by C. J. Archer
He mounted and returned to the village green, nodding at Meg and her family as he passed.
Meg took my hand. "You look a little pale, Josie."
"I'm fine," I said.
"That idiot, Ivor. How dare he put you in that situation. He's very lucky it turned out the way it did, or I'd give him a piece of my mind."
"I'll have words with him," Lyle said, patting my shoulder.
"As will I," Mr. Diver said. "It was irresponsible. The Deerhorns are unpredictable and can't be reasoned with."
"Although you made a wonderful attempt, Josie," Mistress Diver said. "But next time, it's best if you bite your tongue. People like the Deerhorns don't want to be told the truth, and nothing will change, anyway."
"Not if we don't try," Meg said.
"Be sensible, child. Putting your neck out only gets your head lopped off. It's foolish to try and change something that can't be changed. It'll only put a target on your forehead."
Meg shook her head and increased her pace. I walked faster to catch up to her, as did Lyle.
"Everyone thinks you were so brave," he said to me. "They're all impressed you told the governor and the Deerhorns what's what."
"It was foolish," I said. "Your mother is right. It's safer to say nothing."
"And let them get away with raising the rents?" Meg asked. "With turning the poorest people out of their homes and into the streets? No, Josie. You did the right thing. Someone has to tell them what they're doing is irresponsible—cruel, even." She hugged my arm. "I'm proud to call you my friend. And don't worry, no one in Mull will let anything bad happen to you. The Deerhorns wouldn't dare."
A cold knot formed in my stomach and tightened. Meg didn't know the Deerhorns like I did.
After a restless night, I managed to fall asleep a little before dawn, waking in the late morning when a visitor knocked. I threw a shawl around my shoulders and opened the door a crack. Dane stood there looking tired but well, thank Hailia. His horse was tied to the bollard. It was a good sign that he intended to come in.
Even so, he hesitated when I opened the door wider. "I have to get back," he hedged.
"You can spare some time for tea," I said. "I'll also cook eggs if you haven't eaten breakfast." Thankfully one of my patients had paid me only yesterday with the eggs laid by her hens.
"Eggs would be good," he said, stepping inside. "Did I wake you or do you always dress late?"
I smiled, relieved to see his mood wasn't too grave. "I'll put the tea on then change. I had trouble sleeping. You haven't slept at all, have you?"
He scrubbed a hand over his jaw, shadowed with stubble. "Is it that obvious?"
"Only to someone who knows you well."
He paused inside the kitchen door and looked surprised at the thought. Then he unfastened his sword belt and leaned the sword against the wall. "Are Dora and Remy still here?"
"They must have gone out. There's no one home but me."
I indicated he should sit then checked the contents of the pot hanging over the fire. There was enough mildwood tea for both of us, left over from my attempt to calm my racing heart during the night. It only required warming.
"Have any of your men slept?" I asked, stoking the coals. "Or was there too much to do?"
"It was a busy night. It's better now, calmer. The guards' shift changed not long ago and fresh replacements are on duty."
"Why didn't you return to the palace with the last shift?"
"I'm needed in the village."
I wondered if the king agreed with that. "So this is your time off?"
He cast me a weary smile. "It was either here or the beach, but I thought I'd have a better chance of tea here."
I smiled back. "And eggs." I fetched the eggs from the larder, carrying them in two hands. My shawl slipped, dragging my nightdress with it, revealing my bare shoulder.
Dane's gaze warmed. He shifted in the chair and swallowed.
I set the eggs down carefully on the table near him. When I looked up, he was still staring. A slight flush colored his cheeks, and I felt my own face heat.
I was torn between wanting to encourage him to kiss the bare skin of my shoulder, and wanting to help him be the honorable man he was trying to be. In the end, he decided. He looked away.
I fixed my nightdress and shawl. "I'll change before I make breakfast."
When I returned to the kitchen, I thought he was asleep. He sat in the same chair, his eyes closed, but opened them when I entered.
