“Duchess Jacqueline! Bless the Virtues, I had no idea we were expecting you.”
As a devilish grin spread across her face, Jax assessed the man who barricaded the entrance to Galensmore. Tall and well-built, Bernard Hoftstead might as well have stepped out from her memories of her Academy days, as the years had barely touched his handsome features. His copper hair glittered in the morning sun, the gold flecks in his amber eyes blazing with intrigue. His gaze alone relayed the vast intelligence stored in his brilliant mind as he opened his arms to her in welcome.
“Bernard.” Jax beamed as she gathered her skirts and quickly closed the distance between them. “How wonderful it is to see you.” Throwing all protocol to the wind, she embraced the man in a warm hug.
As he pulled back, Bernard’s expression held a bit of lingering disbelief. “What in the Virtues are you doing out here?” Then, seeming to remember his place and who he was speaking to, he straightened with his hands clasped behind his back. “If I had known you were coming, I would have prepared the household for your arrival.” He shot an annoyed glance at Highriver, who obviously had not conveyed the hidden meaning of the crowned falcon to the Lord Chamberlain.
Jax waved his concerns aside. “The fact that you had no idea I was en route makes me happier than you could possibly imagine.” Perhaps my plans for seeking sanctuary will prevail after all.
Bernard cocked his head to the side, noticing the small, bedraggled party gathering in Jax’s shadow. “Well, I’ll be quite interested to hear what brings you to Galensmore.” His eyes brightened with recognition. “Uma! What a delight to see you.” Moving to greet her, Bernard kissed her cheeks. “Although, forgive me, I hear it is Lady Uma, now.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
With a fluttering giggle, Uma blushed. “The Duchess certainly has been generous with the titles she doles out to her friends.”
Bernard laughed, a hearty deep sound. Jax stifled a snort at the sight of Vita and Sabine visibly swooning over the young lord. “In your case, for certain. However, the verdict is still out on whether this Lord Chamberlain position has been a blessing or a burden.”
Jax frowned at his wry joke. “I hope Lord Brunovaris has not been too unwieldy.” Considering she’d practically gifted to the man everything he could possibly need, she prayed he wasn’t issuing demands.
“He keeps life interesting.” A bemused smirk settled on Bernard’s lips. “Why don’t we move into the parlor while I have your rooms prepared and your bags brought up?” His gaze lingered on George, who was leaning heavily against Charles for support. “It looks like you all could use a refreshment.”
Eager to make her friend comfortable, Jax set a hurried pace to the parlor spawning off the grand entrance hall. The parlor, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, stood bathed in light, a plethora of sofas and lounges ready to receive them.
George practically collapsed onto the nearest loveseat, leaning his head back as he sank into the silk cushions. “Uma, will you accompany Corporal Highriver while he secures the prisoner?”
His request raised a few eyebrows, but Uma complied without protest. Highriver, his lips pursed into a thin line, escorted Olavo out the door, Uma following in his shadow.
Jax’s cheek twitched as she settled onto a chaise across from George. “Was that really necessary?”
Taking another vial of pain medicine from Charles, George tossed it back before giving her a direct stare. “I want to trust Highriver just as much as you, but until we can be one hundred percent certain, I’d rather have my eyes and ears everywhere. And since I cannot move at the moment,” he clenched his jaw tightly as if in emphasis, “I figured I can at least trust Uma to report anything suspicious.”
Bernard leaned against the back of one of the unoccupied seats, confusion marring his contemplative expression. “I take it these trust issues are the reason why your party arrived unannounced, Duchess.”
“Astute as ever, Lord Chamberlain.” Jax folded her hands on her lap. “Before we get into the details, could you bring me up to speed on how Lord Brunovaris is settling in?”
Strolling over to the dormant fireplace in the center of the room, Bernard stared up at the painting hanging over the mantle. It took Jax a moment to realize it was a portrait of her, painted to commemorate her tenth birthday. The innocence and wide-eyed wonder gazing back at her took her breath away. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d last felt like that. Perhaps the artist had stolen it away and embedded her naiveté within the canvas.
