Oh What A Tangled Web We Weave | New Years Eve

[Aria]

“It has been done?”

 

As usual, his master got right to the point. Standing before the older gentleman, Lewin nodded. “Those thieves will be telling no tales, my lord.”

 

“Excellent.” His master sat in his wheeled chair, his useless legs covered by a blanket on which sat a fluffy white cat. He stroked its soft fur loveingly. Lewin was close enough that he could hear it purring. That cat was the nobleman's constant companion. Perhaps it brought him comfort and kept his mind off of the war injury that had crippled him years ago, not to mention a new and distressing dilemma. “Did you find out anything else from them before they were … dispatched?”

 

“No, my lord, but the stolen money and jewelry was retrieved.”

 

“Very good. It may come in useful if we need the young lady's cooperation. I'm still surprised that she didn't have the dagger. The gentleman who took it to the weaponsmith's said he was doing a favor for a lady, and then she goes to the shop when he also happens to be there. It seems like too much of a coincidence.” His hand paused upon the cat's fur and it looked up at him, its meow an obvious complaint. “Maybe those two fools attacked her before he was able to hand it over.”

 

“Perhaps she left the shop for another reason. She may have offered to pay him for having it cleaned.”

 

“He would have refused. We already know that Lord Langdon is both an Earl and one of the King's life guards. He would not accept money from a lady. From what I have discovered about him, he is an honorable man. Did the weaponsmith know the identity of his friend?”

 

“The Earl of Chichester,” Lewin replied.

 

His master shook his head as he resumed petting the feline. “Another Earl. We will have to continue to tread carefully. I will see what I can find out about him as well. It's also unfortunate that we don't know how Lord Langdon came by the dagger or if he knows its significance. If he does, he will need to be dealt with. However, if he's lucky, he just thinks it's a historical relic and once it's removed from his possession, he will forget about it.”

 

“It's been three days. He may have given it back to the lady who loaned it to him.”

 

“Or there was no lady to begin with. I will have to look into the situation more thoroughly. It shouldn't be too difficult to find out the names of the ladies he associates with. Courtiers do like to talk about each other. It might also be beneficial to find someone to assist us who is already close to him.”

 

“And the girl?”

 

“Have her followed. Talk to her servants. See what she knows. She's little more than a child, so she may be innocent of the whole affair. If so, she could be a powerful weapon if I can gain her trust. You know I consider her expendable. I will need to come up with the best way to use her. If I can trick her into a betrayal, then so much the better."

 

“A fitting reprisal, my lord,” Lewin remarked.

 

His master smiled. “Precisely.”