The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 504: Homecoming Preparations

Chapter 504: Homecoming Preparations

[A few moments before...]

As the main gate swung open, a mighty warhorse galloped into the mansion’s compound. It came to a halt before the grand entrance, and Eric quickly dismounted. As always, a stable boy hurried forward to greet him and took the horse’s reins.

Without pause, the knight strode into the mansion, his steps brisk and purposeful, eager to deliver his urgent message.

"Sir Navin! You’re back!"

Anryr came rushing down the stairs, eyes wide with excitement. It had been several days since he’d heard any news from the knight, and everyone in the household was waiting anxiously for updates from the palace. Would it be good news... or something worse?

The hope in the steward’s expression was unmistakable. But before he could say more, the second-in-command knight raised a hand, stopping him.

"I know you have a thousand questions, but we’re running out of time. His Highness the Grand Duke and Lady Raychard are on their way home. Please start the necessary preparations," Eric instructed firmly.

"But... what about the case?" Anryr blurted out, unable to hold back his curiosity.

"Acquitted," Eric said. "There’s a big surprise waiting for everyone and a long explanation to come, but I need everyone to stay calm and not bombard Lady Raychard with questions. She’s still fragile and exhausted from the trial and everything that’s happened. His Highness doesn’t want her disturbed. Give it some time, and I promise I’ll explain everything later."

Anryr let out a deep breath and rubbed his chest in relief.

"Thank goodness! I prayed so hard that nothing worse would happen to her," he said. Then his eyes lit up as another question struck him. "Oh—wait! One last question!"

He looked eagerly at Eric.

"Make it quick," Eric urged.

"The baby... It’s His Highness’s child, isn’t it?" Anryr guessed.

Eric grinned broadly.

"Of course. Without a doubt! And we owe a huge debt to Ayden for delivering the examination report just in time to turn the tide!"

Anryr clenched his fist and exclaimed, "Yes!!" as though he’d won a great victory.

"All right, all right! I know this is worth celebrating, but please see to the preparations first," said Eric, shaking his head with a faint smile.

"Right away, Sir Navin!" Anryr declared.

He was just about to turn away when the second-in-command knight suddenly added,

"By the way, the heads and representative of the Pillar Families, and Lord Grey are coming too. They’re escorting His Highness and Lady Raychard."

Anryr’s eyes widened at the news. Lord Grey’s attendance wasn’t surprising, given his close ties to the mansion since his daughter’s marriage to Alex. But the presence of the others sparked his curiosity.

"What? The Pillar Families?"

"Yes. That includes Their Graces the Duke of Greene and the Duke of Sanad, His Lordship the Marquess of Roland, and Lord Aaron Pearce of Sylvere March."

A wave of nervousness washed over Anryr. These were high-ranking nobles, esteemed and powerful figures in the kingdom.

It was rare for them to visit all at once, except for significant occasions like royal weddings, engagements or victory celebrations. But now, they were arriving without warning.

"How much time before they get here?" Anryr asked anxiously.

He could already imagine the whirlwind of tasks he’d have to handle to prepare for such important guests.

"About half an hour," Eric replied. "The procession is moving slowly because of Lady Raychard’s condition. I rode ahead as fast as I could to alert you. It wasn’t originally part of the plan, but the Pillar Families’ heads and representative insisted on escorting Her Ladyship and His Highness. The other noblemen also wanted to follow, but one glare from Lady Raychard sent them running."

Eric chuckled at the memory of what had happened outside Anna’s chamber when they were about to leave the palace. The heads and representative of the Four Pillar Families, along with other noblemen and royal court members, had crowded the hallway, waiting for the Khasif to emerge.

Beyond the loyal Pillar Families, the rest had gathered to beg forgiveness. What they’d witnessed in the royal court had left them shaken, terrified they might suffer the same gruesome fate as Sarah. Desperate to save themselves, they pleaded for Anna’s mercy.

But Anna responded none. Her heart was already scarred from the judgmental eyes and harsh whispers she’d endured when she was falsely accused.