I unhooked the pot and poured the tea into two cups. "What was it like, last night, in The Row?" I asked, passing him a cup.
"There were pockets of trouble. They're angry about the governor and Deerhorns' plans for their homes, and they voiced those concerns to us. Loudly."
"Violently?"
He paused. "There were some fights between the Mull and Vytill factions, but it's possible that was left over from the murder. The two sides still hate each other, just as much as they hate the sheriff, the governor, the Deerhorns and everyone else they think is against them."
"Dora described it as a cooking pot with a lot of ingredients thrown together, and the fire blazing beneath."
"The governor and Deerhorns are throwing on more fuel." He shook his head. "Sheriff Neerim and I tried to warn the governor but they went ahead with the meeting anyway."
"It was irresponsible of them to announce their plans now when the tensions were already high in The Row after the murder," I said, settling the pan over the coals.
"Irresponsible, yes, but clever, in a way. Now they can pretend they're ridding the village of gangs, dispersing the two warring factions, weakening them." He rubbed his hand through his hair and gave another shake of his head. "But it will only force them onto the other streets of Mull where good people live."
I cracked an egg into the pan. "The Deerhorns don't care, but the governor should."
"I don't think he has a choice. He's their man and they know what they're doing. They know they can quickly build poor quality housing, and charge high rents."
I cracked another egg and watched it slide into the pan then cracked another four. "The villagers won't let them get away with their scheme. The Deerhorns don't control this village, although they like to think they do."
"You expect trouble?" he asked.
"I'm sure there will be secret meetings held in the village over the next few days, discussing the good and bad of the idea. I suspect they'll all reach the same conclusion we have—that there will continue to be fights, no matter where the gangs are, and the poorest need to be housed or they'll be on the street."
"Your speech last night opened a few eyes to their plight," he said with a tilt of his lips.
"It was hardly a speech. Just a few choice words to remind them there are others less fortunate. "
I watched the eggs cook rather than look at Dane. Seeing him smile like that lifted my spirits a little too high. I'd begun to think I'd been foolish to speak up at the meeting, but he made me feel as though my opinion mattered. Being this close to him, alone, and knowing what he thought, only made me want to sit on his lap and throw my arms around him.
"There's bread and cheese in the larder," I said briskly.
He disappeared into the larder, returning with half a loaf of bread and a small wedge of cheese. "The timing couldn't be worse," he said. "There is tension at the palace too."
"And the king allows you to be here?"
"He isn't aware of it. The servants are talking about magic and the gem, but only among themselves, and no one dares gossip about Lady Morgave in front of him."
I slid some of the eggs onto a plate and handed it to him before joining him at the table with the remainder. "What are the servants saying?"
"They're wondering if the king used magic on them." He sliced off two pieces of bread and offered me one, then cut slices of cheese.
"Are they angry?" I asked, watching him.
He placed two of the fried eggs and two slices of cheese between
the bread. "Not yet, but they will be, if Brant keeps stirring them up."
"So he'll be spending a lot of time on duty in the village?"
"You do know me well."
I watched him bite into his breakfast. He closed his eyes, apparently enjoying the taste. "That looks interesting," I said.
He frowned then studied his food. "You've never tried it like this before?"
"I've never put cheese and egg together with bread. I thought you'd just eat it all separately. Have you always eaten it like that? I mean, ever since you can remember?"
He nodded and took another bite.
We finished our breakfast in silence but neither of us made a move to get up from the table. He seemed in no hurry to finish his tea, and I was in no hurry to see him go.
"Speaking of Brant," I finally said, "I saw him as I left the palace the other day. He and Lord Barborough shared a look, just as Barborough was asking me about the gemstone."
"When were you going to tell me you spoke to Barborough?"
"Don't look so cross. This is the first opportunity I've had to inform you."
His frown deepened.
"I think Brant told Barborough about the gem," I went on. "Perhaps Brant was asking him if he knew something about it, in his capacity as magic expert."
