A Voyage of Vengeance (Ducal Detective Mysteries Book 3)

by Sarah E. Burr

  “Lord Pettraud, may I borrow you for a moment?” Jax cleared her throat, pulling Perry’s attention away from a Zaltorian story Vincent was telling.

  Perry promptly excused himself and followed Jax out of the room. “What’s this about?” His brow furrowed.

  Jax explained Carriena’s news that they were stranded without the wind’s power, as well as her concern for Monsieur Grandeair. She was relieved when Perry, too, appeared troubled by this latest development. “The thought of being out here in the middle of the sea makes me feel like a prisoner,” the young lord said with a shudder, and Jax had no doubt her future consort was remembering the time when he had briefly been imprisoned in a ducal dungeon.

  “It certainly will dampen the festive mood that’s returned to our companions,” Jax commented as she headed toward the lower deck. After bidding good morning to Diego and Ferdinand, who were once again on duty, she and Perry walked down the dimly lit hall, the sconces flickering with a strange menace. Recalling the manifest Diego had shown her yesterday, she knew Monsieur Grandeair’s room was the last room on the left, just next to Lady Florence. Knocking rapidly on the door marked with a brass number nine, she waited, with no response. Perry leaned in from behind her and rapped his knuckles more harshly against the door, eliciting the same silent reply.

  Jax retreated to the entrance, where Diego and Ferdinand stood at attention. “By any chance, did Monsieur Grandeair leave his cabin this morning?”

  Both guards shook their heads with certainty. “No, Your Grace. His door has been shut since he went in last night.”

  Thanking them, Jax retraced her steps down the long passageway.

  “Perhaps the old chap went back to sleep?” Perry offered, although it seemed like a halfhearted answer.

  “I’m worried, Perry. He looked very sick last night; he might need a healer’s attention.” Jax placed her hand on the brass doorknob. “It’s unlocked!” Without waiting for Perry to stop her, Jax pushed the door inward, her eyes widening.

  Her hand flew up to her gaping mouth, stifling a petite shriek as she took in the sight before her. Sprawled face-down, still in his dinner jacket from last night’s meal, was Monsieur Grandeair. Blood flowered from jagged holes in his shirt, pooling at the base of his back. Jax didn’t need to be any closer to know the poor man had been dead for hours.

  “Good grief, what in Virtue’s name happened here?” Perry said with a gasp as he entered the room, his pale lavender eyes round with horror.

  Filled with trepidation, Jax backed away from the body, trying to come to terms with what she was seeing. It looked like the man had been stabbed multiple times, but she didn’t dare get any closer to examine the wounds. The smell of death was already raging against the fresh sea air, making the small amount of custard pie in her stomach toss over repeatedly. “We must remain calm, Perry. The murderer has to still be on board.”

  “Are you suggesting we keep this to ourselves?” Perry’s voice cracked with shock.

  Jax shook her head, leaning into his tall frame. “No, but we don’t want to cause an immediate panic amongst the guests and crew. This could ruin Carriena politically if word gets out that one of her guests was murdered while on board.” She looked around the room for any sign as to why this happened. “Carriena can make the announcement of the man’s passing, and we can hope that everyone will assume he died in his sleep.”

  “But the murderer will know that’s not true,” Perry protested. “You’re putting yourself in danger by keeping this a secret. If everyone knows to be on the lookout for a killer, he or she may not retaliate for fear of being discovered,” he said, his voice stern.

  Jax debated choosing her own security over that of her friend’s well-being. “Do you think we can trust either Charles or Hazel to examine the body for us?”

  “Are you asking me if I think either of those two is capable of murder?” Perry raised an eyebrow.

  Jax thought back to each guest sitting around the dining table, not quite able to believe that one of them could be a killer. “Yes, I suppose I am.”

  Perry stroked his cheek thoughtfully with his thumb. “If you’re making me choose between the two of them, I’d say Hazel is least likely to be our culprit. As a High Priestess, she’s supposed to be of impeccable moral character.”

  “Yet, she also knows more about herbs and natural remedies than Charles would,” Jax countered.

