Mr. Howlett had ordered a carriage to bring him back to the estate overnight. By the time he arrived, dawn was breaking. Late autumn in Canada was bitterly cold; people already needed leather clothes to keep warm in the mornings and evenings. Wrapped in a thick blanket, he shivered as he was helped down from the carriage.
The old man's body was truly in terrible shape. A day and a night of continuous travel had left him utterly exhausted. James had already finished his morning training. When he saw the family carriage slowly approaching, he hurried over to meet it.
"Grandfather!" Seeing that Mr. Howlett could barely stand, James scooped him up in his arms and carried him upstairs to his bedroom in a few quick strides.
"I'm fine. I'm fine."
Old Howlett gazed at his tall, handsome grandson, his eyes growing moist.
After helping the old man lie down, the estate's private doctor, who was assigned to care for Mr. Howlett, hurried in to examine him. James stood quietly to one side, his fixed, intense gaze almost frightening.
"How is he?"
"Mr. Howlett is simply exhausted. At his age, and in his condition, he can't endure this kind of strain. If he rests quietly for the next few days, he'll gradually recover. But, Young Master James..." The doctor hesitated, as if unsure what to say.
"Dr. Rhodey, please speak frankly."
"You know Mr. Howlett's condition. He's over seventy, and the ailments he picked up in his youth have only worsened with age. He hasn't been able to rest properly, either. But the most serious problem is the pressure he's been carrying inside. His spirit is nearly broken... If possible... you should prepare yourself."
James understood the doctor's careful words. Given what he knew, he realized his grandfather didn't have much time left. But the state in which his grandfather had returned from the governor's residence meant that something serious must have happened.
James stayed by Mr. Howlett's side until he fell asleep, then gently closed the bedroom door and went downstairs. "Please ask Mr. Vane to come see me in Grandfather's study." For a moment, the maid O'Hara seemed not to recognize the young master before her. At that instant, James's calm but unquestionable manner made him seem more like Mr. Howlett.
After speaking, James turned and headed for the study. O'Hara stood frozen for two or three seconds, then gathered up her skirt and hurried off to find the steward.
Mr. Howlett's study was spacious, with a broad, bright terrace behind it. There weren't many books. The old man had read few of them, and unlike other estate owners, he hadn't piled up books just for show. Instead, the room held an assortment of antique and finely crafted firearms, along with Western rapiers, Persian scimitars, daggers, and other weapons.
Surrounded by so many weapons, the study's copper-red floor and furnishings seemed to gleam like bronze and iron. James sat slouched in Mr. Howlett's high-backed armchair, one hand resting loosely against his forehead and the other draped over the armrest. His eyes were closed, and he sat in silence.
To be honest, at one point after knocking and being invited in, Mr. Vane was struck with awe. The solemn atmosphere in the room felt as though it were filled with soldiers standing at attention, rifles in hand. James seemed unusually calm and composed, yet untouchable. Mr. Vane wasn't sure whether he should speak and break the silence.
"Uncle Vane, what happened to Grandfather at the governor's residence?" The steward let out a deep breath of relief at James's words. Only after speaking did James open his eyes, looking at Mr. Vane with a gentle expression.
"The governor didn't insult us or treat us badly. He let us take the detained herders back unharmed and even had dinner with your grandfather." James said nothing, waiting for the steward to continue. "But Smith asked your grandfather something and made a request."
The steward's face turned ashen, and he spoke stiffly. "He asked whether you were your grandfather's sole heir, and said he wanted you to marry his niece."
What Mr. Vane couldn't understand was that the young man, barely in his twenties, showed no joy at the prospect of marrying into the governor's family. Nor did he look confused, uneasy, or even angry. He seemed to think it was... ordinary?
"Was that all?" James finally replied, his tone carrying a hint of impatience.
"Young Master James! You may not realize how outrageous this is!" the steward said anxiously. "Smith wants to use the marriage to swallow the Howlett Family whole. Your grandfather is old and no longer has the energy to fight him. Once he's gone, if you marry the governor's niece, the family will practically..." James raised a hand, stopping the steward's flustered words, then calmly asked again, "Was that all?"
"That was all." Mr. Vane felt deflated. He thought the James he'd seen upon entering—the one who seemed even more imposing than Mr. Howlett—had been an illusion, or perhaps just a young man's childish attempt to act profound. The young master simply didn't understand how troublesome things were.
"Very good. Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Vane. From now on, please focus on looking after Grandfather. Don't let him trouble himself with family affairs; make sure he rests in peace." James gave the steward his instructions casually. After a moment, he added, "Don't worry. This will pass." Then he walked out onto the broad terrace, as if to feel the breeze.
Mr. Vane truly didn't know what else he could say. He left the study without giving much thought to the meaningful look James had given him at the end.
With eyesight as sharp as an eagle's, James could clearly see a cougar pounce on a caribou on a distant hillside. The predator clamped its powerful jaws around the caribou's neck, then shook its body and head, weakening the animal's final struggles. James's lips curled with quiet delight as he enjoyed the autumn breeze against his skin.
"This is still a wild, lawless age. So many problems are just too simple for me."
Governor Kevin Smith had spent quite a while persuading his headstrong, temperamental niece. In truth, this so-called niece was only the daughter of a distant cousin in the Smith family. When he was appointed governor, the cousin had brought his daughter to congratulate him, claiming that the girl was an unpromising child who had never seen the world and lacked experience. He'd asked the governor to take her along and "keep her in line."
She could also take care of little household matters, and family would be more considerate than servants in this harsh colony. Seeing the girl named Sinier's impressive figure and pretty face, the governor had readily agreed and secretly brought her to Canada. Since his wife wouldn't be able to join him for the first few years, this niece was his only "family."
"Your aunt will be moving here next year. If you stay, you'll only end up being mistreated. And James Howlett is young, tall, and handsome, from what I hear. You won't be getting the short end of the stick. I'd like to see whether Sinier, once she has a husband, will still be as good at taking care of people as she used to be..."
The governor grinned as he "disciplined" his niece, who was sprawled across his lap. The young woman murmured that she had to tell her uncle how wronged she'd felt that day, then, panting, clung to Governor Smith as he carried her back to the bedroom.
James wanted to take a walk that evening and work off his meal. Thick clouds blanketed the night sky, hiding the stars and moon—perfect for what he had in mind. He set off toward Yellowknife, where the governor's residence stood. Avoiding the roads and populated areas, he raced through the forests and mountains, reveling in the thrill of speed and strength as he ran at full tilt.
He pounced and leaped, crossing ravines, boulders, cliffs, and fallen tree trunks as if they were level ground. The journey that had taken Mr. Howlett an entire day by carriage took James less than two hours. When he spotted the enormous, brightly lit estate in the distance and the soldiers patrolling outside, he slowed and cautiously approached, steadying his slightly labored breathing as he studied the grounds.
He had considered storming in openly, giving himself a chance to put the skills he'd practiced for years but never used in a real fight to the test, and to get a more direct sense of his own strength. But there was no need for pointless bloodshed. All he needed to do was resolve the problem.
Taking advantage of a gap between patrols, James vaulted over the wall, more than six feet tall, and landed as lightly as a cat without making a sound. He crept to the side of the manor, then climbed up to the roof. Using the layout of the estate, he began searching for the governor's room.
James twitched his nostrils, catching a strange, musky scent, and faintly heard a woman panting. He jumped onto the balcony and peered through the window at a short, portly middle-aged man entangled with a young woman. He had found the person he was looking for.
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