Bernard sighed before turning around to face her with his report. “His residency here began quite well. With the weight of Isla DeLacqua off his shoulders, Lord Brunovaris took to country life nicely. He was more than happy to leave the running of the estate to me.”
Jax’s brows furrowed. “Something tells me his attitude has changed of late.”
Scratching at his feathery red hair, Bernard’s gaze dropped to the floor. “It’s my fault.” He sighed. “I thought it best that I monitor the Duke’s—er—former Duke’s correspondence. Just to ensure he wasn’t promising gold he didn’t have to the wrong people.”
“Old habits die hard.” An amused smirk situated itself on Jax’s face.
Nodding his agreement, the Lord Chamberlain sank into one of the armchairs by the fireplace. “For the most part, the letters he received were benign. Old friends and acquaintances from Isla DeLacqua, reaching out to check on his assimilation. I nearly stopped screening his mail. But then I received a missive bearing the seal of Savant.”
Jax bristled.
“Knowing you and Duke Savant don’t have the most cordial relationship,” Bernard continued, “I was naturally very curious about the contents of the letter. Apparently, several of DeLacqua’s courtiers fled to Savant before your acquisition of the isles was settled. One of these rogue courtiers wrote to let Lord Brunovaris know they’d established themselves within Savant’s court.”
Jax’s fingernails dug into the arm of her chair. “Jaquobie reported we had no defections.”
Bernard held up a hand before her mind could spiral further. “I saved the correspondence, should it ever need to be reviewed, but apparently, when the isles got wind that Duke DeLacqua was going to transfer the deed to you, several court members abandoned the duchy before the ink was even dry. These rogue courtiers threatened those who remained loyal to Isla DeLacqua into silence. I doubt High Courtier Jaquobie even knew of their prior service.”
“Why didn’t you report this to the palace immediately?” Jax demanded, her temper flaring. The possibility that DeLacquan courtiers might be serving Duke Savant troubled her greatly, for they could share secrets about the inner workings of the island duchy.
“The missive arrived only three weeks ago. I rode to the palace to speak with you, but was informed you were not receiving visitors. Knowing that DeLacquan courtiers betrayed their nation, I couldn’t risk passing this information to any of the Saphirian courtiers. I couldn’t trust that the information would make its way to you.”
Given the suspicions she’d harbored about the state of her own court, Jax couldn’t blame Bernard for his caution. “Did this letter reveal anything else?”
His shoulders slumping in obvious relief, Bernard pressed on. “It provided the cause of Lord Brunovaris’s sudden change in demeanor, I’m afraid. At the start of the summer, he reveled in his freedom, in the quiet life he’d established here.” His golden eyes clouded. “However, the letter’s contents made it clear the former Duke is seen as a disgrace in foreign courts. When I allowed him to read it, not only was he hurt that I had been spying on him, he was devastated his former colleagues thought so little of him. The humiliation has made Lord Brunovaris bitter, and he’s taken to drinking away his pain. He’s sleeping off his latest bender this very moment.”
From her seat by one of the windows, Vita spoke up. “Why not cut off his supply?”
Jax had a feeling she knew Bernard’s response before the words formed on his lips.
&nb
sp; “Easier said than done, I’m afraid.” Bernard flashed a sheepish glance her way. “When the Savantian vineyards were on the verge of collapse, Galensmore’s wine cellar housed the overflow of stock the Duchess received as payment for her assistance.”
Seeing Vita’s confused gaze prompted Jax to jump in. “The palace cellar could only hold so much of the wine the vineyards sent as payment for the loans I provided. At the time, Galensmore was just an unoccupied estate, so I directed the cellar to be stocked with the excess barrels.”
“Given the household staff consists of only myself, the valet Julian, Ellamae, and Martán the steward, I couldn’t very well justify assigning a team to stand guard over the cellar’s entrance.” Bernard rubbed at the tension in his neck. “Corporal Highriver couldn’t spare the men, either. Guarding the border of the estate seemed more important than keeping Lord Brunovaris sober.” He sighed. “So, we let him go about his day with the hopes he will learn the bottle does not solve his problems.”
