Finally, Eliza found a ledger. A name appeared repeatedly: Thomas Hart, her grandfather.
Julian looked at her. "Your family worked for mine."
"I knew my grandfather was an estate clerk."
"He was more than that."
The ledger revealed that Thomas Hart had discovered financial fraud in the estate. He had confronted Julian's father. Then the records stopped.
Eliza felt cold. "What happened?"
Julian stared at the pages. "My father died two weeks later."
The room went silent. They searched further. A letter had been removed. Another page had been torn. Someone had deliberately hidden the connection.
Julian's voice was quiet. "Someone did not want this found."
Eliza touched his arm. "Then we find out who."
He looked at her. "You should leave."
She blinked. "What?"
"This is my family's problem."
"And my grandfather is in it."
"I don't want you endangered."
"You don't get to decide that, Eliza."
"No." She stepped closer. "You asked me to spend six weeks getting to know you. You did not say I had to disappear the moment your life became complicated."
He looked at her. "I am afraid."
She softened. "I know."
"Someone may have hurt my father."
"And perhaps someone hurt my grandfather."
He took a breath. "Then we do this together."
She held out her hand. He took it. That was the moment their arrangement changed. Neither said it; neither needed to. They were no longer deciding whether to fall in love. They were already there.
The investigation led them to an abandoned hunting lodge. Julian's father had visited it the week before his death. They found an old trunk. Inside were account books, names, payments, and a letter addressed to Thomas Hart.
Eliza opened it. Her grandfather had been warned to stay silent. He had refused. The final line was chilling: If anything happens to me, the truth lies with Bellamy.
Julian read it twice. "My father knew."
"Yes."
"He knew someone was stealing."
"Yes."
"And he was trying to stop them."
"Yes."
Julian sat. Eliza remained beside him.
"I thought he was a cold man."
"He may have been."
"He still loved me."
"I think he did."
Julian looked at her. "How can you know?"
"Because you do."
He looked away.