The death of the Duke went without announcement.
No bells rang. No messengers rode through the streets. No priest was summoned to announce the passing of one of Spain's most powerful nobles.
Luis María made sure of that.
He kept the news buried within the walls of the Lerma estate, allowing only a handful of trusted servants to know the truth. Even among them, silence was enforced through fear.
There was too much at stake.
If word spread too soon, the Crown would intervene, creditors would appear like vultures, and distant relatives would suddenly remember their blood ties to the House of Lerma. Luis María needed time—time to seize control of his father's accounts, estates, and influence before anyone could challenge him.
But money and titles were not his only concern.
His brother.
