Chapter 10
Chapter
Ten
It took more effort than normal for Alina to find her usual cheerfulness before emerging for breakfast the following morning.
Neither she nor Xavier made any reference to the unexpectedly intense conversation of the night before, but she had the sense that she wasn’t the only one who’d found sleep elusive.
They spent several hours in the morning speaking to other supposed witnesses.
No new information appeared, and Alina was less convinced than ever that the investigation had any need of her help.
From the way Captain Mitchell’s eyes rested on her anytime Xavier spoke to her between interviews, she suspected he was having much the same thoughts.
When she learned that the afternoon was to be spent examining the location where the missing girl was last seen, she quietly asked Captain Mitchell if she could be excused. She was relieved when he gave her permission, and she didn’t mention the matter to Xavier.
Her plan was to visit her aunt, since the larger city where the family lived was only about half an hour’s ride away.
When she’d risen from lunch, however, she found herself unsure how to proceed.
Ordinarily, she wouldn’t have hesitated to beg a ride of a stranger, or even walk such a distance.
But traveling alone would be foolhardy now.
She had no desire to be reckless with her safety.
One of the prince’s guards had wandered out of the inn just behind her, and she turned to him.
“Excuse me,” she said, and he instantly gave her his attention. She eyed the sword strapped to his side. “I’m probably not supposed to ask, but is there any chance you’d be willing to accompany me to a town a half-hour’s ride away?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Yes?” Alina stared at him. “I mean, thank you,” she amended, seeing his eyebrow rise. “I’m just surprised you can be spared from your regular duties.”
“You are my regular duties,” the man said blandly.
“What?”
“I’ve been instructed to accompany you wherever you go, miss. For your protection.”
Alina frowned, thinking of Captain Mitchell’s obvious skepticism about her inclusion in the group. For her protection, was it? Well, what did it matter if the captain wanted to keep an eye on her? She had nothing to hide. And as it happened, she actually did want protection.
The ride to the city was spent in silence, which, if not quite companionable, at least wasn’t uncomfortable. The escort of a royal guard made Alina feel more confident that she was allowed to borrow her horse for the trip, so that was something.
Although it took only half an hour to reach the city, given it was much larger than Alton, another quarter of an hour elapsed before they approached the family’s home.
Alina let herself into the yard of the large house, feeling a little awkward when the guard followed her. He helpfully took her horse’s reins, however, allowing her to approach the front door alone.
It was her eldest cousin who answered her knock, looking surprised to see her.
“Hello, Tom,” she said warmly. “Are you doing well?”
“Of course,” he said, giving her a hug. “And you? What brings you here, Alina?”
“I was in Alton,” she said. “So I thought I’d come and say hello to you all.”
“Have you moved to Alton?” His gaze passed curiously to the yard behind her, eyes widening slightly as he caught sight of the royal guard in uniform, holding both horses. “Who’s that?”
“No, I haven’t moved,” Alina said. “And that’s…well, can we come in? I’ll explain inside.”
Tom nodded, his eyes still on the guard. He called for his little brother to come take the horses, obviously not wanting to miss the action himself. The guard surprised Alina, though, by declining to come inside.
Alina followed her cousin into the kitchen, but he’d barely offered her something to eat when they heard the front door open, and her aunt hurried in.
“Tom?” Her voice came ahead of her. “Why is there a—Alina!” She stopped in surprise when she saw her niece. “You shouldn’t be here, sweetheart, there’s a royal guard out there.”
“I know, Aunt Diana.” Alina rose to embrace her aunt. “He came with me. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”
She searched her aunt’s face, wondering why the other woman didn’t relax. Alina could understand nervousness at a royal guard showing up at your front doorstep. But Aunt Diana didn’t seem reassured to hear that the guard wasn’t there in search of the family.
“He came with you?”
“That’s right,” Alina said with a nod. “Just because it’s not safe to travel alone right now. The crown has sent an investigative team to look into these disappearances. They started in my town, and enlisted me to help.”
“You?” her aunt demanded. “Why you?”
Alina shrugged, uncomfortable. Her family didn’t know her history with the prince, and she intended to keep it that way.
“I was available, and I know people both in my own town and here. I don’t think I’m much use, though.”
