The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella and Romeo) novel Chapter 1342

Everyone murmured in a hushed yet coordinated tone, “Mr. Clarence.”

Mr. Clarence nodded slightly, “Everyone, spread out and keep watch.”

“Yes, sir.”

All the bodyguards dispersed in unison, and Arabella, taking their lead, bowed slightly and stepped back a few paces.

She watched as Mr. Clarence pushed open a door, revealing an interior with decor and lighting similar to what she had seen downstairs.

A bodyguard caught her gaze, but just as he looked in her direction, Arabella lowered her head and followed the other guards out of the room.

After a while, Arabella circled back alone. She pulled out her phone, which had a special system she had been working on, and pressed it against the door. Soon, she could hear the conversation inside.

“Eunice only brought that girl, and none of the bodyguards Bard arranged for her. Also, those guys she hired from Alexander are all holed up in the villa; none of them stepped out. Our men have patrolled the outskirts a few times, and there's no sign of anyone suspicious.”

“That's out of character for her, almost doesn't seem like her,” mused Mr. Clarence in a reflective tone.

“Maybe she thinks tonight is just an ordinary birthday party, and besides, she rarely takes bodyguards when she goes out.”

“No, you don't understand her. She used to go out without bodyguards because Bard was there, and Bard could protect her,” Mr. Clarence said gravely. “I suspect she might have guessed something, so she deliberately didn't bring her men, aiming to bait us into a trap.”

The servant found this hard to believe.

“If she's as smart as you say, why would she bring along a liability? That girl looks young, a Collins heiress at that. If anything goes wrong, how is she going to handle it.”

“Appearances can be deceiving,” Mr. Clarence replied thoughtfully, recalling the girl, “You didn't see how she could recover deleted surveillance footage. Plus, with that demeanor, she's definitely not ordinary. Moreover, her status is her best protection.”

“So, in your opinion, should we call off tonight's operation?” The subordinate felt it was a shame, given the time they had spent planning.

“Let's wait for news from the other side. If that man is taken care of, even if Eunice is prepared, we will have nothing to fear.”

Arabella listened intently. Who was 'that man'? Her grandfather? Or her uncle?