The Duke's Ire

Thursday, May 30, 1889
Baron Greenwood's Office
The Order Headquarters- Paris

“This file is quite complete,” The Duke sat in the office of Baron Greenwood, looking over a very detailed file about his daughter and her team.

The Duke, along with the others that had gone to London, had come back to Paris Wednesday night. It was now Thursday, and The Duke had made a visit to the Paris headquarters. He hadn't gotten practically in the door of the front building when Baron Greenwood had spotted him.

Of course, Duke Ellington could have just ignored the Baron or put him off but he was actually a little curious as to what the man wanted. He should have known it was nothing good.

Greenwood mistook the Duke's words as a compliment. He looked like the cat that ate the canary.

“I bet you're proud of yourself,” the Duke could tell. “But you might want to hold off on that smug look. You see I have met my daughter's team, they are all highly capable. What makes you think I would not disband that team myself if I didn't think my daughter was safe with them, or as safe as one can be with that kind of position. They are a good team.”

The Baron's face fell, “But, Your Grace… she ... your daughter…”

“Out with it Greenwood,” The Duke figured he knew what the man was going to say.

“She is too young, too inexperienced to run a team.” Greenwood spurted out.

The Duke's usual calm demeanor was fading quickly. “Are you questioning my decision? Do you not think that I made sure my daughter trained for this position for years, even before she knew about The Order? Do you question my judgment on such matters?”

“That's not, I didn't..”

The Duke put up his hand cutting off Greenwood. “May I remind you it was my “inexperienced” daughter and her team, how did you put it?” He looked at the folder. “Rag-Tag team, that got further in the investigation against Lemaire and The Children of The Sea than any team before them. As I understand it, you did not even know about the Children before their investigation.”

The Baron couldn't say that The Duke was incorrect so he said nothing.

“Baron, I have never known you to have nothing to say.” The Duke leaned over the Baron's desk. He didn't raise his voice, instead it sounded icy, one that told the listener to be cautious of what they said in return. “Stop targeting my daughter and her team.” The Duke backed up. “Being you seem to have enough time to do this,” he picked up the folder. “I want updated files on all of your teams. You have one month.”

“But some of the teams are traveling.” The Baron responded.

“One month,” The Duke stood up, he still held the file. “I will keep this one, but I want a new, accurate one on my daughter's team as well. I believe that is all.”

The Baron had stood, he bowed to the Duke, then Duke Ellington left the office. That had not gone the way the Baron had wanted.