“That’s for the best,” her aunt said firmly. “Alina, you should stop. It doesn’t matter what you agreed to. They can’t make you do anything. Don’t let them exploit you.”
“No one’s exploiting me, Auntie,” Alina tried to explain. “They’re paying me—a ridiculous sum, really.”
“If someone’s offering you too much money to do something small, that’s all the more evidence they’re trying to manipulate you somehow,” the older woman said firmly. She nodded to her son. “Tom, keep an eye on the guard through the window. Make sure he’s not doing anything he shouldn’t be.”
“You really don’t need to worry about him,” Alina told her aunt, once Tom had left the room. “I asked him to accompany me for safety, that’s all.”
“Heaven knows I wish you were better protected, like the old days,” her aunt said. “But this isn’t the way, Alina. You can’t get mixed up with official crown business.”
“Why not?” Alina demanded.
“The crown can’t be relied on for anything,” her aunt said, her brow heavy.
“I wouldn’t trust them with the life of a favorite dog, let alone my niece.
Helping them investigate the disappearances puts you in the sights of whoever’s behind them.
Your father wouldn’t like you getting involved, and I feel duty bound to try to protect you for his sake. Won’t you just take my word for it?”
Alina frowned, trying to make sense of the strong reaction. Her aunt was speaking as though Alina’s father had been overprotective, but that wasn’t how she remembered him. The uncomfortable truth was he was generally more concerned about both his finances and his pride than his daughter.
“You really think Father wouldn’t like it?” she asked, a hint of wistfulness in her voice.
“I’m sure of it,” Aunt Diana said firmly. “And since he’s not here, I have to be his voice.”
Alina didn’t answer for a long moment, staring into the small fire burning in the corner of the kitchen. It was good to see times weren’t terribly lean, if the family could have a fire going all through the day. She and the twins rarely had a fire, even on the coldest of nights.
“I miss them.” Her voice was soft when it finally emerged. “Especially Mother.”
There was a moment of silence, then Aunt Diana lowered herself into a chair. She seemed to be making an effort to soften her voice as well, although her tension was still clear.
“Not your father?” she prodded.
Alina gave her a faint smile. “Yes, him too, of course.” She didn’t want to hurt the other woman’s feelings. “But Mother is the one I think of when I feel lonely. She always had so much time for me. And so much patience.”
“Well, your father was working hard to earn every bit of success he had,” Aunt Diana pointed out. “Your mother certainly had a soft heart.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Alina protested.
“No.” Her aunt smiled. “Of course it wasn’t. She was a wonderful person, and she’s missed.” She leaned across the table, laying her hand on Alina’s.
“What happened, Aunt Diana?” The words burst from Alina.
“Where did Father’s wealth go? Where were they returning from when their carriage overturned?
They didn’t tell me they were going somewhere, they didn’t even say goodbye before leaving for the day.
And the next thing I knew, they were carried back into the house on—”
“Don’t speak of it.” Aunt Diana cut off her choked words in a gruff voice, drawing her hand back. “Why distress yourself? Surely you don’t wish to relive it any more than I do.”
“I don’t wish to relive it,” Alina agreed, a hint of desperation in her voice.
“But I do want to understand.” She remembered Xavier’s disbelief that she was accepting the lack of answers, and she told herself to be brave.
“Please, Aunt Diana. I need to know what happened. Why did I lose everything? Why is this my life?”
“I thought you were content with your life,” Aunt Diana said. Alina didn’t know if she was imagining reproach in her aunt’s voice.
“I am,” she insisted. “I…I try to be. But I’ve been thinking a lot lately about all that we lost. About what used to be and what…what might have been. It’s so hard to accept what happened when I don’t understand it.”
“You’re too hard on yourself,” Aunt Diana said firmly.
“You were only a teenager. You can’t expect yourself to have followed the intricacies of your father’s business interests.
How would we even unpack it all after so long?
What does it matter which deals fell through, which investments proved poor?
I know you grew up in luxury, child, but people lose fortunes every day. It’s not so uncommon.”
Alina frowned, less satisfied than ever with the vague answers. But her aunt wasn’t finished.
“One thing you should know is that the king knew of your father’s difficulties. The crown could have helped him. He’d done business enough with the castle to warrant some notice. He received none. That’s why I’m cautioning you not to put your faith in the crown.”