Chapter 164

Mystified by the strangeness of it all, he flipped through the pages, quickly reading through the book, and immediately froze, rooted to the ground as what he discovered in the pages snatched the air from his lungs. Totally unforeseen, unthinkable, and unbelievably devastating, the long-buried secret revealed in the book struck him as a bolt from the blue. It was as if his entire world had been turned upside down in the blink of an eye.

Heedless of all else but one thing on his mind, he took the picture and notebook with him, rushing out of the study and right to his chamber. Without thinking, he tossed several random clothes into a valise before snapping it shut. After having his things brought down by his valet, he threw on his winter coat and bounded downstairs.

"Have a carriage readied for me as soon as possible."

He ordered the butler, who seemed more than a bit startled.

"Pardon me, Your Grace, but Mr. Ingwald is still wa