Palace Intrigue

by Lina J. Potter

  The pastor frowned. Lily frowned back at him and continued reading. When the young woman discovered that she was pregnant, she decided to run away, knowing full well that her life would be worth nothing once the heir was born. She did not describe how she escaped the castle, but Lily suspected she had help from a local herbalist or healer.

  God only knows who Jamie’s father is…

  When she finished reading, she looked up at the pastor. “So that’s how it is. We’ve had the true Baron Donter living here all along.” She turned to Jamie. “Couldn’t you have told us before?”

  “Would you have believed me, My Lady?” Jamie straightened his back and smiled. Suddenly, Lily could see the noble features in his face.

  “What about that story you told me about your grandmother who was an herbal healer?”

  “My Lady, can you see now why I withheld the truth?”

  Lily did see. She had been a complete stranger to him, and he needed to get out of Altver, so he made up a story to induce her to take him along.

  “What do you want me to do now?”

  “I want you to write to the king, My Lady.”

  Lily nodded. She didn’t ask him why he couldn’t write on his own behalf. It was clear enough: the king was far away, and she still wasn’t sure that Donter hadn’t had a protector somewhere. Kidnapping Jess Earton’s daughter would have been an insane step to take unless he had someone who could gain the king’s ear. She would have to be careful.

  “I will write,” Lily promised. “We must find out if you can recover your title. For now, let’s wait to see what the Virmans bring back. If they find compromising information about the baron, everything will be much easier.”

  Jamie nodded. “May I go now, My Lady?”

  “Yes.”

  The pastor bowed his way out, too. Lily gave up trying to write any important letters right then and went to see Miranda, who was in bed. She got in bed with her and told her a story, and then another…

  When did I start to care so deeply about this little girl? I never noticed it happening! I don’t know anything at all in this world, but I know that Miranda is mine.

  Chapter 4

  Why the Hell Am I Writing to You?

  Richard had never seen his cousin so upset. “What on earth happened?”

  “I got a letter.”

  “From Aldonai, by the looks of it?”

  “From my cow.”

  “And?”

  “Read it for yourself.” Jess handed him the letter, and Richard looked it over. The first thing he noticed was the signature—it was firm and even, without the curlicues ladies at court loved to use. It looked to be the handwriting of a man, and a tough one at that. Then he read the letter’s contents. When he got to the end, he stared at Jess. He had no idea what to say.

  “Is this some kind of joke?”

  Instead of a reply, Jess handed him a second letter. This one was from Richard’s father.

  To the Earl of Earton,

  Judging by the conditions of your estate, either you wish to see your wife and daughter dead, or you are incapable of seeing anything past the end of your nose. I will not recall you from the delegation, but I intend to have a serious talk with you when you get back. The countess has sent me a copy of the letter she dispatched to you, and I have verified her every word. My envoy’s investigation revealed many other interesting details.

  As your king, I hereby order you to refrain from issuing any instructions regarding the management of Earton. The countess will be at court in the spring, and I expect you will wish to meet with her in person when you return from your trip. Until then, I hope you will find time to write and explain to me what caused you to treat your wife this way.

  Now, as regards the estate, you have my permission to write to the countess that you are pleased with and completely approve of her decisions, nothing else. The rest we will discuss when I see you again.

  Edward the Eighth, by the grace of Aldonai, King of Ativerna.

  This was followed by the royal seal and the king’s own sprawling signature.

  Richard blinked. “What has gotten into Father?”

  “I’d like to know what’s gotten into my cow!”

  Richard snorted. “Did you read the letter? What got into her was a couple of hired killers and a pack of slave traders and contrabanders. Isn’t that enough?”

  “That’s ridiculous. How could people be running contraband in Earton? It’s in the middle of nowhere.”

  “Apparently they found amber there—amber. Looks like you’re a fool. All the times you went down there, you couldn’t see the truth about your own wife.”

  “I saw her. She’s a cow.”

  “You should have taken your eyes off her and looked around. What were you doing all those times you visited?”

  Jess let loose a string of elaborate oaths. “What do I want with that place? Earton’s never been anything but a drain on my finances. The hunting is decent, but that’s all.”

  “How could you not notice that your manager was stealing from you?”

  Jess’ face lit up. “Let’s look at the accounts!”

  Richard stopped him in his tracks. “Are you hoping that the books are in order and your wife got it all mixed up?”

  Jess said nothing. That was exactly what he hoped.

  ***

  Richard glared at him. He didn’t believe for a minute that Lilian Earton had made a mistake. And it soon became clear that he was correct. The account books had been clearly marked by Etor: “For the earl,” “For the syndicate,” and “For myself.” Their contents were different, as well. In the first book, Earton was prospering. In the second book, it was clear that the manager was a thief. The third book listed in detail how much Etor had taken and from where. Jess read through it and saw that there was no way around it. He had been tricked, fleeced.

  That was just half the trouble. “What about this amber?” he looked up at Richard. “Where the hell did it come from?”

