Chapter 35
One week later…
“Mistress Abigail is back,” Milly announces. Alistair and I look up from the books we’ve spent the last hour packing here in the library.
Abigail insisted that we move forward with our plan to take back the duchy but asked that we not leave for the castle until she returned. So we’ve spent the last week packing up the things we plan to take with us.
We’ve also spent a fair amount of time soothing each other’s panic attacks.
Alistair is afraid he won’t make a good duke, and I assure him that I know he’ll be wonderful. Meanwhile, I’m terrified that the people won’t accept me as a duchess, but Alistair promises me that only an idiot wouldn’t welcome me as a leader.
But as I like to remind him, the people we are about to rule may very well be idiots. He hates it when I point that out.
“Did she say anything to you?” Alistair demands as we follow Milly down the hall toward the foyer.
Milly shakes her head. “No, but she brought a man with her.”
I share a look with Alistair and he grabs my hand. Abigail didn’t tell us specifically what she had planned to help Alistair take on his role as the duke. We hope that the transition won’t be too terrible since the people are used to dealing with Orrin. But we won’t really know until we return to Roburry.
As for Orrin, we have no idea what Abigail did with him other than that he is alive and safe and incapable of harming anyone. Alistair is anxious about leaving his brother’s care to someone else, but I trust Abigail.
If anyone can handle Orrin, it’s her.
At first, Alistair was concerned that I didn”t tell Orrin how I felt before Abigail carted him off. He thought I should get some closure and lay into his brother for all the things he did to me. But I told him that I didn”t need closure. Not anymore.
My time here in the manor has brought me happiness I didn”t know I could have, making any words I might have had for Orrin feel unnecessary.
“It’ll be okay,” Alistair whispers as we round a corner. I know that the words are more for himself than me. He’s convinced that the people of Roburry will take one look at him and assume he’s just a replicant of his brother, but I know better.
The people have no love for Orrin. Our transition to leadership may not be perfect, but it won’t be as horrible as Alistair thinks.
At least, the reaction to Alistair won’t be as bad as he thinks. The reaction to me, on the other hand, I’m unsure about.
My position as a spy for the duke was maintained by secrets. Most people had no idea what I did or who I was. Even the guards in the castle thought I was just the duke’s misfit servant. No one knew of my skills as a thief or how often I disguised myself and told lies on the duke’s behalf. But still, I’ve wronged enough people that some are bound to recognize me.
Especially when I come into the city on horseback beside the duke’s brother.
But Alistair continues to reassure me that as a victim of Orrin’s evil, the people are likely to see me as their champion for defeating him. He also plans to tell everyone that it was me who took down Orrin. We’re still in disagreement on that part.
“Ah, there you are,” Abigail greets us as we walk into the foyer. She hasn’t told us much about herself and I suspect that Abigail is not her real name. But I don’t blame her for keeping secrets. Poets are secretive for good reason. People like Orrin would leap at the opportunity to use them if only they could.
“I have someone I’d like for you to meet,” Abigail says, motioning toward a shorter man with thick black hair. He watches us enter but doesn’t smile, too busy studying us carefully. “This is Francis, steward to the Queen of Andonia.”
My eyes widen, mirroring Alistair’s expression. We both immediately bob our heads and murmur polite greetings.
Francis says nothing, completely still as he watches us. Just when the silence is becoming awkward, he steps forward and shakes our hands.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you two,” he says politely, his expression suddenly much warmer. Like he’s decided that we can be trusted. “I’m glad I finally found you.”
“Found us?” Alistair questions, looking between Francis and Abigail.
The man nods, pulling a roll of parchment from the satchel at his waist. “The queen has been searching for you for a while now. You see, for the past four years, your brother has been telling people that you died on the night that you were cursed. He forbade anyone to speak of you lest they want to lose their head.”
Alistair rolls his eyes, neither of us surprised that Orrin went to such lengths to keep Alistair’s curse a secret. He wouldn’t want such a weakness advertised to those who opposed him.
“The queen never believed this to be true—she knows how dangerous your brother is. It is, however, difficult to have a noble removed from their position without proof of their wrongdoings. And as I’m sure you know; your brother is quite crafty and difficult to get the upper hand with.”
