Chapter 4 - An Unlikely Ally
By midday, the front foyer was filled with an uncomfortable silence. Victoria had made arrangements for Lily’s departure, summoning a private transport service under the guise of an emergency educational placement. Luke sat in the library, the doors deliberately left ajar.
Martha entered quietly, setting down a porcelain cup of herbal tea. Her hands shook violently, the china clattering against the saucer.
"Martha," Luke said gently without lifting his head.
"I didn't know, Master Luke," she broke down, tears spilling into the deep wrinkles of her weathered cheeks. "God forgive me, I didn't know what was in those vials. Miss Victoria said Dr. Harrison was an elite specialist. She said Arthur had trusted him."
Luke turned his wheelchair to face her. He reached out, his hand steady, and covered her trembling fingers. "I don't blame you, Martha. You've looked after Arthur and me since we were boys. But I need you to be brave now. Did Arthur truly sign that conservatorship document before his accident?"
Martha swallowed hard, looking toward the hallway to ensure no one was listening. She leaned down, whispering: "The night before Master Arthur died in the crash, he had an argument with her in this very room. I was cleaning the adjoining gallery. Master Arthur was shouting. He said he found financial discrepancies in the offshore logistics accounts. He said he was going to remove her from the foundation board."
Luke felt a sudden chill. The official police report had ruled Arthur’s fatal accident a brake failure during a rainstorm. "Did he leave anything behind? Any files?"
"He had a small leather notebook he kept in his breast pocket," Martha whispered. "The morning of the funeral, Miss Victoria was looking everywhere for it. But she never found it. Master Luke... Lily found it three weeks ago under the floorboards in the old attic nursery. She gave it to me because she couldn't read the codes inside."
Martha reached into the deep pocket of her apron and pulled out a worn, black leather ledger, slipping it under Luke’s desk blotter just as heavy boots echoed outside.
The front door opened. Two men in dark suits stepped into the manor foyer, followed by an official-looking woman holding a clipboard. Victoria emerged from the parlor, a victorious, cold smirk playing on her lips.
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"They're here for the girl, Luke," Victoria announced loudly from the corridor, stepping toward the library entrance. "It's best if you don't say goodbye. Prolonging the attachment will only hurt her development."
Luke slipped the notebook into his inner jacket pocket, his expression hardening like tempered steel. "Bring them in here, Victoria. Let us discuss this together."
