Catherine gasped. Nathaniel’s eyes widened.
The crowd shifted uneasily. Doubt flickered in their eyes.
Meanwhile Lance smirked at his stupidity.
Nicholas scoffed, stepping forward.
"The chief is right!"
"Think about it!" His voice rang through the hall. "Lance was a deserter! Where would he get this kind of money?"
Murmurs grew louder. Doubt spread like wildfire.
Nicholas continued, his voice sharp. "He came crawling back to this village because he could no longer fend for himself! And now, suddenly, he's throwing around wealth like it's nothing? The story doesn't add up!"
Catherine's face twisted with fury. "You dare trick me?! You made me beg like a fool!"
Her voice was shrill, laced with humiliation. "Lance Colton! How DARE you?!"
Lance's expression remained cold. "Your greed
