by C. J. Archer
He’d done it for me. It was his way of protecting me, now and in the future, long after Balthazar himself was gone.
Dane lowered his arms to his sides and stared at me, mouth open, just as Meg and Max had done.
“He’s mad,” Max said with a shake of his head. “He could have been killed.”
Meg took his hand. “I don’t think death worried Bal as much as having the Deerhorns free did. He saw it as the only way to remove them without their deaths being on anyone’s conscience.”
“He’s still alive, and I will do everything I can to make sure he stays alive,” I said.
“Will you call Doctor Ashmole?” Max asked.
I bit the inside of my cheek. “I should…”
“Why?” Meg asked. “You’re as good as he is. Better, perhaps. I’ve seen you tend to knife wounds many times before. Doctor Ashmole can do nothing more.”
“But it’s the protocol. I wouldn’t want to give him ammunition to use against me. If he or Mistress Ashmole complain to the sheriff, he will have to arrest me, and Dane shouldn’t interfere. The republic is too new to test his position. I know the wish dictates that the lords and advisors have to agree with his desires, but this a matter for the sheriff, and he’s not under the spell.”
Meg gave me a sly smile. “Don’t worry about the sheriff.”
I frowned. “Why not?”
Meg simply continued to give me that maddening smile.
Max put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. “My wife-to-be spoke to the sheriff this morning, before we heard about this incident. She reminded him that the governor has been forced to resign and the Deerhorns’ influence has been severely curtailed, thanks to the duchess of Gladstow’s reappearance and Dane becoming leader. She convinced him that the Deerhorns are no longer in favor and are in danger of having their power diminished even further.”
“How prophetic that turned out to be,” I said.
“I don’t think you need to worry about the sheriff,” Max said with a hint of pride in his voice. “He won’t support the losing side.”
Meg smiled up at him and accepted his light kiss. “Do you think it’ll be all right if we sit with Bal for a while?” she asked me. “Perhaps Theodore can have a rest.”
“You could ask him, but he hasn’t left Bal’s side yet. I’m sure he’d like some company, though.”
I remained outside with Dane as Meg and Max disappeared into the room. Once the door closed, Dane gathered me in his arms and kissed me thoroughly. It was just the tonic I needed after the emotional day.
We broke apart when someone behind me cleared their throat. Five servants stood there, all of them leaders of their respective departments. I recognized the bad-tempered cook, and Wes the head keeper of the menagerie. Behind them stood Lewis the head gardener, as well as the grand equerry, the grand huntsman, and the grand forester.
“Miss Cully.” Wes cleared his throat again. “Is he… Will he…?”
“It’s too soon to tell,” I said. “He’s resting peacefully now.”
“Can we see him?”
I hesitated. “He needs to rest. I’ll send someone to fetch you when he wakes.”
They nodded, glanced at Dane, and shuffled off.
Dane and I slipped inside. We sat with Balthazar until the Mothers’ Milk wore off and he awoke. He tried to sit up, but Theodore gently forbade him.
“You should lie as still as possible,” I told him. “Doctor’s orders.”
“Ashmole’s?” he rasped.
“Mine.”
Theodore helped him sip from a cup and plumped up the pillows, earning a glare from the patient.
“Stop fussing,” Balthazar grumbled.
Max grinned. “You’re feeling better already.”
“I feel like I’ve been stabbed in the stomach. It hurts.”
“Now you sound like Quentin.” Max clasped Balthazar’s shoulder and his smile softened. “We’re glad to hear your complaints, my friend.”
Balthazar returned the smile. “I’m glad to be voicing them.”
“You did a stupid thing,” Meg admonished him. “You could have informed someone of your plan.”
“You wouldn’t have let me go through with it.”
There was no denying the truth of that, so nobody tried.
“Next time, make sure you’re armed,” Dane said. “And don’t drag Josie into it.”