She offered no words of forgiveness, not a single syllable as she clung to Kyren’s arms. Instead, she turned her face away, silently refusing to acknowledge their apologies.

Troubled by the scene, the Grand Duke ordered the noblemen and royal court members who had wronged his wife to disperse. Yet they refused to leave, determined to remain until she granted them forgiveness, terrified that she might execute them if she didn’t.

Their stubbornness seemed unshakable, until Anna shot them one cold, scornful look. That was all it took for the assembled nobles to flinch and scatter like mice fleeing from a cat.

Anna had had enough of all these antics. She was far too exhausted to spare another thought for people who were clearly approaching her only for political gain.

The princess wasn’t as naïve as they believed. The power struggles she’d witnessed in Ardel had taught her a hard lesson; never to trust people too easily. After all, she was no longer the powerless girl she once was.

People could change their loyalties at the drop of a hat if it meant gaining an advantage, and she knew those men were merely looking for a way out of trouble. She refused to dwell on it any longer. All she wanted now was to return to the mansion and find some peace of mind.

The heads and representative of the Four Pillar Families, as well as Lord Grey, were spared from her disdain. She welcomed their offer to escort her, knowing well their loyalty. They had stood by her side in her time of need and fought for her justice when others had turned away.

Even the Marquess of Roland, who had once harboured hatred toward her, was forgiven. Anna had learned that his resentment stemmed from a blood feud—the manslaughter of his father at the hands of Lord Emir of the south and the involvement of Anna’s great ancestor, Lord Adhemar, in it.

The princess understood all too well what Matthew had endured. He’d lost his father at a young age, already motherless, and had been forced to become the head of his household while still just a boy.

The kindness of the Marquess of Sylvere and his family had supported him through those difficult years—a debt of gratitude he felt he could never repay in this lifetime.

That was why, despite his past hatred for Anna, Matthew was willing to set aside his earlier resentment and join the others in the effort to save her.

"A glare from our lady?" Anryr suddenly blurted out, snapping Eric out of his thoughts.

The second-in-command knight nodded in confirmation.

"Our lady? Not His Highness?" the steward asked again, disbelief written all over his face.

As far as he knew, Anna was the sweetest lady he had ever served. She was gentle and never harsh, not even toward the lowliest servants.

She treated them with respect and valued their dedication. It was no wonder the entire mansion held the princess in the highest regard for her kindness and humility, regardless of her questionable background.

Yet here was Eric, describing behaviour that seemed entirely out of character for her. For a moment, Anryr wondered if they were even speaking of the same person.

"I’ll fill you in on the details later!" Eric interrupted impatiently. "Now, what are you waiting for? Chop, chop! Move it!"

Anryr snapped out of his thoughts.

"Ah, yes!" he exclaimed.

The steward swiftly turned on his heel and hurried off. With so little time left, he knew he’d have to work like an octopus to pull together a quick welcome home for the entire entourage.

Eric’s lips curved into a smile.

Finally, the chaos had calmed, and all the troubling issues were resolved. The outcomes were unexpected, filled with anticipation, and bewildering to him and everyone else, but it couldn’t have turned out better.

The mansion quickly grew livelier as the servants bustled about, preparing for the impending arrival. Time slipped away in a rush of activity.

Before long, Sylvia entered the main hall, guiding Clara, who limped slightly but no longer used a walking stick.

"Sir Navin! We heard the news!" Sylvia exclaimed, excitement shining in her eyes as she spotted him.

The second-in-command knight hurried over, concerned by the knightess’s unsteady steps.

"Careful! You haven’t fully recovered yet," he cautioned, extending his hands slightly as though ready to catch her if she fell, although the noblewoman already had a steadying arm around Clara.

"I’m all right, Sir Navin. Don’t worry about me," the knightess assured him. "Oh, please! I want to hear all the details!"

"As much as I’d love to tell you everything right now, I don’t have the time," Eric replied. "His Highness and Lady Raychard will be here any moment. I’ll gather everyone soon and share the full story. I promise, I won’t leave anything out."

"We trust you, Sir Navin. But there’s something urgent you need to know," Sylvia said, her tone shifting to seriousness.

