Adrian stood first.
"Where did you get that?"
Cecily looked at the ledger in her hands.
"My father's room."
No one moved.
"He arrived early," she said. "He's upstairs."
Eliza felt the kitchen shrink around her.
"Your father searched my room?"
"I don't know."
"Cecily."
Adrian's tone made her look at him.
She swallowed.
"I found the ledger inside his traveling case."
Adrian took it.
"Did you ask him?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I was afraid he'd answer."
For the first time, the carefully controlled Cecily Ashford began to shake.
She sat.
"My father has spent my entire life explaining that our family rescued yours."
Adrian opened the ledger.
"And if he didn't?"
"Then I don't know what else he's lied about."
Eliza watched her.
The woman she'd expected to hate suddenly looked trapped by the same secret.
Cecily pulled another paper from her sleeve.
"I found this with it."
It was a draft marriage settlement.
Adrian read silently.
Then his face hardened.
"What?"
Eliza asked.
He handed it to her.
Upon marriage, control of Wintermere's timber operations would transfer to Ashford Consolidated until all outstanding debt was satisfied.
Eliza looked up.
"How long would that take?"
Adrian gave a humorless smile.
"According to their accounting? Forever."
Cecily whispered, "He doesn't want the debt repaid."
Adrian looked at her.
"He wants the land."
The kitchen door opened.
Edwin Ashford entered.
Tall, silver-haired and perfectly calm.
He saw the ledger.
For a moment, his mask failed.
Then he smiled.
"Cecily."
No one answered.
"You've taken something that belongs to me."
"It was in Wintermere's wall," Eliza said.
Ashford's eyes moved toward her.
"So you're Hart's daughter."
Adrian stepped between them.
"You knew her father."
"Of him."
"You knew exactly who he was."
Ashford sighed.
"Thomas Hart made a foolish investment."
"Then why erase it?"
"I erased nothing."
Adrian opened the ledger.
"The entries were altered."
"An old book proves little."
"The county deed book is missing."
"Books disappear."
"My father's letter says you knew about the agreement."
That changed him.
Not much.
Enough.
"Be careful, Adrian."
"Is that a threat?"
"Advice."
Ashford turned to Cecily.
"We leave tomorrow."
"No."
Everyone stared at her.
Cecily stood.
"I am not leaving until you tell me whether the debt is real."
Ashford's face became cold.
"You are my daughter."
"Which is not an answer."
He approached her.
Adrian moved forward.
Ashford stopped.
Then smiled again.
"Very well. Ask Lady Margaret why Thomas Hart never received his share."
He looked directly at Eliza.
"And ask her where your father was going the night he died."
Lady Margaret appeared behind him.
Her face went white.
Ashford walked past her.
Eliza could barely hear her own voice.
"My father died in an accident."
Lady Margaret closed her eyes.
"No," she whispered.
"Margaret," Adrian said.
She looked at Eliza.
"Your father was coming here."
"Why?"
"To expose what we had done."
The room went silent.
Lady Margaret's next words broke something Eliza had believed for fifteen years.
"And I was the person who asked him to come."