Chapter 74 – Evelyne POV
I read the morning report with one brow arched.
It seems the duke was… quite productive yesterday.
Three removals, two official investigations launched, and a sealed message sent to the Crown for audit support. Not bad. Not that I feel anything about it, of course.
I fold the parchment neatly and place it back on my desk.
Let him have his victories.
I stand. My dressing gown is still tied loosely around my nightgown. The early light hasn't yet spilled fully into the estate, the sky barely streaked in hints of rose and silver.
I don't know why my feet are moving.
I tell myself it's nothing. That I just want to speak with her. That it's a matter of estate etiquette—a formal check-in, perhaps, to ensure harmony among the ladies.
But I'm using the lesser-known corridors.
The servants' paths. The side hallways. The ones that don't pass through the central staircase or draw unnecessary attention.
Because I'm still in my nightclothes.
