"My lady, readers often draw conclusions of their own." Mr. Thornton’s expression hardened ever so slightly, though the confidence in his words rang hollow. "That is hardly the fault of this newspaper. If you have come to accuse the gazette of misconduct, then I must respectfully disagree. I am unable to assist you. I also have a duty to protect my writers."
"And I have every intention of protecting my reputation and dignity," Cassandra replied. "Two things this gazette had no reservations about dragging through the mud."
She leaned forward just enough for the movement to feel deliberate rather than threatening.
"Do you understand the gravity of what has been done? You have allowed falsehoods concerning the daughter of a Count to circulate throughout the kingdom. Such matters are not treated lightly. Unless you choose to cooperate with me, I assure you I shall make things exceedingly difficult for you from this moment onward. Mark my words."
A flicker of uncertainty crossed Mr. Thornton’s face before he hastily buried it beneath a carefully crafted composure.
Even so, he refused to yield.
Cassandra regarded him in silence for several long moments before she turned her head slightly to spoke over her shoulder.
"You may fetch him now."
The footman bowed at once before leaving the room, the soft click of the closing door echoing through the office.
Mr. Thornton frowned.
"Fetch whom?" He demanded.
Cassandra did not answer him, allowing the unanswered question to linger between them.
The room seemed to grow quieter with every passing second.
Now the publisher appeared genuinely uneasy. His fingers tightened ever so slightly where they rested upon the desk.
"What exactly do you intend to do, my lady?"
"I have already told you." Her voice remained calm, almost unsettlingly so. "I intend to learn the name of the person who wrote that column."
"My lady, I have already given you my answer," Thornton said indignantly, the false pleasantness from earlier slowly unraveling like threads pulled from a finely woven tapestry.
"So you have."
There was a devious gleam in Cassandra’s eyes, and coupled with the faint smirk curving her lips, it was enough to leave anyone profoundly uneasy.
Outside the medium-sized office, the faint sound of footsteps echoed along the corridor, growing louder with every second. Their measured rhythm matched the relentless pounding of her own heart.
They drew steadily nearer before stopping directly outside the office door.
A firm knock shattered the silence that had settled heavily between them.
Mr. Thornton had scarcely gathered himself when the office door opened once more.
The moment Prince Adrian crossed the threshold, the publisher looked as though he might collapse from shock.
His eyes widened impossibly. He scrambled away from his desk so hastily that his chair scraped noisily across the floor before he rushed forward and bowed deeply, every trace of the confidence he had displayed moments earlier evaporating beneath the prince’s commanding presence.
It was certainly a far more enthusiastic greeting than the one Cassandra had received.
The thought almost made her laugh.
A snort escaped before she could stop herself.
Adrian acknowledged the publisher’s bow with little more than a passing glance before making his way to Cassandra’s side. Standing beside her, he rested one hand behind his back, his posture effortlessly regal yet imposing enough to dominate the room.
"I understand my dearest friend, Lady Cassandra Ashford, has requested the name of the person responsible for the article published in your newspaper."
Though his tone remained courteous, there was no mistaking the authority beneath every word as he joined Cassandra in fixing the publisher with an unwavering stare. "I would have thought it a simple request. Yet, judging by the fact that she is still standing here in your establishment, I can only conclude that you have refused to comply."
The room seemed to shrink beneath the weight of his calm accusation.
It was truly a frightening thing to find oneself on the receiving end of Prince Adrian’s gaze.
Cassandra had never experienced it herself. The look had never once been directed at her.
She knew only the playful, charming man who teased her relentlessly and behaved more like a younger brother to her. This colder side of him was not unfamiliar to her—she had always known it existed—but witnessing it from such close proximity was an altogether different experience.
Across the room, Mr. Thornton shook like a leaf caught in a violent storm.
His mouth opened and closed several times before he finally managed to speak.
"Your Highness... I merely seek to uphold the integrity of my publication. Those who submit information do so with the understanding that their identities shall remain confidential. If I begin revealing their names whenever someone takes offence, no one will ever trust this newspaper again."
It was a respectable defence.
Cassandra suspected it was one he had repeated countless times whenever an aggrieved noble or merchant came demanding answers.
Ordinarily, it might even have succeeded.
Unfortunately for him, Prince Adrian was not an ordinary visitor.
"As you can well see, I have made the choice much easier for you, Mr. Thornton," Cassandra said smugly, knowing she had already won the moment Adrian had stepped through that door. "Give me what I want so I might be on my way. His Royal Highness dislikes being kept waiting, and I doubt he is nearly as forgiving as I have been."
The publisher’s shoulders sagged in complete resignation.
"I... I shall send for Benedict Granger immediately," he said weakly. "The writer responsible for the article."
"Do make it quick," Cassandra replied with a light chuckle. "Perhaps you might consider this a teaching moment of sorts. Stick to publishing honest news instead of whatever worthless drivel the town’s gossips choose to feed you. Are we clear?"
The man nodded so vigorously that he nearly snapped his own neck.
Without another word, he hurriedly summoned one of his clerks, who was dispatched at once to fetch the writer.
Not long afterward, a man was shown inside.