Baron Velmore could not sleep last night. Even when the party ended in his favor, he could barely hide his rage. The moment guests left, he threw the glass in his hands on the floor.
It crashed on the marble with a strong noise. Cladria knew her father was beyond fury. But she did not try to soothe him. She only wanted to add more fuel to the fire. Looking at the dark flickering eyes full of vengeance, she hid a smirk on her face and approached him with a fake look. She smiled and stood beside him.
"Father, you should not care so much about a country bumpkin. He did not know anything and thought that he could find a way out by bluffing. But we both know he is nothing but a foolish person who is bound to lose sooner or later." but baron Velmore did not feel better. He only felt like he had been too lenient on the boy.
"I should have asked the security to beat him. But it's still not too late." He was about to call the butler but she held his arm and stopped him.
"Father, what good would it bring? If you beat him, he would have an excuse to take a step back from the deal. You should follow your plan and insult him in front of everyone. Once everyone hated him, he could be targeted by anyone. And if he lost his life in those brawls, who is to blame?" The woman shrugged with a smile. But her father paused and met his eyes.
The world thought that he was a ruthless lord who could shred life as if it was nothing. But all his plans stem from her mind. He nodded at once with pride,
"Only you are the smart one here, Cladria. I will listen to you." the man spiked with reverence in his voice. But Cladria was not impressed by the hollow words.
"Not only that, father. When a baron dies, the rule states that his vassal family or immediate relative could take his title and estate. But since he did not have a family, no one could claim the property until the duke made the judgement. In the meanwhile, if anything is lost from his estate or it is encroached by commoners or slaves, who could blame us?" She looked at her father meaningfully. The man laughed and patted the shoulders of his daughter with an admiring look and unhidden pride.
"Then I will make the necessary preparations. After that trusted dog of yours died in the prison, I am still looking for a perfect pawn to connect me to the slaves. Too bad, he lost his value too soon." Cladria paused at that. Her face darkened just by hearing about Elias.
That man was special to her too. He had never used his eyes or ears when following her command.
"Yes, but we will train many to take his place. It is a loss that he left. But what could we do." she shrugged, ignoring the anger in her chest. "For tomorrow, you must prepare well, father. I want to see that arrogant man lying in his own pool of blood and begging for our forgiveness." lord Velmore smiled with pride.
"Do not worry, I know what I need to do." only when Cladria nodded, did he leave the room. Cladria stared at the hearth with her eyes flickering with sinister look,
"Oh Crestford, I have given you a chance but you did not take me. I hope you do not accuse me for my ruthlessness then."
Baron Velmore had already sent words last night. When the morning arrived, four carriages were already waiting for him near his manor. Their carriages were polished well and covered in rare stones. The horses were draped in expensive leather and were of premium quality. It showed their class and their standard. And it showed how much attention they have paid in coming here and impressing lord Velmore. The man smiled with deep satisfaction.
"Thank you for arriving on time." he smiled with a look of arrogance when they all fawned on him.
"Not at all, we were so excited so see how the baron Crestford would react that i left in the middle of the night to arrive on time. Shall we leave?" Lord Velmore smiled at the man's flattering words. He nodded magnanimously and all of them settled in their carriages.
A faint dust cloud followed them as they reached the modest gates of Crestford Manor just as the sun stretched its golden fingers over the hills.
The estate was quiet. When they reached the large entrance withered with time there was no guard to protect the outer walls, and though it was clean they looked unremarkable.
"Which man leaves their entrance unguarded?" They mocked them with snickers. Velmore's eyes shone. Though the baron did not have wealth to protect his property, the old wood and large door showed how much his ancestors once held. And now all of this would be his!
"Come, friends. Lets go inside." he led the small troop as they crossed the small bridge that led them to an unkempt garden.
The villa sat nestled among uncut hedges and a few flowering trees, its white paint faded by the seasons. A simple fountain sputtered in the courtyard, its stone chipped and moss-gathered.
"This is the place?" muttered the youngest noble, eyeing the plain iron gates with a curled lip. "It looked like the place had been abandoned a long time ago. I have seen tenant farms with more dignity."
They clambered down from their carriages with the air of kings descending upon a servant's shack. But there was no servant to receive them.
Velmore took his own sweet time to analyze the size of land and how much he could get from it. While others busied themselves in frowning at the lack of flowering plants or clear pathway in the garden, Velmore had already calculated the amount.
It had already been half an hour and they looked disappointed when a young maid finally approached. She was nervous and visibly puzzled to see such distinguished guests.
Velmore stepped forward, lifting his chin. "We were invited by lord Crestford last night. But I think he had forgotten about our appointment already. Had he made no preparations?"