Chapter 43 #2
“I’m either seen as a whore for selling my marriage bed to the richest man my father can find, which is the definition of a whore, you understand, someone who exchanges the rights to their body for money.
Or—I’m considered a whore if I choose my freedom.
So, I chose. I explained as much to my father in a letter before I left.
I am an Ashcroft,” she said, holding her head high.
“I am rich enough without Duke Howard, and have no need of a duchy. I will not spread my legs for a man to further my father’s ambition. I am a noblewoman, not chattel.”
Silence met her words.
“Spread your—” muttered Lady Lorine, breaking the silence and glancing at Lady Patricia. “Good gods. And you think a gentleman will have you with such language? See how wild she has become, living among the filth.”
Elizabeth ignored her, forcing a smile to diffuse the tension and soften the bite of her words. “There would have been talk, either way, Lady Patricia. This was the only avenue where I had a slim chance of happiness. I implore you to see that the decision was not an easy one.”
“You dream of finding true love, then?” Lady Patricia rolled her eyes. “You think someone of good looks and fortune would have you now?” The two sisters laughed. “Your reputation is dead and rotting.”
Elizabeth replied pleasantly, “Surely, as a woman in the same society, you know only a person with nothing of value to say resorts to making baseless claims about a woman’s virtue.
” Elizabeth took a deep breath. “I say again, I was handed a hard situation with no good choices. So, I made my own choice and have made my own way. And I do not regret my decision.”
“And you seem to be doing well, Lady Ashcroft. If I still may call you that,” the queen interjected.
She kept her expression pleasant. “Thank you, Your Majesty. Yes, my surname is still Ashcroft. For now, anyway. They have not renounced me yet.”
Queen Rowena laughed, as if this were all a charming joke.
“In any case, did you all know Lady Elizabeth is staying at the Golden Pearl Inn, with two footmen and a lady’s maid.
I wonder how you managed to afford this as a single woman, if you truly haven’t been engaging in the aforementioned activities?
And have not married in secret? We are simply dying to know. ”
She was silent for a while, not knowing if she should be entirely forthcoming. “I started by selling my dresses and jewels. I made a small fortune, and it snowballed from there. I have spent the summer trading in precious stones, which is how I purchased the accommodations, Your Majesty.”
The queen scoffed. “A likely story. And how did you, as a woman, learn your sums and figures? Or acquire the contacts needed for such endeavors?”
“You flatter me, Your Majesty. It was difficult to be sure, but not impossible,” she said, hoping to make her achievements sound humble and attainable to anyone.
“I learned mathematics at my father’s knee,” she added, lifting her chin.
“I’ve been helping him run the estate for many years since he does not have a son. ”
The admission hung in the air. She knew it was improper, but she wouldn’t apologize for what her father had honoured her in doing.
“How … resourceful,” the queen said with false sweetness. “And what is that remarkable stone you are wearing? I have not seen its like before.”
“It’s called an ice diamond.”
“There is no such thing,” cut in Lady Lorine haughtily.
“I'm wearing one,” Elizabeth said, raising her brows. “which would suggest otherwise, Lady Lorine.”
Queen Rowena examined the necklace with calculating eyes.
“Such fine stones for someone who claims to have started by selling off her wardrobe. Though I suppose we should help you maintain appearances.” She turned to Lady Patricia with mock concern.
“You should give her that out-of-fashion ruby set you wore last fall, Lady Patricia. Rubies and a pink gown, I ask you,” murmured the queen with a smirk.
“Help our dear Lady Ashcroft get through the winter, I daresay.”
The sillier girls collapsed into fits of giggles.
She sat tall and remained quiet as the laughter died down.
The conversation quickly turned to more lighthearted matters as the queen inquired about the engagements in the room.
Charlotte was now engaged, and some of the other girls spoke of offers they had received from suitors.
After the dessert course was polished off (“Are you sure you want an extra helping of lemon cake, Sophie?” the queen said sharply to a pretty but full-figured girl at the table.), the queen looked at each of them in turn, and they came to attention.
