Guidebook for the Dark Duke

Chapter 42 - Problem Solving

This is one of the 2 chapters I owe you guys or is it 3 chapters? 🤔

Oh well, enjoy. 

Just after lunch the next day, a servant came in to report that Mrs Johnson and Mr Ford were asking to meet Reverend Bruce while Evan was talking to Duke Wilson about some art related matters. Hearing this report, the atmosphere between the two became a little bit different and a bit subtle.

Duke Wilson glanced at Evan, who lowered his eyes and said nothing, and wanted to say something but in the end, he didn’t say a word to him and only replied to the servant, “Show them to the living room, we’ll come out right away.”

The servant bowed and stepped back. Duke Wilson walked to Evan’s side, looked down at Evan and said softly, “I’ll go down with you. I’m also a donor of the church, and I still have the right to intervene in this matter.”

Evan raised his head and glanced at Duke Wilson. His handsome profile that was hidden in the shadows had a strange beauty. The corners of Evan’s mouth slightly hooked up, but his face had a grateful look, “Thank you so much, you’re so generous.”

Duke Wilson smiled indifferently, helped Evan up from the soft chair and walked downstairs.

Evan’s wound has almost recovered at this time but he still needs to be careful when going downstairs. He deliberately leaned most of his body on Duke Wilson as he helped him downstairs.

Duke Wilson froze as soon as Evan leaned on him. While they were going downstairs, Evan moved his body even more. He was at a loss like a hairy boy. Evan’s eyes showed a hint of a secret smile, such a small act can make Duke Wilson so chaotic. It seems that his plan has been 90% successful and the remaining 10% depends on his own means.

Duke Wilson helped Evan down the stairs and when he finally sat down, Evan said a little apologetically, “My Lord, I am so sorry to trouble you.”

Duke Wilson was eager for Evan to trouble him. He waved his hand like Evan was being ridiculous and said in an unsteady voice, “You… You are too polite. It’s nothing…”

His voice was light and fluttering, and by the end of the last sentence, almost no one could hear him clearly.

Seeing him like this, Evan laughed in his heart. Duke Wilson was so emotionally young, it was beyond his expectations.

At this time, Ford and Mrs Johnson were led in by the servants. To Evan’s surprise, Sheriff Chandler also followed them in. He was stunned when he saw this scene.

“Sheriff?” Duke Wilson frowned as he spoke first, “Why did you come here? Does this matter need the intervention of the police?”

Duke Wilson’s trust in the police can be said to have been reduced to dust, and he also didn’t have a good impression of Sheriff Chandler.

Sheriff Chandler looked a bit dejected, at least much more dejected than his usual high-spirited look. He pinched the already outdated hat’s brim, glanced at Evan who looked weak and said in a low voice, “Lord Duke, Mr Johnson’s case has not yet come to a conclusion. I came here this time to visit Reverend Bruce and to get some advice from him.”

Sheriff Chandler tasted the sweetness of Evan’s help last time and now that the case had no results, he was devastated and he naturally thought of Evan again.

Hearing this, Evan hesitated for a moment and looked at Sheriff Chandler with some surprise, “Oh, Mr Sheriff, you really think highly of me. I don’t know much about this matter, you know more than I do.”

Sheriff Chandler was quite scared of Duke Wilson but he was very close to Evan. When he heard Evan say this, he quickly said, “You helped me in the last case, please help me again this time. This matter has not been resolved for so long and Scotland Yard has been very dissatisfied with me. If the police detectives are sent over, I’m afraid the matter will become more complicated.”

Hearing him talk about this, Duke Wilson raised his eyebrows. As he wrinkled his eyebrows, he glanced at the calm Ford and the expressionless Mrs Johnson, he suppressed the thoughts in his heart and finally spoke in a low voice, “Don’t talk about these things now. Please sit down, the three of you. Let’s settle the main business of the day first.”

Speaking of which, Ford finally had the time to interject and said with a smile, “Today, I would like to thank the duke for your generosity, for allowing us to talk about this matter in your Manor.”

Duke Wilson gave Ford a cold look and said coldly, “Reverend Bruce is my friend and this trivial matter is nothing to be concerned about.”

Ford’s smile immediately stiffened.

Duke Wilson no longer looked at him and turned to Mrs Johnson, who was sitting at the far end of the sofa with a black veil covering her face and said, “Madam, since you’re here today, how do you plan to compensate for what Mr Johnson did before?”

Mrs Johnson gave Duke Wilson a nervous look, she took off the hat on her head and the face behind the black veil was pale and terrifying.

She didn’t look like a sane woman. She looked straight at Duke Wilson, with a hint of madness and anxiety in her eyes.

“I don’t know anything about what he did, and I have never seen his money. I can’t satisfy your request.”

