Bastian arrived the next day, his expression unreadable as he stepped into the drawing room. Evelyn stood by the window, her arms loosely crossed, trying to mask the tension tightening in her chest.
"I'm disappointed in you, my lady," Bastian said, his voice low but sharp. "You didn't tell me you were pregnant with Lord Nathaniel's child."
Evelyn's eyes widened. "How did you…?"
"There's no need to ask how I found out," he cut in, stepping closer. "What matters now is the next stage of our plan… but before we discuss that, I noticed something odd."
She stiffened. "What did you see?"
Bastian's eyes flicked toward the garden visible through the window. "Who is the woman out there? A new mistress of the estate?"
"No," Evelyn said quickly. "She's General Cassandra Vale."
"Ah… one of Lord Nathaniel's subordinates," Bastian murmured.
"Yes."
He paused, his gaze sharpening. "Evelyn, do you realize how dangerous her presence here is?"