“She wasn’t supposed to be there. And I wasn’t expecting them to draw some of my guards away by releasing the prisoners.”
“It was a neat way to distract us.” I leaned forward and kissed his forehead. “You did a fine thing today.”
“Debatable,” Dane said, arms crossed.
“You would have done the same thing,” I shot back.
He scowled but conceded the point with a nod. “So am I all powerful now?” he asked Balthazar, voice dripping with sarcasm.
“If having the nobles agree to your proposals is power, then yes,” Balthazar said. “Use it wisely. Josie, you must control him.”
“I can control myself,” Dane said. “I won’t ask them to agree to anything at all. I’ll merely make suggestions. Every proposal must be debated and voted upon fairly.”
“And if the Deerhorns are freed?”
A muscle in Dane’s jaw pulsed. “Except that. I’ll demand justice for their crimes.”
Balthazar reached out a hand and Dane took it. “I trust you.”
“Just get better soon, and you can keep me in check yourself. You have three weeks. That’s when Josie and I are marrying.”
“Us too,” Meg piped up.
“I’ll be there, even if I have to be carried on a litter,” Balthazar said.
Theodore made his excuses and opened the door, only to pause. “Uh,” he said, turning to us. “There are some people out here who wish to speak to you, Bal. Can they come in, Josie?”
“Two at a time,” I said, rising. “And they can stop only briefly.” I stood at the head of the bed to keep an eye on proceedings and monitor Balthazar’s condition.
Dane, Meg and Max made their excuses and joined Theodore as he opened the door wider. Dozens of servants filled the corridor.
Theodore clapped his hands for attention. “Form a line, please. You two, in you go. Just say a few words then leave.”
I touched Balthazar’s shoulder. “It seems you have a few friends among the servants.”
He grunted good-naturedly. “Perhaps. Or perhaps they want to make sure I’ll live so they’ll get paid on time.”
I slept on a roll-out bed in Balthazar’s room that night. He rested peacefully, and the following morning, his pulse felt steady. He still looked deathly pale, and had difficulty lifting so much as a finger, but he ate everything I set before him.
I left him in Theodore’s capable hands mid-morning to report on his condition to Dane. I was waylaid several times by servants inquiring after Balthazar, but eventually found Dane in one of the salons in the king’s apartments. He was surrounded by noblemen and women, but they didn’t appear to be having a meeting. Rather, the discussions going on around him seemed informal, an air of cheeriness about them.
He saw me and broke away from the duke of Buxton. “How is he?”
“Better than I expected,” I said.
“And you?”
I smiled. “Also better than I expected. I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.”
He clasped my hand in his. “As do I. Everyone knows about the Deerhorns. We’re waiting for Lord Deerhorn to join us. He was informed last night of events and was summoned to the palace this morning. The dukes want to question him about his involvement in the attack.”
“And you?”
“I want to throw him in jail with his wife, but they told me he can’t be arrested if she acted alone.” He squeezed my hand. “As much as I want to, I won’t use the power granted to me from the wish to convince the nobles otherwise.”
“That’s very rest
rained of you.”
He grunted. “I think if I can restrain myself with this, I can restrain myself with anything.”
“You’re very strong,” I teased.
“You have no idea.”
All the conversations suddenly ceased as everyone turned to the door. Lord Deerhorn stood there, searching the faces, two guards flanking him. His gaze finally fell on Dane. He stiffened, lifted his chin, and bowed deeply. When he straightened, he approached. The guards moved with him, hands on sword hilts.
“My Lord Lockhart,” he began. “I want to apologize for my wife and son. I am deeply offended by their actions yesterday, but I want to assure you I had no idea what they planned. If I did, I would have stopped them from doing something so utterly foolish.”
“Foolish?” the duke of Buxton asked.
“Despicable,” Lord Deerhorn spluttered. “Detestable. Nasty and vile.” His face grew redder as he spat out each word. “It’s my deepest regret that I didn’t know what they were up to.”