  At this, Perry looked momentarily confused. “You think whoever killed Monsieur Grandeair also poisoned Valhalen?” He folded his arms over his chest. “Quite the crime spree our killer seems to be racking up.”

  Jax looked down at the crumpled figure, her face registering as oddly cold. “I think this all has to do with the missing brooch. By poisoning the Captain, the thief ensured that the ship’s passengers were preoccupied. And while we didn’t make it public knowledge, our little group was certainly focused on the man’s assailant. The thief was able to sneak into Lady Florence’s room right under our noses. But I think Monsieur Grandeair saw who took the brooch and was killed to keep silent.”

  She could see in Perry’s eyes that he did not quite share her theory. “If the guards did not see anyone enter or leave this room, how did Monsieur Grandeair become witness to the crime?”

  Jax’s gaze fell on the door leading out to the small terrace attached to the banker’s cabin. “Maybe he was out on the balcony, hoping the fresh air would help his seasickness, and saw something. His room is right next to Lady Florence’s.” Without waiting for Perry to object, she flung open the outer door, a burst of sea air whipping inside the dark quarters. Stepping out onto the small deck, Jax put aside her enjoyment at being so close to the clapping sea waters and turned her attention to the side of the boat. Leaning against the rail without thinking of her own safety, she craned her neck toward the large window she’d seen from inside Lady Florence’s cabin. Standing on the tips of her toes, she teetered dangerously forward, her attention diverted to the silent sea below.

  “Are you mad?” Perry exclaimed as he rushed outside to join her, clasping her flailing arms as she scanned the side of the Rose for any hint as to what might have happened.

  “I’m fine,” Jax said as she batted him off, setting her two feet firmly on the deck of the balcony. “Her curtains are drawn now, but they weren’t yesterday when Uma, Hendrie, and I looked around. Grandeair very well could have seen something, maybe even unknowingly, and the criminal, fearing capture, killed him.”

  “All for a piece of jewelry?” Perry asked with dubious eyes.

  Jax gave him a severe look. “People have been killed for far less, Lord Pettraud.”

  “The man was also a moneylender. Perhaps someone from his business dealings came back to haunt him.”

  “You’d think if that was the case, we would have spotted recognition or resentment of him by someone on board. He appeared to not know any of the guests before this voyage. Even if he doesn’t meet his debtors in person, he would still know them by name.” Jax stepped gingerly back into the cabin with the dead man and approached the small desk in the corner of the room. “But you could be right. With the man being a moneylender, perhaps this was someone’s way of paying their debt. Maybe a member of the crew did this? I’ve hardly seen any of them since we’ve boarded. It’s almost as if they are invisible,” she stated, more to herself than to Perry. Gently, she pried open the top drawer, discovering a leather-bound journal resting peacefully on top of a stack of documents. Her fingers nimbly unwound the leather cord around the cover, flipping through the myriad of pages, each filled with extensive, scrawling writing. “If that’s the case, here is our list of suspects.” She held up the journal so Perry could see it. “This is a record of all the loans and payments the man has arranged over the years. Some of these people have been paying him back for decades,” she paused, reading through the record of someone named F. Voltistè, “at an exorbitant amount of interest.”

  “Do any of the names match our companions?�
�� Perry came to her side, peering at the book.

  She quickly scanned the last fifty pages or so, with nothing jumping out at her. “I’ll take this back to my room and take a closer look.”

  “Absolutely not,” Perry growled, ripping the ledger from her hand. “This might be the only evidence we have. What if the killer comes back here and discovers it missing? If he or she finds out you took it, I shudder to think what would happen.”

  “But Perry, they could destroy it, then what will we have to go on?” Jax cried out, incredulous that he wanted to leave something so valuable behind.

  “I know, which is why I’m going to take it and make sure everyone knows it’s in my possession, not yours.” He looked at her, his features softening.

  She blushed, the intense gaze of his affection making her feel a bit lightheaded. “You’re one of a kind, Lord Pettraud,” she whispered, feeling it inappropriate to say anything more passionate in the presence of a dead man. “Now, we must speak to the guards and alert Carriena before someone else stumbles into this mess.”