"The fool," Dane muttered into his mug. He sipped then added, "Speaking of Barborough, you need to be prepared for a visit from him. His time here is running out. He'll get more desperate for answers."
"Is the king sending him home?"
"Probably. The king and Lady Morgrave get closer by the day. They don't bother to hide their affection for one another since she became a widow. She sent the body home and decided to stay at the palace. A wise choice, considering the fickle nature of the king."
"Is she encouraging him to send the Vytill and Dreen representatives away?"
"It seems so. The king tells his ministers and the lords that he hasn't decided on a wife yet, but in private to Balthazar, Theodore and myself, he's talking about Lady Morgrave becoming queen."
"The lords and ministers aren't stupid," I said. "If the king is more affectionate with his mistress in public, surely they'll realize which way he'll jump."
"They're aware, as are both foreign representatives. The Dreen lord is worried and Barborough is furious, but I'm not sure if that's because he doesn't want to fail his king or because he hasn't solved the mystery of the palace yet."
I suspected the latter. Magic seemed to be all Barborough cared about.
"I'm also sure it was he who started the rumor that Lord Morgrave was murdered," Dane went on. "Although the king hasn't heard it yet."
I gasped. "Has my name been mentioned in connection with the rumor?"
"No." He leaned forward and touched my arm. "You have nothing to fear there, Josie. My men are the only ones who heard what you said, aside from Doctor Clegg, and they've been sworn to secrecy."
I smiled weakly. "I suppose they fear you enough not to cross you."
He withdrew his hand, and I felt awful for suggesting he'd use violence against his own men. I'd meant it as a joke, but it was too close to the truth.
I cleared my throat. "More tea?"
He held out his cup. "Thanks."
I poured the tea and handed back the cup. "Thank you for the company," I said. "It's nice. I hope you found it a good alternative to the beach."
"I do." He accepted the cup. "But you have company now, with Dora and Remy. What's it like with a child in the house?"
"I've hardly been here at the same time as them. I wonder where they've gone today."
"Hopefully to forage for food. Your larder contains mostly medicines."
"I have eggs, cheese and bread," I protested.
He looked at the crumbs on his plate then fished out some coins from his pocket. "Take it," he urged when I refused. "If you don't, I'll never come back, not even for tea."
I took the ells. "Will Balthazar want it accounted for?"
"He gave all the other guards enough money to buy food during our shift. So it's only right I give it to you." He smiled. "He's very strict, not to mention thorough. Not an ell goes unaccounted for. Theodore and I think he had something to do with money in his former life. Perhaps a lender or merchant."
"I'm convinced he was a smuggler," I said, lightly. "He's good with codes and money, and he's very organized. He's not so good with people, though."
"I can't imagine him fleeing very quickly from the authorities."
We laughed. It felt good to laugh with Dane, especially after the tensions of the meeting and the tension between us. It gave me hope that we could manage friendship without needing anything more. Until desire flared again.
There was a knock on the door, and I went to answer it. I was about to tell Dora that she didn't need to knock while she lived here, but it wasn't her or Remy. It was one of my patients, complaining of a pain in her belly. I led her to my father's workshop and checked her before sending her off with nothing more than a smile and reassurance that all was well.
I returned to the kitchen to see Dane sitting exactly where I'd left him, his arms crossed over his chest and head bowed. Dark hair fell across his forehead, and his eyes were closed. He breathed deeply and evenly.
I resisted the urge to kiss the top of his head, and left again so he could sleep in peace.
Considering the tensions in the village, it was a surprise to see Kitty and Miranda on my doorstep the following day. It seemed Kitty had made her own way from the carriage to the house without the coachman carrying her over the dirt as he had on her previous visit. She also wore sensible brown shoes. This was a planned visit then, and Miranda hadn't tricked her.
"Come in," I said, stepping aside.
Kitty, being the higher ranked of the two, should enter first, but she hesitated and glanced up and down the street. Miranda gave her a little push.
