Chapter 180: Breaking down a conspiracy....[3]
In the courtroom, Mr. Bertram was asked to step down and another witness was called, Olive Ye’s closest friend, Lord Ashton Vanger.
Lord Dresden immediately started the questioning. "Are you Lord Oliver Ye’s closest friend?"
Lord Ashton Vanger nodded and responded "Yes" in a hesitant voice. His face was not all smiles like Mr. Bertram’s had been, he was more solemn. Lord Ashton was not too pleased to be associated with Lord Oliver Ye under the current circumstances.
"What do you know of his malice towards the crown princess?" Lord Dresden asked.
Lord Ashton briefly looked at Oliver Ye, saw the plea in his friends eyes and then went on to betray him. "Oli...Lord Oliver I mean was very proud of the fact that his wife to be was coming from the Thorin family. It is one of the noblest families in the kingdom, at the time they held a lot of military power and a monopoly over the salt trade.
As the only daughter of Lord Paxton Thorin, she was pampered by her the duke and duchess. Her brothers dotted on her endlessly. Her pedigree is spotless and her dowry was rumored to be a thing of celestial wonder.
Most of the unmarried noble lords and a few married ones that had an open position of secondary or main wife were interested in her but over the years she had been guarded tightly by her family. They did it to keep away men with less than noble intentions.
Oliver had less than noble intentions but to the outside world he was very clean. For three years, he acted like the perfect gentleman in public while preparing to take down the crown princess. It worked because when the duke looked into him, he found no dark marks against Oliver. It was why the betrothal was agreed upon quickly. Unfortunately for Oliver, it fell apart at the last moment and three years of planning went down the drain."
Lord Dresden smiled like a vampire that had found a ripe human blood bag. "How did Lord Oliver Ye take it?"