The evening settled over Harrington Manor with an unusual calm. The echoes of the recent threats and turmoil still lingered, but a false sense of peace had begun to settle in. However, beneath the surface of this apparent tranquility, a growing storm loomed, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Hours after Isabella had snuck out of Harrington Manor, Lady Margaret, Isabella's trusted maid, sat in her small room. Her mind wandered back to the moment her lady had slipped away. In normal circumstances, Isabella's clandestine outings were not unusual—after all, the lady of the house had often found ways to slip into secret meetings with William without alerting the guards. But tonight, Margaret couldn’t shake the gnawing sense of unease that clung to her thoughts.
Why tonight? Why now, when everything had been so dangerous after the attack at the ball?