“How could you not?” one of the nobles asked. “You’re the head of the family.”
Lord Deerhorn swallowed heavily. “I admit that I should have controlled my wife. I am sorry that I could not. She has never been a dutiful, agreeable wife. She has always been willful and, sadly, my eldest son grew up in her image. I should have taken him in hand earlier and steered him away from his mother’s viciousness.” He finished with another swallow and carefully watched Dane’s reaction.
Dane stood with his hands at his back, looking every bit the king addressing an errant subject. I doubted he knew they all saw him as the king rather than an interim leader of the republic. If he did, he might try to appear less regal.
“I don’t expect you to control your wife,” Dane said. “She’s capable of making up her own mind, as is Lord Xavier. Both know right from wrong, yet they willfully chose to commit grave crimes for their own gain.”
Lord Deerhorn nodded quickly, making his jowls shake violently. “Yes, yes, they did. I don’t understand why they attacked the master of the palace. Perhaps they were mad. I’ve long suspected something was wrong with my son.” He tapped his temple. “And my wife encouraged his…excesses.”
“What I do expect is for you to follow the law and have common human decency,” Dane went on.
“Of course, of course. And I would humbly suggest that I always abide by the law.”
Dane arched his brows. “I could list a number of incidents where you have either directly or indirectly harmed the villagers of Mull.”
“Sir, those incidents were all my wife’s doing! She forced my hand! She was greedy, corrupt. You must believe me! My second son, Greville, and I are both innocent.” The rise of his voice made him sound small, weak, and afraid.
“I have no doubt that you were complicit in at least some of your wife’s endeavors, but without proof, I can’t accuse you officially. Consider yourself on notice, however. Don’t test me. Don’t do anything to draw my ire or I will see that Lord Greville inherits not a single brick or blade of grass on the Deerhorn estate. Is that clear?”
Lord Deerhorn bowed deeply again. “Yes, my lord. Thank you for your generosity and understanding.”
He rose and looked around at the stern faces of his peers. None would side with him now. Even the duke of Gladstow turned up his nose at his former father-in-law.
“You’re still a nobleman of Glancia and have every right to attend meetings,” Dane said. “We’re about to have one now, to discuss the future of the republic. You’re welcome to stay and discuss the proposals.”
Lord Deerhorn suddenly grasped Dane’s hand and kissed the back of it.
Dane snatched his hand away. “Don’t do that. I’m not king.” He signaled for the noblemen to make their way to the council meeting room so they could begin.
Once they were gone and we were alone, he turned to me. “Should we trust him?” he asked.
“We have no choice,” I said. “But I do think he’ll try to stay on your good side, if only for Lord Greville’s sake.”
He kissed the top of my head. “I’d better join them. Meet me later?”
“I’ll be in Bal’s room.”
“Be dressed for a ride into the village.”
“Why?”
“To go to the temple and officially give notice of our pending nuptials.”
“Don’t cut the meeting short if it’s going well. We can go to the temple another day.”
“The republic can wait. Our wedding is more important.”
“Try telling the nobles that.”
He tilted his head to the side and eyed the door through which they’d gone. “Challenge accepted.” He kissed my forehead again then headed off in the direction of the council meeting room.
Chapter 17
Our wedding was not a quiet or small affair. We decided to conduct it in the palace gardens after Theodore warned us that all the servants wanted to attend, and Meg said many villagers planned to as well. I’d worried that the noblemen and women wouldn’t like having their accommodations overrun by commoners, but Dane convinced me otherwise.
“The garden is large enough for everyone,” he said in the days leading up to the ceremony. We stood on the steps overlooking the formal hedges and paths that stretched to Lake Grand, sparkling in the distance. It was the perfect spot for our wedding. I couldn’t imagine it being anywhere else. The palace was such an integral part of the fabric of our relationship. “Besides, the palace doesn’t belong to them,” Dane added.
