Elias Blackwood stepped out of Whitlock Manor, his mind racing with the information he had just received. The Earl's account of Elara's disappearance had raised more questions than answers, and Elias was determined to get to the bottom of it.

He walked down the driveway, lost in thought, when he suddenly heard a voice calling his name. He turned around and saw a young woman running towards him. She was dressed in a simple black dress, and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Elias recognized her as Elara's friend, Lily.

'Lily?' he said, surprised.

'Oh, Elias, I'm so glad I caught you,' she said, breathless. 'I need to talk to you.'

Elias led her to a bench at the edge of the driveway and sat down. Lily sat beside him, her hands twisting in her lap.

'What's wrong?' Elias asked.

'It's about Elara,' Lily said. 'I... I don't think she ran away.'

Elias raised an eyebrow. 'What makes you say that?'

Lily took a deep breath. 'The night of the party, I saw something,' she said. 'Something that I didn't tell anyone about.'

Elias leaned forward, his interest piqued. 'What did you see?'

Lily looked around, as if making sure no one was listening. 'I saw Elara's brother, Adrian,' she said. 'He was arguing with someone in the garden.'

Elias frowned. 'Adrian? What were they arguing about?'

Lily shook her head. 'I don't know,' she said. 'I was too far away to hear. But... it looked like they were arguing about Elara.'

Elias's mind was racing. Could Adrian have something to do with Elara's disappearance? He had seemed so sincere when he spoke to Elias earlier.

'Are you sure it was Adrian?' he asked.

Lily nodded. 'I'm sure,' she said. 'I know him well. And... there was something else.'

Elias waited for her to continue.

'After the argument, I saw Adrian go back into the house,' Lily said. 'And then... a few minutes later, I saw Elara leave.'

Elias's heart skipped a beat. 'You saw Elara leave?'

Lily nodded. 'Yes,' she said. 'She was wearing a long coat, and she had a bag over her shoulder. She looked... like she was in a hurry.'

Elias stood up, his mind made up. He needed to talk to Adrian again.

'Thank you, Lily,' he said. 'You've been very helpful.'

Lily stood up as well. 'What are you going to do?' she asked.

Elias looked at her. 'I'm going to find out the truth,' he said.

He turned and walked back towards the manor, his steps determined.

***

Elias found Adrian in the library. He was sitting in a chair by the fireplace, a book in his lap.

'Adrian,' Elias said.

Adrian looked up, surprised. 'Mr. Blackwood,' he said. 'What can I do for you?'

Elias sat down in a chair across from him. 'I need to ask you a few more questions,' he said.

Adrian nodded. 'Of course,' he said.

Elias took a deep breath. 'Lily told me that she saw you arguing with someone in the garden on the night of the party,' he said.

Adrian's expression darkened. 'Lily?' he said. 'She's mistaken.'

Elias shook his head. 'I don't think so,' he said. 'She seemed very certain.'

Adrian sighed. 'Very well,' he said. 'I was arguing with... someone. But it had nothing to do with Elara.'

Elias raised an eyebrow. 'Who were you arguing with?'

Adrian hesitated for a moment, then spoke. 'It was... my father,' he said.

Elias's eyes widened in surprise. 'Your father?' he said.

Adrian nodded. 'We... had a disagreement,' he said. 'About Elara.'

Elias leaned forward. 'What kind of disagreement?'

Adrian took a deep breath. 'My father... he didn't approve of Elara,' he said. 'He thought she was too wild, too rebellious. He wanted to send her away.'

Elias's heart sank. Could this be the reason why Elara had disappeared?

'But I didn't agree with him,' Adrian continued. 'I told him that Elara was just a child, that she needed our support. We... argued about it for a while, and then... I left.'

Elias looked at Adrian for a moment, then spoke. 'Did Elara know about this?'

Adrian shook his head. 'No,' he said. 'I didn't tell her. I didn't want to worry her.'

Elias stood up, his mind racing. Could Elara have overheard the argument? Could she have run away because she thought her father was going to send her away?

'Adrian, I need to ask you one more thing,' he said.

Adrian looked up at him. 'What is it?'

Elias took a deep breath. 'Did you see Elara leave the house on the night of the party?'

Adrian's eyes widened in surprise. 'No,' he said. 'I... I didn't.'

Elias looked at him for a moment, then nodded. 'Thank you, Adrian,' he said.

He turned and walked out of the library, his mind made up. He needed to find out more about the Earl's plans for Elara.

***

Elias spent the next few days interviewing the servants and the other guests who had been at the party. He learned that the Earl had indeed been considering sending Elara away to boarding school, but that he had not made a final decision.

He also learned that Elara had been very close to her mother, and that her mother's death had had a profound impact on her. Some of the servants said that Elara had become withdrawn and moody after her mother's death, while others said that she had become more rebellious.

Elias was beginning to piece together a picture of Elara's life, but he still had no idea where she could be.

One evening, as he was sitting in his hotel room, he received a phone call from Lily.

'Lily?' he said, surprised.

'Oh, Elias, I'm so glad I found you,' she said. 'I... I have something to tell you.'

Elias's heart skipped a beat. 'What is it?'

Lily took a deep breath. 'I... I think I know where Elara is,' she said.

Elias's heart raced. 'Where?' he asked.

Lily hesitated for a moment, then spoke. 'There's a place... a place that Elara used to go when she was feeling sad or lonely,' she said. 'It's an old abandoned house on the edge of town. I... I think she might be there.'

Elias stood up, his mind made up. 'Thank you, Lily,' he said. 'I'll go there right away.'

He hung up the phone and grabbed his coat. A few minutes later, he was in his car, driving towards the edge of town.

The house was located on a dirt road, surrounded by trees. It looked dilapidated and abandoned, with broken windows and peeling paint.

Elias parked his car and got out. He walked up to the front door and pushed it open. The door creaked on its hinges, and Elias stepped inside.

The house was dark and musty, and Elias could hear the sound of rats scurrying in the walls. He walked through the foyer and into the living room. There, he saw a figure huddled in the corner.

'Elara?' he said.

The figure looked up, and Elias saw that it was indeed Elara. She was pale and thin, and her eyes were red from crying.

'Elara,' Elias said, relief washing over him. 'I've been looking for you.'

Elara stood up and ran towards him. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his chest.

'Elias,' she said, her voice muffled. 'I'm so glad you found me.'

Elias held her tightly, his heart breaking for her. 'What happened?' he asked.

Elara took a deep breath and pulled away from him. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with pain.

'I... I overheard my father and Adrian arguing about me,' she said. 'I heard my father say that he was going to send me away. And... I couldn't bear it.'

Elias nodded, his heart aching for her. 'So you ran away?' he asked.

Elara nodded. 'I didn't know where to go,' she said. 'I just... started walking. And then... I found this place.'

Elias looked around the room. It was a sad and lonely place, but he could see why Elara had been drawn to it.

'You don't have to be alone anymore,' he said. 'I'm here for you.'

Elara looked up at him, her eyes filled with hope. 'Really?' she asked.

Elias nodded. 'Really,' he said. 'I'll help you. We'll find a way to make things right.'

Elara smiled, and for the first time in a long time, Elias saw a glimmer of happiness in her eyes.

'Let's go home,' he said.

Elara nodded, and together, they walked out of the house and into the sunlight.