Mrs Johnson’s voice was still trembling, but the people sitting in the room weren’t all that shocked, especially Evan, who almost stood up and looked at Mrs Johnson and said in a stern voice, “Ma’am, didn’t you promise to return the money to the church? Why do you want to go back on your word now?”

Mrs Johnson didn’t look at Evan at all as she quickly lowered her head, put her hands on her head and spoke like she was in pain, “Reverend Bruce, I’m sorry… I’m really sorry, I have no choice. I thought he left some property but now, I can’t find any trace of any property at all, and I can’t do anything about it…”

Mrs Johnson’s tone as she said the last sentence was choked up. Her life was indeed not very good these past few days. The gazes of the people around her, the people of the town pointing fingers at her, and the frequent bombardment of the newspaper reporters. She was on the verge of breaking down.

Evan frowned, looking at Mrs Johnson with a trace of uncertainty in his eyes.

Duke Wilson walked over to Evan’s side, stroked his shoulder and whispered, “Sit down first, don’t aggravate the wound.”

Evan sat back on the soft sofa again. At this time, he was in a great mood and didn’t react, but Ford, who was sitting opposite, had a light flash in his eyes.

“Mrs Johnson,” Ford spoke without waiting for the others to speak, “No matter what you say, your husband’s embezzlement of the church’s property is a fact, there is no doubt about it. If you don’t cooperate well now, then this matter will be handed over to the court. They will freeze your property, auction off your house and then use it to repay the church’s loss. If you don’t want things to develop to this point, I will advise you, it is best to cooperate with our work.”

After all, Ford was sent by the church and it was very natural for him to threaten the people involved.

Mrs Johnson trembled when she heard this. She looked at Ford in horror, as if she was looking at a devil.

“You… you can’t do this…” Tears welled up in her eyes, “Mr Ford, you’re a gentleman, do you really want to embarrass a widow like this?”

Evan squinted as he watched the poor woman in front of him, with tears streaming down her cheeks, feeling a little weird for some reason.

“It’s embarrassing?” Ford looked at Mrs Johnson and smiled, “How can I embarrass you? Everything I said is based on the law, this is all stipulated by the law. Even if it’s you, a noble lady, you must also abide by it. I will tell you the consequences of this incident. I just want you to know the seriousness of this incident. I’ll also ask you to stop saying these irresponsible words. The property of the church, you must return it.”

Mrs Johnson trembled as she heard this, she clenched her skirt tightly, bit her lower lip and looked at Ford with deep fear in her eyes.

Sheriff Chandler watched and finally couldn’t help speaking up, “Mr Ford, do you have to be so heartless? Mrs Johnson is also a poor victim!”

Ford looked at Sheriff Chandler and sneered, “Victim?” There was a look of arrogance in his eyes, “She is a victim so does the church deserve to lose? You know, the property of the church is all to serve God, are we going to use this money to feed a greedy demon?”

Sheriff Chandler was not good at debating and he choked, unable to say a word. In this state, Mrs Johnson turned to look at Evan with pleading eyes.

Evan was originally a little embarrassed about his position on this matter. At this time, when he saw her pitiful eyes, his situation suddenly became more difficult and Evan only felt that his scalp was numb.

He could not ignore Mrs Johnson’s pitiful eyes because he was a ‘kind’ priest. But if he turned against the church in the matters of the church, he might not be far from the end.

Evan’s heart was tangled and in a mess but he couldn’t say a word. Now the eyes of everyone on the scene were on him and he felt like a thousand ants were crawling in his body.

Evan looked up at Ford and the sarcastic smile on his lips made Evan’s heart skip a beat.

He did it on purpose!

This is Evan’s only idea. To force himself to such a point, Ford really did what he said he would. Otherwise, his hypocritical face will be revealed, or else the punishment of the church will follow him, which is really a vicious method.

Evan’s heart was full of his hatred for Ford, but at this time, under such a scene, he couldn’t say a word. Evan clenched his sweaty palm and said warmly, “Madam, you…”

“The church is in charge of this matter and Reverend Bruce is probably powerless.”

Suddenly, Duke Wilson interrupted Evan’s words. He looked at the poor Mrs Johnson with a cold face and continued coldly, “Mrs Johnson, Reverend Bruce helping you is just based on his kindness but the church is in charge of this matter, and I’m afraid that Reverend Bruce can’t do more for you. So, please solve this matter yourself.”

With Duke Wilson speaking out, Evan was instantly relieved, but he didn’t dare to relax so he could only look at Mrs Johnson helplessly, with a trace of pity in his eyes.

“My dear lady,” His tone was very soft, “I fully understand your situation, but this matter is beyond my purview* and I really can’t do more for you. Please rest assured, I will write a letter to the bishop about your matter. The bishop is merciful and will definitely make the right decision.”

Fortunately, the church is in a top position, otherwise, this matter would have been really difficult to handle.

*Purview –the range or limit of authority, competence, responsibility, concern, or intention.