what if her mother and Alfred were right?
Who was she supposed to believe?
As the weight of uncertainty pressed down on her, Niles stepped forward, pulling her into an embrace. She stiffened for a brief moment, being caught off guard. But as his warmth enveloped her, she felt herself relax into his arms. He held her firmly, yet gently. It was the kind of embrace that one needed when things have been falling apart for years. She hadn’t realized how much she needed this, and for the first time in years, she felt at peace.
His chin rested lightly atop her head, his voice soft and comforting. “I thought you could use a hug.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, her voice muffled against his chest. For the first time since her father’s death, she didn’t feel entirely alone.