  “It’s a rare thing, but I’ve heard of people finding it on beaches.”

  Jess shook his head. “How did she put all this together?”

  “You go down there for three days twice a year. She lives there year-round. So she kept her eyes open. What’s the surprise about that?”

  “But you’ve seen her!” Jess begged, looking up at his cousin.

  Richard was merciless. “You know what?” He paused for a moment. “If she managed to figure all this out and put a stop to it, then I’m not sure if she’s the cow or you’re the donkey.” Jess muttered some ugly things, but Richard paid no attention. “You’d be better off thinking about who could have wanted to poison your pregnant wife and then when that didn’t work, sent in a hired killer.”

  “I wish I knew.” Jess lifted his eyes to the image of Aldonai in the corner. Unfortunately, his god had no answers for him.

  ***

  Erik and Leif were pleased. The Virman warriors didn’t mind working on Lily’s projects around the estate, but what they really loved to do was swing their axes.

  The Donter estate was not large, and the castle was more like a large, fortified house. The Virmans had no plans to storm the castle, such as it was, because they suspected with the baron gone, the servants had run off to take care of their own business. They expected to find an open gate or unguarded window.

  When Ingvar, their spy, returned, he had good news. “There is an unlocked gate. It looks like a back entrance for the servants so that the main gates don’t have to be opened every time someone comes or goes.”

  “Take us there.”

  They all agreed that Leif would lead the operation. Leif was overjoyed to be going on a raid instead of overseeing work at the salt works on the coast. During the ride to the Donter estate, he told Erik that the process of evaporating sea water to make salt was a good one and that he hoped to take the technology back to Virma one day, but he was bored to death by the monotony of it.

  The Virmans made no nois
e. They carried no torches and spoke not a word as they slipped through the gate. Their chain mail was covered by dark capes, and they held their weapons close to avoid making any noise.

  Once inside the gate, they saw that the castle was not exactly imposing. It looked more like a tower with some outbuildings, all surrounded by a wall. They got over the wall easily and split up. Leif pointed to where he wanted the men to go: the stable, the kennel, the barn... The whole operation took all of twenty minutes before the Virmans were inside the castle.

  One of the baron’s toadies who had survived the battle in the woods—most likely by running away as soon as it started—told them that the servants had been having a wonderful time with wine, women, and food from the baron’s table. Erik believed him. The man had seen what happened to Baron Donter, so it never entered his mind to lie to the Virmans, who let him off with an easy death.

  Leif and Erik agreed they would have to kill off the baron’s guards. Thirty men left without a leader would pose a threat to the surrounding area. Unlikely to look for gainful employment, they would ransack the castle and drink the baron’s wine until it was gone. Then they would head to Earton to see what they could steal since there was nowhere else for them to go.

  Both men knew the countess would not approve, but they decided not to tell her. The official version would be that the guards died in a pitched battle with Earton’s forces. Leif and Erik recognized Lilian Earton’s authority over them, but they believed that war was a man’s business.

  And it was time to get to business.

  ***

  The operation didn’t go off without any casualties, of course. Men on both sides were killed. As it turned out, not all of the guards were drunk, and some of them were even able to find their swords. Still, the Virmans had the upper hand, and they used it mercilessly. In the end, thirty of Donter’s soldiers and four Virmans lay dead. Of those, three had died during the battle, and the fourth was mortally wounded by a servant who tossed a cauldron of boiling water on him. They got the servant with a blow to the head and did their own comrade the final honor of ending his suffering.

  When it was all over, Leif inspected the castle. He found much to interest him. In the basement, which had been fitted out as a dungeon (much more awful than the one in Earton), he found about forty peasants whom the baron had intended to sell into slavery, supposedly for their debts. In Donter’s office, they found a large number of books and scrolls. Erik tossed them all in a trunk and told two of his men to take it all to the countess. They also found weapons and money.

  It was not their first time ransacking a castle, so they knew what they were doing. This time, however, they would give everything they found to the countess. None of them doubted that Lilian Earton would turn over their fair share.

  The Virmans’ attack had started before dawn, and by the time the sun came up, the estate was in new hands. They split into two groups: Erik would stay behind in Donter, while Leif would take the trophies back home to Earton.

  ***

  Once again, Hans stood before his king. “Your Majesty, it is as we thought. The man and his cousin planned the countess’ murder together. She is the earl’s mistress, a woman named Adelaide Wells. When she took up with the earl, the two of them decided that it would be a fine thing for her to become the countess. Alex started looking for someone to do the job.”

  “Do we have any evidence?”

  “Of Adelaide’s involvement? No, Your Majesty.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “His words are not enough. He says one thing, she will say another… You know how these affairs are, Your Majesty.”

  Edward did understand. It was a bad business, and Adelaide would deny every bit of it.

  “Are there any letters?”

  “I’m afraid the rogues were careful, Your Majesty. They knew what would happen if they were caught, so they did their best to leave nothing written down.”

