Guidebook for the Dark Duke Chapter 49 - Colonel Mel's Birthday Banquet

Chapter 49 - Colonel Mel's Birthday Banquet

Evan walked into the manor with Duke Wilson and Colonel Mel. As soon as he entered the hall, Evan glanced around and saw Sheriff Chandler who looked like he was in high spirits. The haze that had been around him before seemed to have been swept away.
At this time, Sheriff Chandler was somewhat unusually happy. He saw Evan walking in at a glance, and hurriedly walked over to him through the crowd.
“Lord Duke, Reverend Bruce.” He smiled and saluted Duke Wilson, who was walking at the front, but his eyes were even more excited when he looked at Evan.
Annoyed, Duke Wilson glanced at Sheriff Chandler but with Evan around, he didn’t dare to act rashly. He could only glance at Evan and didn’t say much.
Evan pursed his lips. Sheriff Chandler is so excited that it looks like he has already gotten a clue in the case.
“Sheriff, I didn’t expect to see you here.” Evan smiled mildly and reservedly.
Sheriff Chandler didn’t notice Evan’s attitude, and continued to speak excitedly, “Colonel Mel also invited me over. How is your health?”
Evan nodded to Duke Wilson, who was beside him, indicating that he was fine and Duke Wilson left because he was still entertaining Colonel Mel. When the duke left, Evan said, “Thank you for your concern, my body has almost recovered.”
After hearing Evan’s reply, Sheriff Chandler immediately turned the topic to the main topic.
“Reverend Bruce, do you know? The previous issue of looking for witnesses in the newspapers has yielded results.” He looked at Evan excitedly, as if waiting for Evan’s question.
Evan sighed helplessly, it seems that Sheriff Chandler will not give up today until he achieves his goal.
“Oh, God bless, I really congratulate you. But I don’t know how it turned out?” Evan pretended to be surprised and asked immediately.
Sheriff Chandler was satisfied, so he stopped hanging Evan’s appetite, and immediately replied, “Didn’t I say that Rael went to the theater before? A lady came to the police station a few days ago and said that she once saw Rael smoking at the entrance of the theater between operas, which is exactly what Rael said.” After saying this, he looked at Evan with some interest, as if waiting for Evan’s praise.
Evan laughed in his heart. Sometimes the Sheriff is quite interesting.
“Miss? Who is it? Do I know her?” Evan asked.
Sheriff Chandler was stunned for a moment. He didn’t expect Evan to ask such a question but he quickly replied, “It’s Miss Blair. She’s an old spinster, you should have seen her before.”
When Sheriff Chandler said this, Evan suddenly remembers when he first got to Delanlier and was holding a service for the first time, he remembers the terrifying voice of the lady that sounded like a man with his throat tucked in. Evan’s eyelids were shaking, the impression Evan had of this lady was not good.
“So that’s the case. Then, does that mean that Mr Rael is cleared of suspicion?” Evan asked in a low voice, looking still.
When he heard this, Sheriff Chandler’s bright look dimmed a bit, “Yes. Although it is a little different from what I originally expected, Mr Rael is indeed innocent and he has no time to commit the crime.”
Evan lowered his eyebrows and squeezed his cuff, but said nothing.
Sheriff Chandler regained his energy again in a flash, he let out a long breath and said with a smile, “But even so, it can be regarded as a relief from the current predicament. But I still can’t release him for the time being. The affair between him and Mr Johnson has caused issues with Mrs Johnson and she believes that he has more to do with her husband.”
He said this with disdain in his eyes, and Evan’s heart was agitated. He suddenly remembered one thing. In this era, homosexual love is still a crime. A bit of vigilance was born in Evan’s heart, his affairs with Duke Wilson must not be exposed.
Evan curled his lips slightly and did not comment on this matter anymore. As a religious priest, he is also known for his benevolence and kindness, so talking about this matter is really delicate and dangerous.
Sheriff Chandler’s mind was not so delicate. He didn’t realize that it was wrong to talk about this matter with a religious priest and he continued, “Since Mr Rael has been ruled out as a suspect, then Mrs Johnson is now the most important person in this matter. Although I don’t want to admit it, I really have nowhere to go in this situation and it looks like I will have to talk to Mrs. Johnson.” Sheriff Chandler sighed.
Evan snickered in his heart. Sheriff Chandler, as a standard man of this era, would never know what an angry woman could and would do.
Evan did not entangle with Sheriff Chandler any more about this matter. Although there were still some doubts in his heart that had not been resolved, the scene at this time was not suitable for discussing such issues.
Evan walked into the crowd with Sheriff Chandler as he greeted the people around him. These people hadn’t seen Evan for a long time so there were many sending their greetings. A small town priest was seriously injured and it is not a small problem. As early as the first day that Evan started living in Cornwall Manor, the news had spread through Delanlier, but these people did not know about the deeper darkness behind the attack.