Charles scooted to the edge of his seat. “Perhaps while we are here, I can offer my assistance. I know a few concoctions that can help ease a man’s reliance on alcohol.”
Bernard’s nose wrinkled, as if just seeing the unfamiliar faces in the room for the first time. “Forgive me, Duchess, I know you asked for a report on Galensmore, but who have you brought to the estate, and why?”
Opening her mouth to respond, Jax was interrupted by the return of Corporal Highriver and Uma. “I’ve locked this Olavo character in one of the suites on the third floor,” Highriver announced. “Steward Martán is preparing the other rooms for your delegation, Duchess.”
George pushed himself to sit up straight. “Have you posted a guard outside his room?”
Highriver grunted. “As always, there are two sentries standing watch on the first-floor landing, tasked with guarding the entire house. That’s all the protection we have to spare. Unless you want me to remove men from the border, Captain.”
George’s scowl deepened. “I’ll see to it that Wynn and Ansel check in on Olavo throughout the day.”
“Even if Olavo managed to get out of the manor,” Highriver rebutted, “he’d never be able to leave the estate grounds, so rest assured, Captain, the prisoner is in check.”
Uma skirted the edge of the room and claimed one of the chaise lounges next to Jax. “Martán also brought Olavo some water and bread, so he’s comfortable enough,” she murmured in Jax’s ear.
Highriver strutted over to George, his burly figure lording over the Captain. “I’ll leave this in your care.” A slim, rusty object slipped from the palm of his one hand, falling into George’s lap. “It’s the estate’s master key.” He turned his lancing gaze to Jax. “Now then, what brings you to Galensmore, Duchess?”
She knew it wasn’t fair to keep her hosts and her security detail in the dark about the foul air surrounding her, but she had to be careful with just how much she shared. As much as she wanted to put her trust in Highriver and Bernard Hoftstead, it would be unwise to let her guard down so easily, especially since she knew Lord Brunovaris had loose connections to the Savantian court.
Vita rose and crossed the room, shutting the parlor door for privacy.
Jax issued the woman a small smile, silently thanking her for being so astute. “I’m afraid we bring dark news to these halls,” Jax explained.
Highriver and Bernard shared a wary glance. “I think we’ve been able to figure out that much, Duchess.” Highriver tapped his foot with impatience.
“Has something happened in the capital?” Bernard’s face drained of color.
“Where to begin?” Jax’s amethyst eyes swept around the room, resting on George. Caution flickered in his eyes, understanding that he would follow her lead when it came to giving out information. “Revolution, it seems, is finally upon us. You know about the village elections I have implemented?” she asked, wondering just how secluded the estate had remained from all the changes in the realm.
Bernard puffed out his chest. “Of course. I make it a point to travel to the nearby village every few weeks. I actually was there when its first premier was selected.” He stroked his smooth chin. “Has the rest of the realm decided to follow your lead?”
“If only…” Jax trailed off a moment before launching into an abbreviated version of all the opposition her ideas for equality among the nobles and common-born had been met with over the last few months.
Bernard and Highriver were understandably shocked as she divulged not one, but two assassination attempts on her life.
Highriver recovered his senses first. “Galensmore’s barrier wall and remote location make it the ideal retreat for you to bide your time until the War Council is called.” He lifted his left hand over his heart. “On my life, I pledge you will be protected, Your Grace.”
Bernard appeared less confident. “Jax,” he said, addressing her by the nickname he’d used when they were in school, “I trust Martán, Julian, and Ellamae implicitly, but I’m worried about how Lord Brunovaris will handle your presence. If I had only told you about the rogue courtiers sooner…perhaps there’s a safer place for you to hide away?”
Jax mulled over Bernard’s concerns for only a moment. “I’m assuming you didn’t allow Lord Brunovaris to respond to the former members of his court?”
The Lord Chamberlain nodded. “Of course. The man hasn’t been in touch with anyone of late.”
