In Magician's Embrace [BOOK 1 of Price Family Saga]

15. Chapter (A Temporary Truce)

A small parlour served as a storage room, housing additional chairs, tables, and wooden crates filled with documents and various items. John pulled out a chair for Lady Rose and another for himself. Once they were seated, he spoke first:

"Rose, I understand that the passing of a dear family member is a deeply sorrowful matter, even without the peculiar events surrounding his demise. But rest assured, I am not to be held accountable for your cousin's death. At least, not directly."

"Do you still confess, then?!" Rose exclaimed passionately. "Whether indirectly or not, the burden of guilt still rests upon your shoulders, Lord Price!"

"Allow me to explain myself – it was I who entrusted Reginald with the task of locating that chest."

Rose, taken aback, parted her lips to respond, but John continued his speech:

"Sir Reginald Sullivan was an exceptionally astute man. He possessed connections that could take him anywhere, from the libraries of monasteries to the archives of royalty. To mask his true intentions, he feigned the writing of another book, chronicling the noble lineage during the reign of King John. And yes, I was aware of his direct relation to you."

"Let me hazard a guess – he did indeed discover the chest," Rose exclaimed with a voice filled with excitement.

John nodded. "It appears to be true. However, Reginald never disclosed the finding to me. Perhaps he harboured suspicions and intended to leave the chest in your custody. That's precisely why I have come here today. I understand how implausible this may sound, but I also instructed him to inform you about the chest's discovery. Thus, I assumed you would be present. This day, I came here sensing my impending destitution, yet I had hoped that you would be amenable to reaching an accord. Yet, it seems you, too, are unaware of the chest's whereabouts."

Rose shook her head, expressing her disagreement. "What sort of agreement do you propose, John? I have an heir, and you have an heir – how can we possibly reach an understanding?"

"I believe we can find common ground and a solution. However, our first priority is to locate that accursed chest. And we shall only succeed by joining forces."

"How?" she asked despondently.

"Consider, Lady Rose. I stand before you as a descendant of the Rivers, and you as a descendant of the Coxes – who else remains absent from this equation?"

She pondered for a moment, then her eyes widened with realisation. "A descendant of the royal lineage. Do you suppose it could be George...?"

"I possess not the slightest inkling. Nevertheless, one thing remains certain – a royal descendant currently has the upper hand and, in all likelihood, holds the key to the chest."

"Yet, only a third of the nobility boasts kinship with the royal bloodline, Lord Price. Identifying the culprit shall be akin to searching for a needle in a haystack," Rose exclaimed.

John sighed, acknowledging the truth in her words. "At times, attentive listening, astute observation, and, unfortunately, patient waiting prove sufficient. I believe it shan't be long before our adversary makes a misstep. They have possessed the chest for a considerable duration, and it appears they are grappling with the correct password."

"Perchance, we may commence by delving into the circumstances surrounding Reginald's demise and proceed accordingly. If we wait for the malefactor's error, I may no longer be in London," Rose said with evident irritation, her mind conjuring Conrad's menacing countenance upon contemplating an extended stay in the city.

This time, John shook his head. "Gaining entry to his abode shall prove no easy feat now, and who knows what Reginald may have done with the original will. It might yet be discovered, or he might have consigned it to the flames," he paused momentarily before continuing, "the chief magistrate reported to the House of Lords that they uncovered nought to suggest Reginald met a violent demise. However, he expressed surprise at the disappearance of a young, red-haired maid from the house, presumably out of fear. It wouldn't be the first time that the staff acted thus to evade uncomfortable inquiries. She had only been in your uncle's employ for about a week, but Reginald seemed fond of her and called her Lina or some such name."