7: Beyond A Reasonable Doubt?

Lord Livingstone was also quite surprised when he heard Carra's words. He always thought that the fire was an accident. So why did someone deliberately committed arson in Carra's Courtyard? He looked at Carra suspiciously and said, "Carra, this is a serious accusations. Do you have anything in support of this?"

"Yes, father." Carra nodded and said. "Yesterday, I went to the yard to pack what remains of my things, and found something by accident. Something which proves that the fire was not an accident, but a deliberate one."

"Sister Celia, are you representing our old lady?" Lord Livingstone looked at Sister Celia and asked. After receiving confirmation nod, Lord Livingstone continued. "Since the old lady sent Sister Celia over, I have to believe you. With our great lady's support, you can show your evidence. If it is true, then I will act justifiably on your behalf."

"Thank you, father." After Carra thanked him, she turned and signaled Nella who called out to the group of people standing just below them. "Lancelot, come out."

There was no sound below. But after a long while, a man in his thirties limped out. The man was of medium build and looked very ordinary and honest, not like a treacherous person. 

Carra was a little surprised by this pretentious act.

The man greeted everyone and said with a trembling voice. "Little Lancelot pays respect to the master, the lady, and the young ladies."

It looked and sounded casual much to Carra's irritation. She looked at the man with cold eyes, and said sharply. "Lancelot, are you ready to confess?"

Lancelot shook all over, knelt on the ground with a plopping sound, and said repeatedly. "Miss, little... this little one doesn't know what crime he has committed. Please miss, what crime have I committed to deserve this?"

Carra sneered, "I ask you, where were you on the day of the fire?"

Lancelot replied. "This little...this little one slept in the room that day, and only woke up after hearing the noise. So I rushed outside to help with the fire."

"Really?" Carra said, "So, you have never been near the courtyard before the fire on that day, have you?"

"Never." Lancelot insisted.

Carra nodded and said calmly, "In that case, I found a few footprints outside the small courtyard yesterday. I too their imprints and preserved them. Nella, let him take off his shoes and place them on the preserved footprints to see if they are a match."

Nella came forward and took out a piece of white gauze with a large footprint on it. Lancelot froze for a while, seeing that there was no way to get out. He knew he had to take off his shoes and let the Nella compare.

"Miss, the size is exactly the same." Nella reported to Carra with a loud voice.

"Lancelot, how do you explain this?" Carra asked.

"How can a footprint on the gauze prove that this is my footprint, eldest lady. My lord, I'm being wronged here. I never did what I'm being accused of." Lancelot desperately knocked his head on the floor, and soon drew out blood on his forehead.

With a sigh of relief, several timid maids and aunts turned their heads, not daring to look at the bloody man again. The others on the side were also murmuring in disapproval. Many people did not believe that Lancelot, who was usually honest and friendly, would do such a thing.

Carra's expression remained unchanged. She took a piece of bamboo pipe from Nella's hand, looked at it thoughtfully and said in a calm tone. "Lancelot, you don't have to act like this. Can you recognize this piece of bamboo pipe? This was just found in your room. Yes, there are still some white powder left in it. I have already asked the physician to examine it. The white powder I found on the windowsill of my small courtyard is the same as of this scented incense. How do you explain this?"

Lancelot looked up at the small bamboo tube in Carra's hand, and collapsed on the ground with a sad expression, regretting his life in his heart. He knew what he should have done before now. He should have thrown this bamboo tube away. He could only blame myself for being careless.

It hadn't been long since he came to the castle, and he really couldn't understand how he got it wrong. Everyone said that this eldest lady was stupid and foolish, but she was so shrewd at the first sight today. *Where did it all go wrong?*

Lord Livingstone saw Lancelot collapse on the ground and had nothing to say. One of his chefs had clearly admitted trying to murder his eldest daughter. Whether he liked her daughter or not, this was unacceptable. He became furious. A human servant actually dared to set fire in a Machan courtyard? Death was the only outcome, but why? What happened to the relationship between house of Copperstone and the humans? He asked angrily. "You dog servant, why did you set fire to murder my daughter's chamber? Why did you want to kill my daughter?"

Lancelot just sprawled on the floor, desperately begging for mercy in a loud voice. "I beg my lord for mercy, I beg my lord for mercy..."