Chapter 5
Harrison’s smile faltered for a fraction of a second, replaced by a calculating squint as he assessed Camille’s newfound resolve. He exchanged a brief, knowing glance with Eleanor before leaning casually against the edge of the bookshelf.
"An audit, my dear Camille? That sounds terribly dramatic," Harrison said smoothly, adjusting his silk tie. "And quite unnecessary. The estate's finances are complex. Trusts do not operate like checking accounts. If you start pulling threads, you might find that the entire fabric of your inheritance unravels, leaving you with nothing."
"Are you threatening me, Harrison?" Camille asked, her tone dangerously calm.
"I am merely offering practical advice from someone who understands the Vance family's liabilities," Harrison replied, flashing a toothy smile that lacked any genuine warmth. "Your grandfather made provisions, yes, but those provisions were contingent upon family harmony and respectable alliances—such as the one you so casually sabotaged with Mr. Sterling."
Arthur pushed away from the window, his heavy footsteps echoing across the parquet floor. He stopped directly beside Harrison, towering over the younger man by several inches. The dark fabric of Arthur's vest strained slightly against his broad chest as he lowered his voice to a low, rumbling register.
"In my experience, Mr. Vance, men who hide behind complex legal terminology are usually the ones trying to cover up missing funds," Arthur said, his eyes locking onto Harrison's with unblinking intensity. "Let's keep the conversation focused on the physical safety of the residents here. We can discuss financial accounting once the local authorities have reviewed the log of the locked courtyard alcove."
Eleanor slammed the tip of her cane against the floorboards with a sharp crack that silenced the room instantly. "That is enough! I will not have my staff threatened in my own library by a glorified handyman!" She turned her piercing gaze toward Camille, her voice trembling slightly with suppressed rage. "You think you have won some grand victory by standing here with lawyers and hired muscle? You know nothing of what it took to keep this estate solvent while your parents squandered our reputation."
"My parents are dead, Grandmother, and you used their memory as a cage for the rest of us," Camille replied softly, the sting of the past finally breaking through her emotional armor. She stood up, her white dress catching the morning light. "I am not destroying the Vance legacy. I am rescuing it from you."
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David Sterling quietly gathered his papers, slipping them back into his leather briefcase with deliberate care. He looked at Eleanor, then at Camille, before speaking with professional neutrality. "Mrs. Vance, my office will file the formal notice of inquiry by tomorrow morning. I advise you to have your legal counsel prepared to answer for the restrictions placed upon Miss Camille."
With that, David nodded to Arthur and walked out of the library, leaving the heavy silence behind him like a physical presence. Harrison clicked his tongue in mild annoyance, while Eleanor stared at the door as if she had just been struck by a ghost from a half-century ago.
