Camilla stared at Ned in horror, hoping he'd only said that as dark jest. But he just looked back at her calmly.
"W-why…why would he do something so beastly?" she finally stammered, nausea roiling in her belly.
"Why else? To keep them quiet, of course. Powerful men keep powerful secrets." Ned fiddled with the silver buttons on his cuff. "Haven't you ever wanted your secrets kept?"
"Not to the degree that I'd remove someone's tongue for it!" Camilla shuddered, then sat up straight. "Wait! One of the maids spoke to me this morning. A black haired girl who often attends the marchioness."
"That means she's only been employed here for a few months at the very most. It was early last autumn when Father ordered that all the servants were to lose the privilege of speech."
"What happened last autumn to make your father do this?" Camilla asked nervously.
