Chapter 50
“There is no one more qualified to handle this litigation than Mr. Evan Knox. Our vetting process was exhaustive, and it is evident that he has charted a course entirely independent of his father. They haven’t spoken in over a year; by all accounts, he has been completely disowned.”
“Disowned, you say?”
“While the Earl of Knox established the Cloud Law Firm, he is a businessman at heart, not a practitioner. He simply hired the most talented legal minds he could find. It seems he lived his own legal ambitions through his son. Evan followed that path and became a truly formidable attorney, but he grew increasingly disgusted by the Earl’s predatory tactics.”
“Disgusted.”
“Precisely. As you are aware, the law is often a weapon for the elite. Cloud Law Firm has dismantled the lives of countless individuals—specifically those lacking the wealth to fight back. Evan reportedly had several explosive confrontations with his father over these ethics before finally severing ties. Unlike the Earl, who is notoriously cold-blooded, Evan appears to be a man of rigid principle.”
“A man of principle…?” Windsor murmured, his distaste growing. “He sounds less appealing by the second.”
“Sir?”
“Lord Preston?”
Evan shifted his gaze, one eyebrow arching slightly as he met Windsor’s heavy, silent stare.
Windsor was a man governed by logic and utility. He was not one to be swayed by fleeting sentiment; he preferred to weigh every variable until the most rational path revealed itself.
This calculated nature was innate, but his years in the navy had forged it into steel. Aboard a man-of-war, the lives of hundreds of sailors hung on the precision of his judgment. In that world, Windsor was the hand that moved the pieces, and the soldiers were the pieces themselves. They moved forward or fell back at his command. Even if a command was flawed, the hierarchy demanded absolute obedience; it was the only thing standing between order and bloody chaos.
That life had left him with a permanent habit: every night, he meticulously reviewed his decisions, haunted by the weight his words carried.
This moment was no different. He felt a visceral dislike for the man sitting across from him, and he could list a dozen reasons why. Yet, his intellect insisted that he accept the man’s help. His cold, analytical mind knew this was the only winning move.
Still, the words felt lodged in his throat. It was a jarring, unfamiliar sensation—a civil war between his reason and his instinct.
Windsor’s gaze remained fixed on Evan, sharp enough to be mistaken for a glare. The air in the room turned brittle and cold. Sensing the tension, Roman leaned in from behind his master and whispered a soft prompt, “My lord.”
After a long beat, Windsor finally reached out.
“I look forward to our collaboration, Mr. Knox.”
Evan’s face lit up with a brilliant, effortless smile. it was the kind of expression worn by those who had lived a charmed life, naturally accustomed to the warmth of others’ approval.
Windsor’s expression only hardened. He found he detested that smile, too.
“I shall give this my all, Lord Preston. It is a David and Goliath scenario, certainly, but I understand that turning the tide is your forte. Your reputation with the Black Fleet precedes you. Let us ensure we emerge victorious here as well.”
At the mention of the navy, Roman’s posture straightened with visible pride. He was a devoted admirer of Major Windsor Preston; even the mention of the ‘Demon of the Black Fleet’ made his pulse quicken. Had it not been for his loyalty to Windsor, Roman would never have accepted the tedious life of an aide-de-camp. His voice took on a boastful edge as he chimed in.
“The stories you’ve heard are merely the surface. The true scale of the Major’s—I mean, his lordship’s—brilliance can only be understood by those who were there. It was a sight to behold, truly bone-chilling. I promise you, Mr. Knox, reality far exceeds any legend.”
“Is that so?”
“Without question. Why, I remember when his lordship stood alone against seventeen pirates who were charging all at once…”
“Roman Miller.”
“Sir!”
The aide’s chatter cut off instantly as he snapped to attention. Evan watched the exchange with genuine curiosity.
It wasn’t uncommon for noble sons to enlist as a matter of duty, but it was a poorly kept secret that they rarely saw the horrors of the front lines. Most were tucked away in safe rear units, sometimes accompanied by their own valets.
But the two men before him were cut from a different cloth. They were men who had stared death in the face for the crown, veterans of brutal skirmishes who had survived the worst the seas could throw at them. Their presence here was a testament to their endurance.
“Seventeen pirates… I find myself very eager to hear the conclusion of that story.”
“If the chance arises, I shall tell you,” Roman replied, throwing a tentative glance at Windsor before settling back into a formal stance.
Evan leaned in, the sunniness of his expression vanishing in an instant. His tone shifted into something sharp and professional. The courtroom was his domain, his own private battlefield, and he had no intention of retreating.