Evan appropriately responded to the greetings of the people around him. He was very clear in his heart that these people only care very little about him. These people are more concerned about the relationship between him and Duke Wilson. Being able to live in Cornwall Manor definitely belongs only to those in the circle of Duke Wilson’s close friends.
Of course Evan would not miss such a good opportunity. When outsiders greeted him, he intentionally or unintentionally used understated words to exaggerate the relationship between himself and the duke. Although it sounds very common, these people are all the same. The upper-class people in every society naturally think more and the eyes of the people around him had changed as they looked at him. Evan just pretended that he didn’t notice these sights as he picked up the champagne on the table and took a sip.
At this moment, a voice suddenly came from behind Evan, “Evan!”
Evan turned around almost as a reflex and saw Duke Wilson, Colonel Mel, and a lady standing not far away from where he stood.
Duke Wilson had called out Evan’s name. This behavior was equivalent to admitting to having a close relationship, which made people around him no longer have any doubts about the close relationship between Evan and Duke Wilson.
Evan hooked up the corners of his lips slightly, this is really timely.
“Charles.” Evan nodded towards Duke Wilson with a smile.
When Evan’s words were heard by the guests around him, it got so quiet that the surrounding fans could be heard blowing. They have just heard the duke’s name from the Reverend’s mouth, which is a shock to everyone.
The expression on Duke Wilson’s face softened for a moment. When he walked to Evan’s side, he quietly took the champagne glass in his hand and put it in its place, saying warmly, “Colonel Mel’s wife wants to talk to you.”
Evan’s vanity really rose to the top at this time but he tried his best to restrain the corners of his lips that he wanted to raise, and nodded his head like normal, “Okay.”
Then the two of them left the crowd that had become noisy again and walked in the direction of Colonel Mel.
Because of Colonel Mel’s identity, Evan also knew some things about him. He had a wife before the war, but because of the war, he left for five or six years. When he came back, his wife had long since died from melancholy, so Colonel Mel had lived the life of a widower.
However, due to his sufficient property and social status, as well as his close relationship with the duke’s family, his widower life was not peaceful. Many people were staring at him like a piece of juicy fat. It became hot and many families with unmarried daughters were always scrambling to be the first to invite Colonel Mel to banquets.
Although the daughter of a gentleman’s family has a very good name in this era, due to the issue of inheritance rights, many girls can only get very limited dowry. For this reason, some gentlemen who are rich but have no age advantage and are getting old have become the first choice for them.
Colonel Mel is such a person, but it was strange that he was not dazed or shaken by such a crazy chase. He was very calm and walked around under the explicit hints of the gentlemen, but he did not try to accept a certain lady. His behavior made many people give up their expectations of him, but at this time, Colonel Mel suddenly got married. It was at this time last year that Colonel Mel married a teacher’s daughter and fell off the list of unmarried men.
Evan looked at Mrs Mel standing in front of him. She was not very beautiful, but she looked very comfortable with a gentle smile and a serene expression. Even though she was wearing a London haute-couture evening dress, she looked like she was wearing the most ordinary clothes. But she looked so homely, even Evan’s heart had a bit of comfort as he looked at her.
“Hello, Mrs Mel.” Evan nodded slightly, and his etiquette was in place.
Mrs. Mel curled her lips slightly, with a hint of shyness in her smile, “Reverend, you don’t have to be so polite.”
Evan smiled and did not answer, but Colonel Mel, who was on the side, smiled and said, “Reverend Bruce, Susan has always been a devout Christian and she has heard of your reputation for a long time, and she really wants to confide in you this time and seek God’s guidance.”
Evan’s expression changed. So it turns out to be like that. It is naturally good to be able to develop more believers, Evan has not forgotten his own work for the time being.
“The door of the church is always open to you, my dear lady.” Evan said with a smile in his eyes.
Mrs. Mel was relieved to see that Evan was so approachable.
Now that the two have discussed this issue, Duke Wilson interjected “Evan, your body can’t stand for a long time. Why don’t you go over there and rest.”
Duke Wilson gestured towards the corner where there were armchairs. Evan also felt that his energy was a little lacking but Colonel Mel was still standing there. The duke could say this but he couldn’t answer in the same way, so he pressed his forehead and said quietly, “It’s okay.”
Colonel Mel is a person who can understand small hints very well. The relationship between these two people is not ordinary and of course, he will not be the one to spoil it, so he immediately said, “It’s all my fault, I didn’t take care of your condition. It’s better for you to rest first. If you are tired and get sick again, it will be a loss for the entire Delanlier.”
Evan gave a reluctant smile, this Colonel Mel looked kind but he didn’t expect that he could speak like this.
“Then, please forgive my rudeness.” Evan couldn’t hold it anymore, and walked towards the corner with Duke Wilson.