whispers of a sinful heart

Larissa knew what she had seen that night. The way he had striked with lethal grace, the sound of bodies hitting the ground, the chilling indifference in his eyes. And yet... Here he was, strolling through the corridors of this grand estate as if he had never taken a life.

She exhaled sharply.

How quickly rich people get away with things.

Even murder.

She clenched her jaw, swallowing the bitter taste rising in her throat. If it had been a peasant, the punishment would have been swift- perhaps, a hanging or worse. But for people like him? The rules were different.

She shouldn't think about it. Shouldn't dwell.

She needed this job.

No matter how much her skin crawled at the thought of being under the same roof as someone who had mercilessly killed, she had no choice. If she wanted to save enough to leave this life behind, she had to endure. And so, she made a decision. She would completely avoid him.

Wherever he was, she wouldn't be. Whatever he was doing, she wouldn't interfere. It was the safest option, the smartest one.

With a deep breath, she turned back to the books, her fingers tracing the titles as she searched for the one that senior Hamilton had sent her for. Some were written in languages she couldn't understand, their symbols ancient and unfamiliar. Others bore titles of history, philosophy, and sciences she had only head of in passing.

A part of her, the curious part she alwàys silenced, longed to pluck one from the shelves and lose herself in it's pages.

But there was no time for that.

Larissa's fingers finally landed on the book she had been searching for.

It was an old, weighty tome with a dark green leather cover, it's edges worn and slightly frayed with time. Gold embossed lettering ran along the spine, elegant yet slightly faded. She pulled it from the shelf carefully, feeling the weight of it's history in her hands. The scent of old parchment filled her nose- earthly, rich, and unmistakably ancient.

She had taken much longer than she should have. Her brief misstep into the family's residential wing, the unexpected encounter with him, and her lingering thoughts about the Hamiltons had all slowed her down.

Straightening her posture, she turned on her heel and strode towards the study room.

Knocking on the door once, the man had responded and not hesitating, she got inside.

"I brought the book, milord."

Senior Hamilton glanced at it, then took it from her hands with a nod of approval. He didn't question her tardiness, not did he show any signs of impatience. Instead, he closed the book with a small thud and leaned back slightly in his chair.

He lifted his gaze to her, as if studying her for a moment to see how much he could entrust her with some other tasks he wanted her to do.

"Take this letter to the butler and tell him to deliver it to the steward. He is mostly in the kitchen and if you still do not know him, ask someone and they will take you to him."

Larissa gave a nod and offering a polite now, she left the room.

++++++++

Evening crept upon the estate like a slow moving shadow, the last remnants of daylight bleeding into deep hues of indigo and violet. The grand chandeliers of the Hamilton dining hall flicked to life, casting a warm golden glow upon the long, polished table where the family gathered.

The atmosphere was lively- at least from Raphael's side of the table.

"You look rather exhausted, dear cousin." Raphael drawled, eyes landing on Elise, who had been sipping her tea with an air of practiced grace. "Did you spend your day gazing at your reflection again? I hear mirrors can be quite demanding lovers."

Elise's eyes snapped to him. Her lips pressing into a thin line. "At least my lovers exist, Raphael. The only thing warming your bed these days is arrogance and misplaced self - importance."

He let out a low chuckle, unfazed. "Ah, but unlike you, I don't need validation from drooling suitors to remind me of my worth." He raised a brow, "tell me, how many admirers fawned over you at the soiree? Or were you too distracted by someone else?"

Elise stiffened.

Tasha, who had been watching the exchange with mild amusement, decidedd to chime in. "He does have a point, sister. I heard that lord Vincent was particularly charmed by the lady Esther."

Elise set down her teacup with an little more force than necessary. "Don't be ridiculous." She snapped, "lord Vincent adores me."

"Mm," Raphael mused, tilting his head. "If you are not confident enough, you could just tell me to assist you in writing a love letter. It will be a quick problem solver." He offered.

Before Elise could respond, lady Morgana, who was the daughter to senior Hamilton and Elise's mother spoke up. "Enough, both of you." She then turned to Raphael, "Must you always turn meals into a spectacle?"

"Of course." He answered smoothly, taking a leisure sip from his wine. "Would you rather I let the dullness of the gathering consume me?''