"I thought it was supposed to be dangerous in the village," Kitty said, stepping inside. "But it's very quiet."
"The presence of the guards and sheriff's men are keeping things calm," I said. I decided not to tell her about the meetings, the angry residents, and the regular fights breaking out in The Row between the two factions. I didn't want to worry her. "If you thought it was going to be dangerous, why did you come?"
"To see you, of course." Miranda paused in the kitchen doorway upon seeing Remy and Dora. "Oh. Good morning."
Dora looked up from the pot she was stirring over the fire and hastily performed a curtsy. "Bow to the ladies, Remy."
Remy grinned and bowed deeply.
"How adorable," Kitty cooed. "What a charming young man. Is he a relative, Josie?"
I made the introductions. Upon hearing their titles, Dora found an excuse to leave and she hustled Remy out, despite his protests.
Kitty frowned. "What did we say to upset her?"
"Nothing," I assured her. "You make her nervous. Come and sit down. Would you like tea?" I inspected the contents of the pot Dora had been stirring. It smelled delicious with the extra herbs she'd gathered the day before steeping nicely.
"We can't stay long," Miranda said. "My parents and Kitty's husband think we're riding around the estate. We've been forbidden from entering Mull after word reached the palace of the riot."
"It wasn't a riot," I said. "Just some fights restricted to The Row."
"Tea would be lovely," Kitty said, taking a seat at the table. "I don't have to leave in a hurry. Miranda is just being polite, but the truth is, my husband doesn't care where I am these days." She stared down at her gloved hands in her lap. "He doesn't care about me at all."
Miranda touched her shoulder and cast me a grim look. "I'm sure that's not true, Kitty," she said. "He loves you dearly. He hovers over you and likes to show you off."
"He used to," Kitty mumbled. "Not anymore."
Miranda sighed and sat too. "He has been very busy lately, and he has a lot on his mind since the death of Lord Morgrave."
Kitty sniffed and
did not look up. I doubted she was upset by Morgrave's death, nor the affect it had on her husband's plans. Something else bothered her.
I poured tea into cups and passed them around. "Whatever the reason, I'm glad you both came. I enjoy your company."
Kitty gave me a wan smile. "You are a dear, Josie. We have come for a reason, as it happens. Tell her, Miranda. I'll only get it muddled if I try."
Miranda daintily set down the cup and regarded me with her earnest blue-gray eyes. "We overheard Lord Barborough from Vytill talking to both the dukes." She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "About magic."
My fingers tightened around the cup. "What specifically did he say?"
"That the king used magic to create the palace. That he shouldn't be on the throne because he used magic to trick King Alain into believing he had an heir."
"Shocking, isn't it?" Kitty whispered. "I mean, Miranda and I wondered if magic created the palace, but we'd never go so far as to suggest the king isn't the heir."
"As the Vytill king's representative, Lord Barborough must feel safe," Miranda said. "Or he wouldn't have suggested such a thing."
Or he knew his audience well enough to know they wouldn't reveal what he said. "He also knows he has limited time left here," I added, recalling what Dane had told me only yesterday. "With Lady Morgrave now free to marry the king, he must know he'll be sent back to Vytill soon."
Miranda and Kitty nodded gravely.
I was reminded of Lord Xavier's request for me to spy on the Duke of Gladstow for him. This was precisely the sort of information he wanted me to find out from Kitty. Thankfully his mother had stepped in, and they no longer thought it important to spy on the dukes now that Lady Morgrave was likely to become queen. Still, it worried me that I was in possession of the information. What if Lord Xavier defied his mother and decided he wanted me to spy, after all?
"How did you overhear their meeting?" I asked.
"Miranda was helping me choose an outfit for riding," Kitty said. "We were in the wardrobe when we heard voices in the bedchamber. It was such an odd place to hear men speaking that we decided not to reveal ourselves."
"People only meet in bedchambers for utmost privacy," Miranda said. "No other room in the palace is entirely safe."