  The tender moment between them broken by the unfortunate reality of the situation, Perry nodded and ushered Jax out of the room, closing the door with a snap. She charged ahead, rushing down the long passage to the doorframe where Diego and Ferdinand stood, their expressions telling her they sensed something was wrong.

  “Is Monsieur Grandeair all right, Duchess?” Diego asked. “You were with him for quite some time.”

  Taking a deep breath, Jax shook her head. “I’m afraid not, Diego. Please, can you tell me if you noticed anyone enter the banker’s room last night during your shift?”

  Both young men appeared startled by her sudden change in topic. Ferdinand cleared his throat and spoke first. “We arrived here at three in the morning, Your Grace. No one opened a door until breakfast.”

  When Diego nodded in agreement, Jax’s shoulder’s sagged. “I guess I’ll have to wake up poor Sebastián and Eduardo again,” she said with a sigh before launching into a quiet explanation for her questions. She chose her words carefully, only telling the two guards that Monsieur Grandeair had passed away during the night and they were not to go in the room nor let anyone else enter without permission directly from Carriena or herself. Both guards’ youthful ages showed in their sickened expressions as she concluded her story. She doubted either of them had the courage to disobey her direct orders, despite her not being their captain or ducal leader.

  Leaving the lads to stand watch over the ominously dark corridor, Jax and Perry rushed onto the main deck, grateful to fill their lungs with clean air. Despite her familiarity with it, the smell of death still unsettled Jax immensely.

  “Perry, gather George and Carriena together and fill them in on what we have learned so far,” Jax delegated with authority. “I’m going down to speak with Eduardo and Sebastián. They must have seen someone go into the man’s room last night.”

  Perry gave her a dubious look. “I don’t think it’s safe for you to be alone, Jax.”

  She was about to protest when she spotted Hendrie emerging from the dining hall door. “Well, I won’t be. I’ll take Hendrie down with me,” she said with a triumphant huff, gesturing the valet over to her side.

  The straw-haired young man seemed nervous, obviously sensing the tension between the two nobles. “Down where, Your Grace?” he asked.

  “I’ll fill you in once we are inside, Hendrie, but we need to get downstairs to speak with the evening guards.” Without another word of explanation, Jax took off, leaving Perry miffed in her wake.

  Knocking on the sentries’ cabin door moments later, Jax could hardly contain the anxiety building up in her chest. She’d noticed the slack sails when she’d been up on deck, and the thought of floating in the middle of the sea with a murderer aboard heightened her desperation to get off this ship. Hendrie was wise enough to keep silent as he stood patiently by her side, but she could sense fear radiating from him.

  This time Sebastián was the one to open the door, his face registering surprise at the sight of the Duchess in the hallway once again. “Your Grace? Has there been another theft?”

  If only, Jax thought. “I’m afraid it’s something more serious this time, Sebastián. Monsieur Grandeair passed away sometime during the night.”

  The guard’s jaw dropped in astonishment. “Virtues, no! That’s terrible news. I hope he didn’t suffer; he looked downright rancid when he came back to his room last night. Eduardo offered to escort him down the hall, but he just batted us away. We thought it was only seasickness affecting him. Goodness, I feel terrible.”

  Jax listened intently, but felt obligated to correct the poor boy to alleviate his guilt. “He didn’t die from seasickness, Sebastián. But I must ask, did you notice anyone enter his room after he returned last night?”

  Any relief Sebastián felt was overcome with confusion and deep thought. “What? Well, let me think about it.” Seconds ticked by as he pondered the question. “No, I don’t believe anyone did. Grandeair returned by himself and went into his room. Then, about a half hour later, the other guests all came back together. Everyone was in good spirits, talking about Lady Giovanna’s performance. Lady Florence, who’d come back much earlier in the evening, came out from her cabin and started asking everyone to forgive her wretched behavior. Of course, everyone accepted her apology, and they all had a bit of a laugh about it. Then, everyone disappeared into their rooms for the night, and not a single door opened for the rest of our shift.”