“There is another matter I must share with you all.” Queen Rowena paused until the room quieted, and several of the girls leaned in expectantly.
“I don’t know if it has reached your ears yet, but the rebellion in Faina is growing.
They are protesting our victory, and some are now openly refusing to pay our taxes.
“I am sending soldiers to enforce the peace. We will have order, at whatever cost. I don’t care how many soldiers we need to lose to restore our power base.” The queen’s eyes grew flinty at her words, and her gaze narrowed in determination.
Not for the first time, Elizabeth was a bit unnerved by the ferocity with which the queen spoke and felt a bit sorry for any kingdom that tried to stand against them.
It reassured her, though, and made her feel like no matter what happened in the rest of the world, the queen would make sure that her family, court, and kingdom would always be safe.
“I want to keep you ladies abreast of what is happening elsewhere on the continent. Our power seat remains strong, however … regrettably, there has been a disappearance at court.” The queen’s lips thinned in anger at the admission.
“Lord Wilkinson,” Lady Patricia supplied with a dark look.
Elizabeth was aghast. The Wilkinsons were one of the richest and most influential houses in the kingdom.
“We have kept the newspapers at bay for the time being, but it will become widely known soon. He did not go travelling. He has vanished without a trace.” The queen paused.
“We think the Fainan rebels are behind it.
When we took over Faina, we had their monarchs swear fealty to our kingdom.
However, they have a son who is stirring up trouble in the east. And we cannot find him.
“Prince Thalias has run away from his parents, who claim to have no knowledge of his actions or whereabouts, the fools. Now, he has started riots in the work camps, egging on the rabble. I fear he has grown tired of losing battles and has begun resorting to more cloak-and-dagger methods. Attacking us … more directly. I fear the attack on my life earlier this summer, and the disappearance of Lord Wilkinson, are only the beginning.”
She looked sternly at all of them. “Lord Wilkinson was a well-connected man from a very old family. He had excellent security. Double the guards at your respective homes, and do not put yourself in harm’s way. What I am saying to you, ladies … is be on your guard.”
***
They spent the night at the Golden Pearl Inn. Soon, the morning came, and they had to return to Arboras. Maud and Lial departed to ready the carriage, and Elizabeth went to find the innkeeper.
She was met with a surprise when she went to return her room keys. The innkeeper jerked her head at a chair near the front doors where a young lady sat with her hood up.
“She’s been waiting for you for some time, Lady Ashcroft.”
“Excuse me?” Elizabeth looked in confusion at the cloaked woman in the corner.
The girl stood and threw back her hood.
It was the quiet Lady Sophie, the heavy-set blonde girl who was often the target of the queen’s comments.
“I have something for you,” Sophie said nervously, pulling a fistful of jewellery out of her pocket. “I want to help.”
“I cannot accept this, Sophie.”
“You were nice to me when the others weren’t. I thought we were friends.”
“We are friends.”
“Then take it!” Sophie said insistently.
Elizabeth had spoken to her a few times at social functions ,but would have never considered her a close friend.
“I am already twenty-five. I am afraid.” Sophie’s voice crumbled.
Ah.
“I am sure there is a lovely gentleman out there for you, Sophie.” I’m sure the same thing won’t happen to you, were the words Elizabeth chose to leave unsaid.
Sophie clearly thought this act of kindness would change her luck.
Elizabeth didn’t have the heart to tell her otherwise—that luck had nothing to do with it.
Sophie grasped her hand and placed an emerald ring and a necklace in her palm. She closed Elizabeth’s fingers around the jewels, as if that finalized it.
“There.” Sophie sniffled and nodded.
“Thank you, Sophie. I hope I will see you again,” Elizabeth said, feeling rather touched.
Elizabeth didn’t know what the girl was waiting for, so she climbed into the waiting coach with the others.
Glancing back, she saw a tearful Sophie wave goodbye.
They had one more stop before leaving Rhodea.
Two days of travel later, they arrived in Briarton. Their carriage came to a grinding halt on her parents’ manor drive, and Elizabeth felt a growing sense of trepidation. With a heavy heart, she looked at the manor she had grown up in, heart twisting.