Alistair and I both laugh bitterly, acutely aware of this fact.
“Two years ago,” Francis continues, “The queen discovered that your father made an alteration to the succession and had you named as his heir instead of your brother. The papers were filed in the capital, and since your father never revised them before he died, you are the legal heir to the dukedom, not your brother. This was the perfect loophole to have your brother removed, but unfortunately, we could not find you until now. For if you really had been dead, your brother would be the rightful heir.”
Alistair turns to me, eyes wide in shock, and I stare back, unsure if I should be surprised, happy, anxious, or all of the above. I’m relieved that we have the queen’s support, therefore making our transition much easier. But I’m also anxious because this news means that our return to Roburry is happening soon.
And I’m not sure if I’m ready.
“Abigail has explained your situation to the queen,” Francis goes on, reading through the parchment in his hands. “We’re pleased to hear that Orrin has been subdued and is in good hands, but sorry to discover how much pain he caused you before he was caught.” These last words he says to me, and I fidget self-consciously as I give a pointed look to Abigail.
I’d prefer that the queen of all people not have knowledge of my indiscretions. But apparently, I don’t get a say in the matter.
“Don’t worry,” Francis assures me, pulling a second parchment from his bag. The first he hands to Alistair and the second to me. “The queen has made provisions for the both of you. On those parchments you will find an official statement declaring that the queen has given her endorsement to your roles as duke and duchess. Miss Stella, on yours is also a complete pardon for all of the things you did while under the employ of Orrin as well as a pardon for the death of your stepfather. The queen is aware of the circumstances of your crimes and believes that your actions were not selfish nor malicious. It is her opinion that given what Mistress Abigail has told her, you will make a great duchess.”
Alistair beams at me and I blush, wondering if the queen will still feel that way when she meets me. Because according to this paper, she will be meeting me fairly soon.
“She wants me to visit her?” I ask dumbly, awestruck by the invitation written in swirling, sloping handwriting.
“Yes,” Francis nods. “Her advice is for the two of you to return to Roburry as soon as possible and announce your ascension to the dukedom. Take some time to weed out staff members who may still be loyal to Orrin, have a public wedding—the more you include the people, the more the queen believes they will accept you—and then she wishes for you to travel to the capital and be presented to the nobility as her personal friends. This way you will have the queen’s public endorsement as well as an opportunity to learn a few things about being part of the nobility.”
I’m so busy trying to make sense of the words on the page that I barely hear Alistair and Francis speaking with Abigail. The queen wants me to shadow her? I can’t fathom why she would want to waste so much effort on a girl like me. Especially given my history.
“Stella?” Alistair says, and I look up to find that we’re now alone in the foyer. “I sent them to the dining room for refreshments. I want to know how you’re doing with all of this.”
His hands slide over my jaw, his touch warm and safe. It’s strange to think that when I met him here three months ago, we could barely stand to be in the same room. And now I hate being in any room he’s not in. Because I’m a pathetic, love-struck puppy. And I’m loving it.
“It’s a lot,” I answer honestly. “I can’t say that I’m eager to be scrutinized by the public, but I think being presented to court by the queen will help me feel a little more capable.” I pause, fully taking in what this opportunity means. “I’ve never wanted a position of authority like this, but after being under Orrin’s thumb for so long, and Paul before him, I think I’m a little excited. Somewhere out there is a girl suffering like I did, and now I might actually be able to help her in ways that no one knew to help me.”
Alistair’s smile is proud, his dimples deep and the love in his green eyes even deeper. It’s nice to see him this way, sun streaming freely onto his face without the curse to burn him. He’s lighter now, his entire countenance no longer carrying the weight of the curse. He was handsome before, but now he’s gorgeous.
“It won’t be easy,” he says, leaning his forehead against mine, “But it will be worthwhile. And let’s be honest, we survived a curse and my psychotic brother. We can handle anything so long as we’re doing it together.”
“Even if we have to take on the world?”
He nods, running his nose along the length of mine, my eyes closed as I breathe in his nearness. “We’ll take it on together.”
“Together,” I whisper against his lips.