Chapter 11 - Negotiation? Extortion? What’s the difference?
Guifford Knottley sat behind his desk in his office and looked out the large window behind it. It afforded a good view of the city. While Freybrook was originally built in a heavily forested area, with the Whitdown Mountains not far off, the city itself had been built around a deep inlet with mostly flat land around it. The estate of the first city lords generations ago had been built on what was essentially the only elevated point in the city, a choice he had always appreciated. It was calming, being able to look out over part of his domain and see it breathe with life.
And calming was what he needed right now.
He couldn't help scowling as he thought about the recent events — his bushy brows furrowing deeply. Guifford had always been a large man. Though he was now bald, he more than made up for it with his large beard. He had a large nose and had never been referred to as handsome, but people had always said he held an imposing presence.
Unfortunately, that hadn't had any particular effect on the woman he would be seeing now for a long while.
A knock sounded from the door.
"Enter," he said, turning around to the entrance. His head butler, Johan, walked in. The middle-aged man bowed before speaking.
"My Lord. Baroness Hartford has arrived."
"Lead her here," Guifford said and waved Johan away. The man immediately left, leaving Guifford alone in his office again. He looked down at the reports on his desk. Scarlett Hartford sure had caused a disturbance this time.
He remembered the days when she was still a child. Such a resolute and confident young girl. Her parents had been good friends of his so it hadn't been unusual for her and her sister to visit his estate. His son had even hoped to wed her once upon a time. He was glad that did not go anywhere. He pitied her current fiancé.
He wasn't sure when she changed, but the young girl he knew was no more. She had certainly grown into a beautiful woman; the talk of many cliques among high society, despite only being a baroness. But she had also grown cold. Ruthless. And he had heard rumors of her...activities. Rumors he'd hoped to be false. But the last days' events shattered those hopes.
He sat there and read through the papers spread across his desk—this was far from the first time he'd done this today—until eventually another knock came from the door.
"My Lord. Baroness Hartford is here to see you," Johan's voice rang out from the other side.