A love to remember

CHAPTER TEN - A SPECIAL VISIT

Akaninyene and Akpan returned home, their minds still reeling from the events at the Earl's ball. Akaninyene sat down at his desk, quill in hand, and began to draft a letter to Ezebunafor in London.

As he wrote, he recounted the evening's events, from the Baron's drunken outburst to his eventual demise. Akaninyene's handwriting flowed across the page, his words painting a vivid picture of the night's unfolding drama.

He explained to Ezebunafor that eliminating the Baron had been a necessary evil, a precautionary measure to protect their own interests. But despite the relief that came with neutralizing the threat, Akaninyene couldn't shake the feeling that they were playing with fire.

There were others out there, lurking in the shadows, who knew their secrets and waited for the perfect moment to strike. Akaninyene's mind raced with questions. Why hadn't they been exposed yet? What did their enemies want from them?

As he finished writing the letter, Akaninyene sealed it with a wax stamp, his thoughts still consumed by the mysteries that lay ahead. He handed the letter to Akpan, who would ensure it reached Ezebunafor safely.

After he finished drafting the letter, Akaninyene leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he pondered the uncertain future that lay before them.

The maid's soft voice broke the silence, "My lord, a letter has just arrived for you." Akaninyene's gaze flickered up from the papers on his desk, and he nodded curtly. "Thank you, you can leave."

As the maid departed, Akaninyene's fingers closed around the letter, his eyes scanning the seal for any sign of the sender's identity. The wax bore the imprint of a crest he didn't recognize. His curiosity piqued, Akaninyene broke the seal and unfolded the letter.

The words danced across the page, but one phrase leapt out at him, making his heart stumble: "I am aware of your conspiracy against the empire." Akaninyene's vision blurred, and he felt his knees weaken. Who was this person, and how did they know?

He forced himself to focus, reading on as the letter introduced the sender, Charles Tyndale. The name meant nothing to Akaninyene, but the words that followed sent a shiver down his spine. Tyndale threatened to expose Akaninyene's secrets to the crown, but the tone was almost... conversational.

Akaninyene's mind racing, he wondered if this was a genuine offer or a clever trap. He read the letter again, searching for any hidden meaning or clue. The words seemed to sear themselves into his brain, leaving him with more questions than answers. Who was Charles Tyndale, and what did he really want?

With a swift, decisive motion, Akaninyene shredded the letter into tiny fragments, as if physically destroying the words could erase the threat they posed. As the torn pieces fluttered to the floor, he felt a tumultuous mix of emotions swirling within him. Fear and anxiety wrestled with a strange, creeping sense of relief, like a whispered secret in the darkness.

Akaninyene's eyes narrowed as he whispered to himself, "At least now we know who's behind the threat." He had been wondering why they hadn't received a letter like this sooner.

With a swift motion, Akaninyene collected the initial letter he had planned to send from Akpan and burnt it to ashes. He sat down to write a new one, adding the crucial detail that Charles Tyndale had made contact, seeking something from them.

Later, Akaninyene handed the letter to Akpan, who read it intently. "The good news is that he's open to discussion," Akaninyene said, his voice measured. "He's not exposing us... yet."