The Lady Nun Vows Revenge by Caroline Rowland

The Silent 209

Chapter 209

Chapter 209

Sophie's eyes shimmered with tears as she looked up at her three older brothers, her expressión pitiful, almost fragile

"Benedict, Matthew, Anthony," she said softly, voice trembling. I know you don't believe me right now, but I swear-I didn't do it. I didn't take her body!

Benedict frowned, his tone cold. "And yet people saw the ones who took Mother's coffin. They were your people, Sophie How can you still claim you had nothing to do with it?"

Sophie faltered for a second, but quickly shifted tactics. "You're right... it was related torme. But when I said it wasn't my doing. I meant that I didn't order it directly. The three men you saw were my mother's old retainers-people she left behind to protect me. They didn't follow me to Hasen City because Father had already brought me to the Stonor estate. They stayed behind.

Her voice turned gentle, careful, calculated. "After I was beaten... I was upset, hurt. In a moment of weakness. I wrote to them

just to ask them to come and protect me. I never imagined they would overreact like that. When they heard what happened, they got angry on my behalf... and took your mother's body as revenge. I swear, if I'd known they would do that never would ve sent that letter."

her face as she spoke, the image of vulnerability and grief. Even Benedict, who had walked in

forced himself to question her. "If that's true, then why would Eliza say you ordered them to steal our mother's corpse? That you planned to desecrate it- out of

crumpled instantly. "Because when I found out what they'd done, I panicked. I told them to return the body immediately, I swear I did. But before they could, Eliza captured me. She beat me, poisoned me-I was terrified. I told her it was my fault, that Id sent

wasn't Sophie, Matthew cut in at once, as if needing no further proof. “I said

talk of desecrating the body-that must've been Eliza making it up, trying to

was off. Her

side-and suddenly realized that throughout this entire conversation, Gabriel had

hesitated. He looked at Benedict, paused a moment longer, then

illegitimate daughter. He knew that now. And if Gabriel had chosen to protect her, then it didn't matter whether she was guilty or

felt

to keep anyone else from coming near.

your mind? I told you-you could do whatever you wanted to Eliza, but that woman was my wife. She was their mother. Even if

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11:46 Fri, 18 Apr