Jax rose. “I can only assume Lord Brunovaris is battling his wounded pride. He’s not close enough to my court to provide any useful information to Duke Savant and his spies, even if he did manage to send out communications without you being aware.” She directed her next order to Highriver and George. “We just have to ensure Lord Brunovaris does not send word out about my arrival, or this whole scheme is ruined.”
“Why not just have him removed from the premises, so as not to cause any more trouble?” Charles asked, his lips forming a frown.
Jax resisted chuckling at the young healer’s naivete. “I want to keep an eye on him. Keep your friends close…”
“And your enemies closer,” a chastened Charles concluded with a shiver.
Jax prayed Lord Brunovaris was still firmly on her side, considering all she’d done to alleviate his financial problems. But pride and ego were dangerous weapons, and she had to learn more about his veiled relationship to the Savantian court.
“I’ll have the courtier’s letter brought to your chambers, Duchess.” Bernard motioned to the door. “I imagine Martán and Julian will have everything prepared by now. You can also check in on this Olavo fellow for yourself.”
“Lead the way.” George gripped the arm of the sofa and pushed himself upright.
Jax apprised his broad frame as he shuffled to the doorway. He’s suffering more than he’s letting on. The Captain had hardly spoken at all while she relayed information about her trip to Ogdam Oasis, Tandora’s betrayal, and the tumultuous visit to the Duchy of Pettraud. I hope I haven’t made a mistake by having him come. If anything happened to George because of her selfish concerns, she’d never forgive herself.
Charles and Sabine buffeted George, holding him upright as Bernard led the group out of the parlor and to a magnificent hall that served as the central point of the manor. “The kitchens and dining room are to the left, and down this corridor you’ll find the library and the study.” Bernard mapped out the manor for them, in lieu of a tour. “My suite, as well as Corporal Highriver’s, take up the second floor, along with the staff quarters. Lord Brunovaris claimed a third-floor apartment at the north end of the house, but he shouldn’t be in your way,” he noted, guiding them all up the sloping mahogany staircase.
George set the pace, and his slow movements gave the group plenty of time to marvel at the regal architecture of the ducal homestead. In an effort to preserve the Xavier family’s history, portraits of Jax’s ancestors adorned the walls. Some of the paintings spanned back as far as the Rebirth, when the Realm of Virtues was first founded. General
Allonious Xavier had been one of the leaders of the resistance and was anointed the first Duke of Saphire once the duchy had been established. Unlike many of the other revolutionaries who became crowned leaders, Allonious did not adopt his nation’s name as his own. Knowing with sobering reality that empires rise and fall, he wanted the Xavier name to be remembered in the annuls of history should Saphire and the Realm of Virtues crumble, which was why Jax bore the name to this day.
“Why aren’t these paintings at the palace?” Uma whispered to Jax, as the two women had fallen to the rear of the group.
“They used to be,” Jax explained, knowing Uma would not be aware, as she had not joined the Xavier family’s service until Jax departed for the Academy in her late teens. “After the restoration of my great-aunt’s home was completed, my father had many of the Xavier heirlooms brought here. He wanted to keep his family’s history safe and secure.”
“And he didn’t think they’d be protected in the palace?” Uma’s nose wrinkled.
Jax smiled. “I think he wanted to carve out a corner of the world for the Xaviers as people, not as royals. Besides, this is one of the few estates that belongs to our family, not the duchy.”
Understanding dawned in Uma’s dark gaze. “So, he chose to protect the Xavier legacy should your family be removed from power one day.”
Jax’s blood ran cold at the thought. “Yes,” was all she could manage to reply.
A few steps in front of them, Vita turned around. “Your father was a wise man, Duquessa.”
Jax opened her mouth to agree, but a lump formed in her throat. Yes, her father had gone to extremes to secure his family’s heritage and legacy. Her thoughts soured, as Duke Richard seemingly cared more about preserving the Xavier name rather than battling the oppression brewing among the common-born people in his nation.
The clearing of Bernard’s throat interrupted her brooding. They’d arrived at the third-floor landing. “Sir Olavo has been stationed in this chamber.” He motioned to the first door on the right of the lengthy, elegant hallway.
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