My Bratty Wife
Chapter 246 - Two Hundred And Forty Six

Chapter 246: Chapter Two Hundred And Forty Six

The heavy parchment felt cool in Ryan’s hand. He had returned to his study with Davis immediately after leaving Suzy at the picnic spot, the news of Commander Thorne’s arrival a burning coal in his mind.

He broke the seal with a flick of his thumb, his eyes scanning the neat, slightly hurried script. The very first sentence leaped out at him, stark and chilling:

There’s a spy in your household, Your Grace.

Ryan’s blood ran cold for an instant, his gaze instinctively flicking towards the closed study door, a sudden unease prickling his skin. A spy. Here, in Carleton Hall, within his own trusted circle. " I thought I killed all the spies here after Evan’s death." He thought to himself.

He read on, Thorne’s words painting a grim picture of betrayal and hidden observation.

"I have reason to believe this operative reports directly to the architect of our current troubles," the letter continued. "Their purpose is undoubtedly to monitor your movements, your investigations, and perhaps even to gauge any weaknesses that might be exploited."

Ryan paused, his mind racing. A spy. Instead of pure outrage, a different, colder thought began to form. "But that," he continued , almost to himself, though Davis stood patiently before his desk, "that will be beneficial to the plan I intend to implement. In fact, I want him to report back to his master. Let him carry the news I wish his master to hear."

Davis looked back at him, a silent question in his usually impassive eyes, a flicker of confusion at the Duke’s unexpected reaction to such dire news.

Ryan’s gaze returned to the letter, his expression now one of grim determination. Thorne’s script detailed his own precarious situation:

"The murderer, or rather, those who command him, are actively hunting me, Your Grace. I have evaded them thus far, but my time and resources are dwindling. I possess information of the utmost gravity – the identity of the prime mover behind these assassinations, the one who seeks to destabilize the entire region, and for whom Duke Charles was but an early victim. This knowledge is too perilous to commit fully to paper, even in code. Therefore, we must meet."

Ryan’s heart hammered. The identity. Thorne knew.

The letter went on: "I believe our enemy anticipates my attempt to reach you. They will be watching. Therefore, I propose a meeting where their observation can be turned to our advantage. I intend to offer myself as bait, to draw them into a place of our choosing. The old abandoned St. Jude’s Chapel ruins, east of the city walls, beyond the old toll gate. At midnight, tomorrow. Come with only your most trusted men, or come alone if you deem the risk to others too great. The choice, and the peril, are yours. Be wary, Your Grace. The viper is coiled close." The letter was signed simply, "Thorne."

Ryan lowered the parchment, his mind ablaze. Thorne offering himself as bait. A brave, desperate gamble. But Ryan saw a different path, a way to use Thorne’s intelligence, the presence of the spy, and his own position to force the enemy’s hand more directly. He would be the bait.

He looked up at Davis, his eyes like chips of flint. "Commander Thorne has identified the murderer, Davis," he said, his voice low and steady. "He wishes to meet. But he believes he is being hunted, and he intends to use himself as bait to draw out our enemy." He paused. "I have a different plan. I will be the bait. Let the spy in our household report that I am meeting Thorne, that I am on the verge of uncovering everything. Let them believe I am the one walking into a trap."

Davis absorbed this, his expression unchanging, though Ryan knew his aide understood the immense risk. "The location, Your Grace?"

"The ruins of St. Jude’s Chapel, east of the city walls. Midnight, tomorrow," Ryan confirmed. "Davis, I want you to make preparations. A small, absolutely loyal contingent of guards – men who would die before they’d betray us. We leave before dawn tomorrow, under the guise of an early hunt. No word of this to anyone else, especially not within these walls until the last possible moment. Let the spy earn his keep."

"It shall be done, Your Grace," Davis said with a single, decisive nod.

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Later that evening, Suzy lay snuggled close to Ryan, her head resting on his chest, his arm securely around her, his fingers gently stroking her hair. Her pregnancy, though still in its earlier stages, was beginning to lend a soft new roundness to her form. The fire in the hearth cast dancing shadows on the walls, and the room was filled with the comforting scent of lavender and honey.

Ryan had been quiet for some time, his thoughts clearly elsewhere, though his touch remained tender. Finally, he spoke, his voice a soft rumble against her ear. "Thorne is waiting for me in the city, Cassandra. Or rather, at a designated place nearby. I... I will have to leave first thing in the morning, before dawn. You might not be awake by then."

Suzy didn’t stir for a moment, then she tilted her head back slightly to look up at him, her eyes searching his in the dim light. "You want to catch the murderer with a plan," she stated, her voice quiet but certain. It wasn’t a question.

Ryan’s hand stilled its gentle stroking mid-way through her hair. He looked down at her, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "How...?"

A small, sheepish smile touched her lips. "I was... eavesdropping, earlier today, when you and Davis entered the study," she confessed, her gaze unwavering. "I heard snippets.

Enough to understand. I’m sorry, Ryan. I know I shouldn’t have, but after everything... I couldn’t bear the thought of you keeping such a dangerous secret from me entirely."

He pulled away from her just a little, a subtle shift in his posture. Not in anger, she sensed, but perhaps a touch of disappointment, or simply the weight of the truth now shared. "Yes, Cassandra," he admitted, his voice grave. "There is a plan. A dangerous one, I won’t deny it. But this is our best chance, perhaps our only chance, to catch him, to put an end to this madness once and for all."

He leaned down and pressed a long, tender kiss to her forehead. "I will be careful, my love. And I will be back before you know it. I promise."