Not giving herself a chance to second-guess what she was doing, she strode up to the front doors and knocked loudly.
The housekeeper opened the door, her eyes flying wide.
“A moment, Lady Elizabeth.” The housekeeper curtseyed and hurried out of sight.
Soon her mother came running, shrieking, “LIZZY!” Her mother embraced her like she had been worried sick, even though it was by her own actions that she had been forced to leave.
“WILLIAM! Lizzy is home!” her mother called. Her mother snapped her fingers at the housekeeper and bade her to hurry and fetch her father.
“Come in, come in, would you care to stay for tea? Excellent!” her mother said cheerfully.
Ushered into the dining room, Elizabeth sat with her mother and father with tea and biscuits. An awkward silence stretched between them, and she found she was content to remain quiet until her mother broke it.
“But what have you been doing? We’ve been worried sick!”
“I am healthy and well, Mama.”
“We have missed you. Please come home.” Her mother’s eyes were large and earnest.
Elizabeth turned to her father and looked into the eyes that were the exact same shade of blue as hers. “And you, Father?”
“Of course, I have missed you, Elizabeth. It has not been the same without you here.”
“Have you decided to honour my broken engagement with Duke Howard?”
“Elizabeth, the man wants to wed you very badly. He has tried to wreck many of my investments since you left. He is not easily dissuaded. I never wanted you to leave, however…” Her father paused, and Elizabeth furrowed her brow, waiting for an apology.
“He says the marriage offer still holds, and he will still wed you.
It would save our image and go a long way in saving my investments and our family name. A neat solution for all.
“Perhaps, we can delay the wedding for a few years so you can have your try at happiness. Maybe, in this time, you will meet another man more to your liking, and we can break it off without damaging any relationships.”
Elizabeth let the silence stretch for a moment, giving them one last chance.
“Thank you for the tea.” And without excusing herself, she stood and headed to the door without looking back.
“Lizzy, LIZZY!” her mother shrieked, calling after her.
Elizabeth squared her shoulders and left the house she had once called home, firmly closing the door behind her.
***
Caspian skulked by the window, watching Elizabeth, Lial, and the two water demons exit the carriage.
He watched Elizabeth smile and thank Lial for helping her out of the carriage. His shoulders sagged in relief. She was still in good spirits.
He would never admit it to anyone, but he had been worried for her, having to venture into that den of foxes alone.
He did not seek her out, however. There was no need to alert her to the fact he had stayed up all night and day, waiting for her to return.
Tomorrow, he would seek her out after she had rested from her journey.
It surprised him that without contact for a few days, he had missed her presence.
A slight sense of discomfort stirred inside him, of the hurt he’d caused her in their argument, and though it went against his very nature, he would see her and try to explain.
Satisfied that she had been returned to him safe and sound, Caspian made his way to his chambers and slept soundly.
***
The next afternoon, Caspian rose with purpose. He’d spent sleepless nights replaying their fight, and pride be damned—he needed to fix this.
He tasked Iago with finding wildflowers for a bouquet. Iago had found a bunch of the glossy black poppies he liked, and then several flowers with long purple petals. He snapped at Iago to arrange them nicely into a bouquet and bring him ribbons.
Caspian found himself obsessing over details that had never mattered before. Black ribbon? No, too somber. He selected a pale lavender ribbon he thought that she would prefer. She had worn that colour once and seemed to like it.
They were apology flowers and had to be just so.
Something fit for a lady to receive. He hoped she’d like them.
He found the library empty, her usual chair by the window abandoned. The stables yielded nothing but drowsy horses.
At her chamber door, bouquet in hand, he knocked once. Silence.
A second time. Nothing
The third knock echoed back at him, hollow and mocking. His patience snapped and he wrenched the door open.
A sharp, pungent smell hit him—something that didn’t belong. The bed was made, but the room was empty.
The bouquet slipped from his fingers, petals scattering across the threshold.
Elizabeth was gone.