A Scandal By Any Other Name-Chapter 195 - Hundred And Ninety Five

"You knew?" Celine repeated, her voice a breathless, stunned whisper. She took a tiny step backward, her hands dropping the fold of her pale blue dress. "How long have you known that my uncle... that Lord Hawksley..."

She could not even bring herself to say the word murder.

Delaney nodded her head slowly. Her gaze never left Celine’s pale face.

"For a while now," Delaney replied, her voice remaining a low, controlled whisper so it would not carry over the shelves of fabric. She reached out and gently rested her hand on a bolt of dark green silk sitting on the shelf beside her, grounding herself against the smooth fabric. "The Duke of Ford and his brother-in-law, the Duke of Carleton, uncovered the truth about the carriage accident."

Celine gasped softly, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. If the Duke of Ford knew the truth, then her family was already in terrible danger of the law.

"But," Delaney continued, a sharp edge of frustration bleeding into her calm tone. She squeezed the bolt of silk tightly in her hand. "Knowing the truth and proving the truth are two entirely different things in the eyes of the Crown, Lady Celine. Lord Hawksley is a very careful man."

Delaney leaned slightly closer, ensuring no one else could hear her dangerous words.

"I am still looking for evidence against your uncle," Delaney confessed, sharing her burden with the young woman standing before her. "We have a confession from the coachman, but we need proof of the original crime. We need proof that Lord Hawksley bought the poisoned silk that ruined my father’s name twenty years ago. Until we find that proof, my father remains a convicted traitor, and your uncle remains a free man."

Celine lowered her hand from her mouth. She stared at Delaney, her eyes reflecting the heavy weight of the secret she carried.

Celine hesitated for a bit before speaking. She bit her lower lip nervously, her gaze darting toward the front of the shop where she could hear her mother’s sharp voice still haggling with the dressmaker. She was absolutely terrified of her father. She knew the consequences of betraying him.

But then she looked back at Delaney. She saw the pain and the desperate need for justice in the matchmaker’s eyes. She realized that she and Delaney were not enemies; they were both victims of the exact same cruel men.

Celine took a deep, fortifying breath. She made her decision.

"My father has the evidence," Celine whispered.

The words were so soft they were almost swallowed by the rustling of the silk fabrics around them, but to Delaney, they sounded as loud as a cannon blast.

Delaney almost let go of the silk bolt in her hand. Her fingers slipped on the smooth material, and she had to grab it tightly again to stop it from falling to the floorboards.

She was completely speechless. Her hazel eyes widened in pure, unadulterated shock.

Carcel had searched all of London. Vance had turned the city archives upside down looking for a single missing ledger. They had all believed Hawksley had burned the evidence twenty years ago to save himself.

But Hawksley had not burned it. Lord Farrington had taken it.

"Your father?" Delaney finally managed to gasp out, her voice barely a breath.

Celine nodded her head quickly, her blond curls bouncing slightly against her shoulders. The fear in her eyes was replaced by a hard, determined glint.

"He has a ledger," Celine continued, her words tumbling out in a fast, urgent stream. She took a step closer to Delaney, completely abandoning all rules of distance. "It is an old leather book. He keeps it locked in a hidden safe in his private study at our estate. He uses it to blackmail my uncle. Whenever my uncle tries to refuse a demand or asks for money, my father threatens to hand the ledger over to the Crown."

Delaney’s mind raced with blinding speed. It made perfect, terrifying sense. Lord Farrington did not build his power entirely on his own wealth; he built it by controlling the secrets of others. He had kept the proof of the Oakridge silk scam not to protect Hawksley, but to own him completely.

"I think it contains all the evidence you need," Celine said, her voice trembling slightly with the sheer magnitude of what she was offering. "I think it lists the names, the dates, and the payments for the poisoned silk."

Delaney felt a massive surge of hope flood her entire chest. It was the missing piece. It was the key to clearing her father’s name and sending the monsters to the gallows.

She reached out and grabbed Celine’s hands, gripping the young woman’s gloved fingers tightly.

"Can you get it?" Delaney pleaded, her voice thick with sudden, desperate emotion. "Can you open the safe, Celine?"

Celine did not pull her hands away. She held Delaney’s hands back with surprising strength. The fragile, obedient daughter was completely gone. In her place stood a woman who was ready to make a very dangerous bargain.

"I can," Celine stated firmly. Her light blue eyes were clear and focused. "I know where the key to the safe is hidden. I saw him open it once when he thought I was asleep."

Delaney let out a shaky breath of profound relief. "Thank God."

But Celine did not smile. Her expression remained entirely serious.

"But," Celine said, her voice dropping lower, adopting a tone of strict negotiation. She looked directly into Delaney’s hazel eyes. "I want to make a deal with you."

Delaney did not hesitate for a single second. She would trade almost anything for that ledger. She would trade her own safety if it meant restoring her family’s honor.

Delaney replied, her voice filled with absolute, unwavering commitment. "Anything. Tell me what you want, and I swear I will do it."

Celine let go of Delaney’s hands. She took a small step back, her posture straightening.

She spoke, her voice steady and demanding. "I want you to tell the Duke of Ford that I need his help in finding something. Someone."

Delaney frowned slightly in confusion. She had expected Celine to ask for money, or perhaps for a safe carriage to run away to France. She had not expected her to ask for the Duke’s assistance in a search.

"The Duke?" Delaney asked softly.

"Yes," Celine nodded firmly. "He is one of the most powerful man in Mayfair. He has investigators. He has a higher power than my father, and he has the respect of the local magistrates. He should be able to find it."