“Who does it belong to now?” I asked.
“The republic of Glancia. It’ll be used by advisors, ministers and their staff. Foreign delegations will stay here, and high-ranking nobles during meetings. There’ll be public theatricals and musical evenings, fairs and other events that all Glancians can attend. The forests will be reopened for controlled hunting and foraging, and the menagerie and orangery will be used for the study of zoology and botany.” He touched his fingers to mine. “One of the pavilions will be dedicated to the study of medicine, surgery and midwifery. Anyone with a serious interest in any of those endeavors will be welcome to attend, not just those trained in the Logios surgeon’s college.”
“Women?”
“It would be strange not to allow women when one is overseeing it.”
I frowned.
“Will you do it, Josie?”
“Me?” I blurted out. I laughed but he didn’t join in. “Is that wise, Dane? Some doctors will be upset that an uneducated female is in charge.”
“You’re not uneducated. Besides, if anyone complains, they can leave. I suspect Doctor Ashmole will stay away.”
“Even if he wanted to, he’d be too busy with his new practice in Tilting,” I said.
On the evening Meg had been chosen as the newest village councilor, mere days before our wedding, Doctor Ashmole announced his intention to leave Mull just as soon as a new doctor arrived. No one asked him to stay. Meg said she would put forward a proposal at the first council meeting to have my fine overturned so that the cottage could be returned to me, but I declined the offer.
“Give it to a family in need when the Ashmoles move to Tilting,” I said. “My home is with Dane, and for the next two years his home is the palace.”
“Poor you,” Meg had teased.
I wasn’t inclined to consider the palace a good place to live, however. Only our private apartments were truly private. Everywhere else was open to nobles and officials. I would concede that our rooms were very comfortable, and the space was many times larger than my old cottage. It would also be nice not to have to do domestic chores, the bane of my existence. I could concentrate on teaching Mistress Swinson the science of midwifery so that she could take over from me, as well as see to the conversion of the pavilion into a medical school.
But all of that would come after the wedding.
The day dawned overcast but I saw little of the morning. I was too busy being dressed, coiffed, and primped by various maids in
the apartments that had been reserved for the queen that never was.
“Do a twirl,” Miranda said, making little circles with her finger.
I did as asked and received sighs of appreciation.
“You look beautiful,” Meg said. She came in to hug me, but was warned away by Kitty.
“Don’t ruin her hair!” Kitty cried.
“That dress is perfect,” Meg went on. “Theodore, you have excellent taste.”
Theodore bowed. He had re-entered the dressing room after I’d put on the gown and fussed over it until it was just right. His critical eye spotted a loose gold thread on the train which he mended with deft fingers, but otherwise, it was indeed perfect.
The cool season meant a light, summery gown wouldn’t be suitable, so we’d chosen the highest quality silk in frost-white from the draper. Theodore spent an entire week sewing it into a figure-hugging shape with long sleeves. A second over-sleeve kept my upper arms warm then fell away from the elbow. Theodore had spent the next two weeks overseeing three village dressmakers as they embroidered an elaborate gold vine pattern interspersed with seed pearls on the sleeves, the high collar and the train. He’d sewn on the horizontal gold military-style braids across the bodice himself and presented me with a wide gold belt in delicate filigree that morning to finish off the outfit.
“I found it in Leon’s wardrobe,” he admitted. “I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. If it weren’t for him finding that gem and wishing to be a rich king, we wouldn’t be here today.” I studied myself in the looking glass and spared a thought for the selfish, immature Leon who’d asked for more than he could handle. Then I dismissed him. Today was for happier thoughts.
“I adore weddings,” Kitty exclaimed, clasping her hands together as she studied me. “I can’t wait for yours, Meg.”
“I’m so glad I delayed it a week,” Meg said as she inspected her hair in the looking glass. Not once had she self-consciously touched the birthmark nor tried to cover it up with powder.