Roman returned to his mother’s house late in the evening.

The staff had already retired for the night, and the house felt unusually quiet. Mrs. Blackwood was in the sitting room, a cup of tea untouched on the table beside her. She didn’t look up when he entered.

“So,” she said calmly, “it’s done.”

“Yes,” Roman replied. “Venessa has been detained. The article is out. Serena’s name is cleared.”

Mrs. Blackwood nodded once. “I saw.”

He waited, expecting something—maybe relief, satisfaction, even anger but she only adjusted her shawl and took a slow sip of tea.

“You went further than I expected,” she said at last.

“I did what had...