  By this time, a bleary-eyed Eduardo arrived at the door, bowing his head when he saw the Duchess. “I didn’t expect to see you back so soon, Your Grace.” he smiled.

  “A guest has died, Ed,” Sebastián said, his voice somber. “Why don’t you tell the Duchess what happened last night in your own words?”

  Jax realized that Sebastián appeared to be the sharpest of the guards she’d spoken with thus far. He knew that by having Eduardo share his version of the story, when and if they aligned, she’d know the young guards were speaking the truth.

  Eduardo did indeed share the previous night’s events, his account mirroring Sebastián’s own words, but with a more dramatic flair. Specifically, how Eduardo had overheard Charles reprimand his sister for flirting with the Master Builder. While not exactly incriminating, Jax mentally filed it away for later consideration.

  “Thank you, gentlemen, for your time. Once again, I apologize for interrupting your sleep,” she said, trying to mask her disappointment at how little she had learned.

  Once they were out of earshot from the closed door, Hendrie whispered, “I take it from your line of questioning that Monsieur Grandeair did not peacefully pass away in the nighttime.”

  Pulling Hendrie along the passageway, she only stopped when they were in the stairwell, her eyes watching for any movement around them. “I’m afraid you’re right,” she confirmed in a whisper. “The poor man was stabbed several times in the back. Perry and I found him before anyone else did.”

  Hendrie visibly swallowed. “Well, if our guards are to be believed, no one entered his room after he returned from the ballroom. Just like the brooch that was stolen from Lady Florence.” The valet suddenly looked ashen. “Please tell me there’s not a vengeful ghost aboard this ship.”

  Jax rolled her eyes at his childish fear. “Virtues, no, Hendrie, be reasonable,” she chastised, while simultaneously acknowledging that he did bring up a good point. How had someone been able to enter Grandeair’s room and kill him without being seen by the guards? She thought back to the small, yet well-decorated cabin. “Of course! The balcony!” Jax hissed. “Grandeair’s room has a balcony attached, looking out over the ocean. Yesterday, Diego said that someone could, in theory, drop down from the top deck onto a balcony as another point of entry into the lower deck cabins. I dismissed it at the time, because Lady Florence’s room did not have a terrace, so her brooch couldn’t have been stolen by those means.”

  Hendrie looked unconvinced. “You think
someone on board this ship lowered themselves from the top deck all the way onto the dead man’s balcony? That’s got to be a fifteen-foot drop at the least.”

  “It’s possible they landed on the balcony attached to Carriena’s suite first. Her rooms are directly above that of Monsieur Grandeair.” Jax stroked her chin thoughtfully. “It certainly would take a great deal of physical strength to do so, which limits our suspects greatly. I can’t imagine someone of Ernest Haulsinger’s bulk dangling over the side of the Rose.”

  The valet did not laugh at her light jab. Instead, he met her gaze with a worried grimace. “Please don’t hate me for suggesting this, but it could be possible that the culprit started out on the terrace of Lady Carriena’s suite and climbed down onto Grandeair’s balcony.”

  Jax knew immediately what Hendrie was implying, and although she didn’t agree with him in the slightest, she acknowledged his words with respect. “While it is in the realm of possibility that Carriena could have done such a thing, I do not think it probable. What does she have to gain from this man’s death? Only trouble and turmoil for her duchy.”

  “I understand your allegiance to her, Your Grace. I just meant that we need to consider all options objectively.”

  Hendrie appeared to tremble under her stare. Jax felt a swell of admiration for the young man, as well as a twist of burning heartache. While being wise enough not to voice his full thoughts, Jax knew what the valet was ultimately getting at. She had to consider that her emotions and attachments to people had clouded her judgment in the past, and it had led to deadly results. “You are quite right, Hendrie.” She felt a lump forming in her throat. “We do need to investigate all avenues, regardless of personal opinions.” Her cheeks burned with shame, both with the regrets of the past, and knowing that she was betraying a valued friendship by even considering the possibility that Carriena could be guilty. But Hendrie did have a point. Her suite was right above Grandeair’s…