“I have already begun drafting our strategy. Let’s start with the advantages we currently hold…”
Evan Knox proved to be even more formidable than Windsor had anticipated. ‘Capable’ was an understatement; though it galled Windsor to admit it, the man was a brilliant legal mind. Knox had already mapped out a defensive perimeter and anticipated the opposition’s strikes. His logic was airtight, yet he knew exactly how to weave in an emotional appeal.
The variable remained the judge. Intelligence suggested the presiding officer had been handpicked by the King’s faction. It was possible the entire effort would be futile, but Windsor could not afford to falter. He would do whatever was necessary to safeguard Benjamin.
As Evan began sliding his papers back into his briefcase, he spoke again.
“We should conclude for today. Our next move depends on their witness list. Once we see who they intend to call, we can refine our counter-attack.”
Witnesses.
The thought of Jacqueline flashed through Windsor’s mind, unbidden and sharp. She had gone behind his back to Southfield to meet with the Crown’s attorney. The motive was painfully clear: as Benjamin’s governess, there was no witness more damaging or more credible than her.
The fact that she had kept the meeting a secret suggested her choice was already made. She was going to testify for the King. If she weren’t, she would have had no reason to deceive him.
A bitter, cold laugh threatened to break through Windsor’s lips, but he smothered it, his face returning to a mask of indifference.
Behind him, Roman looked at his master with confusion. He wondered why Windsor hadn’t mentioned Miss Somerset’s clandestine meeting to Evan. It was a certainty she would be called by the prosecution; surely the lawyer needed that information to prepare?
“My lord…”
Roman started to speak, but the sudden, icy glare Windsor leveled at him silenced the words in his throat. He looked away quickly, his instincts telling him that pushing the matter now would be a grave mistake.
“Naturally, we must secure our own witnesses,” Evan continued. “I need a list of everyone—servants, friends, associates. We need quantity first, then we can filter for quality. We’ll also need to conduct mock examinations; people who aren’t used to the stand often crumble or say too much.”
Roman, still nursing the sting of Windsor’s silence, forced a polite smile.
“Understood. I’ll prepare an exhaustive list for our next session. It’s a relief to have you on board, Mr. Knox. It feels as though we finally have a fighting chance.”
“Don’t celebrate just yet. This is merely the opening move. They have a team of four elite attorneys, and they will be ruthless. They’ll wait for the slightest lapse in our defense to strike.”
“I understand. Fortunately, we are well-acquainted with being ambushed.”
As they prepared to part, Evan seemed to recall a final detail. He turned back to Windsor with a courteous smile.
“If you wouldn’t mind… I should like to speak with Miss Somerset.”
“…And why is that?”
Windsor’s voice was slow, deliberate. Evan blinked, clearly caught off guard by the defensive edge in the question.
Roman was equally stunned. He watched Windsor’s stony face, his brow furrowing. It seemed odd to interfere with a private meeting between a handsome man and a beautiful woman—unless… Roman nodded to himself. Of course, he’s suspicious because of her meeting with the King’s lawyer. It made sense, yet something about the tension in the room felt far more personal.
Evan maintained his easy charm. “It’s a personal matter I wish to discuss with her.”
“Personal…”
Windsor’s hand paused as he reached for his cravat. Evan Knox stood there, polished and perfect, without a single flaw in his appearance. Windsor felt a sudden, inexplicable urge not to appear unkempt in his presence. He straightened his jacket, fastening each button with agonizing slowness, as if the physical act could buy him the clarity he lacked.
When the last button was secure, he looked up.
“Roman, go and bring Miss Somerset here.”
Windsor knew he had no legitimate ground to deny the request, but the realization didn’t sit well. He simply did not want Evan near her.
“Yes, my lord.”
As Roman stepped out, Windsor looked down at the seated lawyer. Evan met his eyes with a pleasant, unbothered grin.
“Much appreciated, Lord Preston.”
Windsor withdrew his pocket watch, clicked it open, and noted the time. “Twenty-two minutes.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Evan’s blue eyes clouded with confusion. Windsor tucked the watch back into his waistcoat, his expression unreadable.
“You have exactly twenty-two minutes before the afternoon lessons commence. I expect you to finish by then so as not to interrupt Benjamin’s schedule. Do not forget, Mr. Knox, that her primary duty is as the boy’s governess.”
Evan gave a slow nod, his friendly mask sliding back into place. “I understand perfectly.”
As Windsor exited the room, he saw Jacqueline and Roman walking toward him down the long corridor.
“Oh, Lord Preston.”
Jacqueline slowed as they drew near. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting moment, the air between them was thick with things left unsaid.