  Edward frowned. He held a great deal of power, but at that moment he felt powerless. Adelaide was currently acting as a future lady-in-waiting on the delegation. He would have liked to recall her to stand trial, but the scandal would be talked of in three kingdoms. Worse yet, people would wonder why he had allowed his daughters to socialize with a murderer. As much as he hated to admit it, Edward knew that there was little else he could do. The snake had lost her teeth, and he would have to let her be.

  I will write to Jerrison and tell him to keep a close eye on that whore of his. I will also warn him that he had better not say as much as a cross word to his wife. I’ll work him over until he hiccups whenever anyone says her name! Stupid fool!

  “Your Majesty, I have other news. There is a new letter for you from Lilian Earton.”

  “Is that so? What does she say?”

  “Someone tried to poison her after I left.”

  The king whistled. He couldn’t help it. “Does everyone around those parts hate her?”

  “No, Your Majesty. But there does seem to be a party whose identity I have yet to discover who would very much like to see her dead. All traces lead back here, to the capital. The countess laid out everything that she was able to learn from the woman who attempted to poison her. If you’ll allow me…”

  “Allow you? I order you to continue the investigation! Tomorrow you may pick up the execution letter from my secretary.”

  “For Adelaide Wells’ cousin, Your Majesty?”

  “Of course.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  “I want you to find out who stands to gain by Lilian Earton’s death. There is too much trouble in this world already to allow someone to work this much evil.”

  Hans bowed. He was in full agreement with his sovereign, and he would be happy to carry out his orders. Especially since his own sympathies lay with the cause of justice, and with Lilian Earton.

  ***

  Lily sat working in her laboratory. She had had an interesting idea. Refining oil was well within her capability now, and Ali had promised to bring more crude oil.

  Why not refine it into gasoline and make some really simple cigarette lighters? I already have glass, I can make gasoline…well, maybe I don’t know what I’m doing, but I can work it out as I go along. I’ll just have to talk to Helke about how to attach the flint and the little wheel. It’s worth a try.

  Someone scratched at the door. “My Lady?”

  “Come in!”

  “There’s a letter from your father, My Lady.”

  Lily sighed and put down her glass beaker. When she got to her study, she found that Taris had already decrypted the message, which had come by carrier pigeon.

  My dearest daughter,

  Know that I will help you in all your affairs. We can discuss things in greater detail in the spring. For now, know that I will not forsake you. I have seen Chevalier Tremain. I know everything, and I am assisting him as I can.

  Your loving father,

  August Broklend

  Lily rubbed her eyes to keep from crying. It was a message straight from his heart. Why had she never seen such words from him before? She already knew the answer.

  I used to be a stupid fool. Things are different now…

  She picked up the letter again. Underneath the emotion, she found important facts: 1) Hans told her father everything he knew; 2) There was something else he didn’t want to discuss in a letter; and 3) Lily had her father’s unwavering support against her husband and the king, if it came down to it. And there was a fourth piece of important information: they were all working together to find out who wanted her dead. That was a lot to fit into a one-pigeon message, and any outsider who read it would just see a father sympathizing with his daughter. Lily felt optimistic that the two of them would hit it off well.

  ***

  Jess sat down to write to his wife:

  Dearest wife,

  I am pleased with your decisions and completely approve of them.

  How is Miranda? Are you in good enough health to try to conce
ive an heir in the spring? I hope that no one will try to poison you or otherwise harm you before I see you at court.

  Your husband,

  Jerrison Earton

  Jess had tried to write a polite letter, but anger infused every line. His uncle was furious with him, and it was all her fault! Why couldn’t his stupid wife sit at home and work on her embroidery? What was all this nonsense about slave traders and thievery?

  You just wait, my dearest wife, I’ll have plenty to say to you when I see you! And you’ll answer for getting me in trouble with the king, you ungrateful bitch!

  ***

  Meanwhile, the ungrateful bitch was listening to a report from the captain of her guards.

  “We have finished, My Lady.”

  “Finished what, exactly?”

  “We buried the bodies and had the pastor perform a funeral service. Baron Donter’s head and skin have been salted down.”

  “Did you find Calma?”

  Leis grimaced. “We did, My Lady. She was already dead.”

  “All the better for her.”

  “We buried her properly, too.”

  “Good. The next thing we have to discuss is unpleasant. I want you to watch everyone who lives here in the castle. I also want more guards on the perimeter. If it weren’t for Loik, just think what would have happened to Mirrie.”

  Leis looked down at the floor. He would have preferred a scolding from the countess. It was all his fault. He was the captain of the guards, and he should have thought of the potential for a kidnapping attempt.

  “I will do that, My Lady.”

  “And I will make sure that you do.” A heavy sack dropped onto the table in front of him. The clinking sound was pleasant to the ear. “Now for the pleasant part of our conversation. This is for you and your men. You can decide how to divide it up. I’ll pay the Virmans separately.” She gave him a piercing look. “This is for work done well and quickly.”