She exchanged a glance with Clara, who nodded in silent agreement. Clearly, they both thought this was important for Eric to hear.

"Tell me," Eric urged. "Did something happen in the mansion while I was gone?"

"Yes, it did," Sylvia began. "Lady Bridgette Lynn’s servants came by the other day to collect her belongings, since she’s no longer staying here. They were acting apprehensively, and they were wary. Then one of our servants noticed them trying to sneak out a perfume bottle."

"A bottle of perfume? What’s wrong with that? It could easily be Lady Lynn’s personal item," Eric said, puzzled.

Sylvia shook her head.

"That’s just it. The so-called perfume had no scent at all. Our servants grew suspicious and confiscated the bottle. Lady Lynn’s servants tried to take it back and caused quite a scene. Eventually, Lady Jarr was called, and then I was summoned because of my knowledge of perfumes and cosmetics. I’m certain it wasn’t a fragrance liquid. Whatever was in that bottle, it was something else entirely."

Eric’s expression turned serious.

"What happened next?" he asked.

We had no grounds to arrest Lady Lynn’s servants, so we let them go. But the bottle remained in Lady Jarr’s possession. They appeared very frightened when we questioned them and hurriedly left as soon as they were ordered out. I was furious because I’m certain there’s something suspicious about that bottle. At first, I thought Lady Jarr didn’t want to pursue it further, but secretly, she assigned a few guards, along with two of His Highness Prince Kiev’s escorts, to follow them.

Turns out, Lady Lynn was preparing to flee once she realised the bottle hadn’t been retrieved," Sylvia explained in detail.

"My goodness! She must be up to something! I’m sure this ties back to Lady Sarah James. She’s Lady Lynn’s superior!" Eric exclaimed.

"We have the same thoughts, Sir Navin," Clara agreed. "So I suggested sending the bottle to the lab for testing. As for now, we’re still waiting for the results. Also, Lady Lynn and her servants have been apprehended and are now in custody. Lady Jarr said that even though we don’t have solid proof yet, their actions strongly suggest wrongdoing, so she took the risk of detaining them rather than letting them escape. She’s willing to be held accountable for that decision."

The second-in-command knight was stunned. He hadn’t expected Meredith to be so cunning—and so decisive.

"Why didn’t you send a word to me?" he asked.

"Lady Jarr said the situation at the palace was far more serious than what we were dealing with here. She thought we should manage this ourselves with whatever resources we had. She said she learned that from Lady Raychard’s approach to dealing with the pirates," Clara explained.

Eric nodded, pride glinting in his eyes.

"Our lady would’ve done the same... or perhaps taken even more drastic measures now that she’s different."

"Different? Different how?" Sylvia asked, baffled.

Eric smirked.

"I’ll explain later. For now, head to the foyer and wait. I’ll gather everyone soon for a briefing about welcoming His Highness and Lady Raychard home."

"Yes, Sir Navin," Sylvia replied. Then she added, "By the way, Lady Jarr and Her Highness Princess Elisabeth won’t join us."

"Oh, why not?" asked the second-in-command knight.

"Lady Jarr is not well. She wanted to come down, but I forbade her. The truth is, she has been taking care of Her Highness Princess Elisabeth ever since we returned from the palace. Then Madam Collins was called back to the palace by Mr Amares. After that, I took turns with Lady Jarr looking after Her Highness. Once Her Highness recovered, Lady Jarr’s health seemed to suffer. I think she must be exhausted from everything that’s happened."

"As for Her Highness Princess Elisabeth," Clara added, "Lady Jarr has confined her to her chamber, with two of His Highness Prince Kiev’s escorts posted to guard her. We believed this was the safest option, given her past attempt to find Prince Kiev when he was lost in the forest with Lady Raychard."

"That’s understandable. I agree with the brave decisions Lady Jarr has made. She’s done so much for all of us. Her actions are truly commendable. Don’t worry, they both may be excused. I’ll inform His Highness the Grand Duke of everything," said Eric.

The two ladies nodded and excused themselves, heading off toward the foyer.