At dinner, Lily brought up the ancestry of the Ivelen family.
“Say, the Eartons are also an old family, but the Ivelens must be even older!”
Loran Ivelen was pleased to dwell on the subject, adding that the Ivelens even had royal blood in them. Lily gasped in admiration, and the discussion gradually reached the topic of family portraits. After dinner, Lily was invited to have a tour around the gallery— in place of a bedtime story. She immediately accepted the invitation and spent three fascinating hours with the elder duke. Communicating with him was frankly unpleasant. At least she received the information she wanted. Medieval portraits, for all their peculiarity, possessed one benefit. They were one hundred percent realistic. They were not of Cubism or Impressionism that this world would not know for ages. If the eyes were painted blue, they were blue in reality, not red or green.
***
They reached the house without any incident. Hans Tremain was not at the estate, and Lily asked to invite him to the office as soon as he arrived. Meanwhile, Lily sat in her study with a dozen sheets of paper and asked not to be disturbed.
A couple of hours later, Hans knocked on the door and was immediately bombarded with questions.
“Come in, sit down.”
Hans came in, took from the chair a sheet with weird formulas (AaBb x CcDd and inscriptions “dominant,” “recessive,” 75% and 25%), and sat down carefully.
“Lilian?”
“Hans, I cannot understand anything!”
“Regarding what?”
“I saw the third daughter of the Ivelens.”
“Is something wrong with her, My Lady?”
Lily frowned, letting Hans understand that she didn’t like formal titles.
“She is mentally deficient.”
“Things like that happen, My Lady.”
“Listen. She is blonde with gray eyes.”
“So what?”
“Do you not make any connection? Well, why do I expect you to know? So! A child inherits the eye color of one of the parents. Is that clear?”
“But what if…”
“No, if one of the parents has blue eyes, the child could have gray, such cases are possible. However, Amalia and Peter could not bring such a miracle into the world.”
“Why not?”
“In order to get a gray-eyed blonde we need a dominant…in other words, there are fewer people with light hair than there are with dark.”
“Right,”
“In short, a child inherits eye and hair color from one of the parents—maybe grandparents. But even then, the child inherits the genes that come up more often.”
“That is, dark hair…”
“Yes. Such a beautiful combination —blonde hair, light eyes, and white skin—is not a coincidence. It is a hereditary stamp. Here is the thing. Eartons are all dark-haired and blue-eyed. I looked at the family portraits. They all look related. Their looks have very distinctive attributes. Amalia’s twins are also blue-eyed. I’m not sure about the hair color.
“Her elder ones also look similar. They have very strong genetics. That is, you can overpower them only if… I don't even know!”
“Do you suggest that the child is not Peter’s?”
“At least one of them. I deliberately stayed overnight!”
“You risked your safety.”
“They wouldn't poison me in their own house, would they?”
“One can’t be sure.”
“Exactly! I needed to make sure that my assumptions were correct. I kept silent. Hans, there were a couple of blonde Ivelens in the family—dating a hundred or hundred and fifty years back. This gene couldn't have survived for so long. Besides, all of them have dark hair and skin.”
“The Ivelens are from the South. There were cases of mixed blood in the family…”
“Yes, I’ve heard there were a few Khangans. In short, it is unlikely that the dark gene comes from their bloodline. They all look alike! All of them are dark-haired and blue-eyed.”
“Who might the father be then?”
“We’ll get nothing if we don't question the duchess.”
“We might be left with nothing if we do.”
“What do you suggest?”
“We should go to the king, My Lady.”
“WHAT?”
“We have no other choice.”
“But Hans!”
“My Lady, I hope you understand that this might be a conspiracy against the Crown!”
Lily nodded.
“If we don’t report it, we will be accused of cooperation. Faymo and Rockrest, by the way, know enough…”
“Why do you think we should report?”
“The truth is that the butler is a complex individual. He hears one thing, imagines another… Our Virman friends are very good at it.”
“And?”
“It’s a serious conspiracy. He doesn't know all the details, such as that the Ivelens have someone who has rights to the throne. There are documents and people, everything is ready.”
“Why did they not begin?”
“Because of Richard’s departure. If they plan to overthrow the dynasty—”
“It has to happen here. Even I understand it. What forces do they have?”
“About twenty people, but they all hold key positions at court. There are a couple of good mercenary troops involved.”
“Why was I not aware of this?”
“Because these killers are not the Ivelens’, but his accomplices’. Let me tell you everything, My Lady.”
Lily nodded and was told a lot of unpleasant things. As is known, it is the “foreign friends” who benefit from rebellions inside the country, in particular—Avesterra. He provided the Ivelens with men and money. The Ivelens got another two dozen nobles involved in the conspiracy. Although they weren't the most influential of aristocrats, their sort was the most dangerous, for they strove to topple the existing order. Besides, the Ivelens were short of money, so they required getting rid of Lily so that Jess’ sister could gain custody of Mirrie and they could use her money as they pleased.
Lily bit her nail but listened carefully. They had planned to get rid of her before the arrival of the crown prince. Jess was going to die during the coup, for the Royal Guard obeyed him. Although he didn’t have a splendid reputation, it was dangerous to underestimate his power. For what it was worth, he was a good leader.
There were a couple of killer squads. Soon, the ships of Avesterra were going to enter the harbor. As soon as Richard arrived (and he was travelling by ship), they would try to intercept him and blame it on Virman pirates. If that plan failed, they would get him in Laveri. The king would soon move to his summer residence outside the city. Its location was quite convenient for the plotters. The castle itself was more of a luxurious house than a fortified building, and it was in close proximity to the land owned by the Ivelens.
Lily looked at Hans.
“What do we do?”
“First, we need to report everything to the king. Secondly, Erik is already at sea.”
“Erik?”
“Yes. Our friend enjoys authority in his circles. On Virma, his title is less than an earl, or even a duke. I asked him to take at least five more ships and meet the embassy.”
“I see!”
“I also handed him all the explosives from your laboratory.”
Lily nodded.
“Good job. What about—”
“Jamie went with them.”
“Hans! What if he gets into trouble! He is only a boy!”
“He is old enough. It could be a great chance to confirm his title.”
Lily shook her head. The eternal feminine desire to take everyone under her wing had no place in the Middle Ages. Here every boy grew up quickly.
“Do you insist on talking with the king?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“I don't want to go to the palace." Lily wrinkled her nose. “It’s been too often
...I don't want to.”
The palace! For some reason, she associated the face of the poor girl with the palace. A beautiful, bright, young lady of the court…
Lily squeezed her temples and moaned.
“Whereabouts have I seen her? Where?”
“Is everything alright, My Lady?”
“Hans! The daughter of Amalia is a copy of someone I’ve seen before. I cannot remember where I’ve seen this person. I can’t think of the place!”
“Perhaps in the palace?”
“Yes, yes—but where exactly? Whose portrait was it?”
Hans sighed. What conundrum is she trying to solve this time?
“Do not torment yourself, My Lady. It is only a—”
“It’s important! But where?”
“Take a breath, My Lady.” Hans took her hand almost by force. If he couldn't distract her from thinking, he had to help her. He wanted her to cool down so they could discuss this “important matter.”
“You have to remember. This woman in the portrait, what was she wearing?”
Lily concentrated. Her visual memory was magnificent. She, like many other doctors, constantly improved it.
“The woman is blonde—in a purple dress—scarlet and gold—beautiful—arrogant… She is sitting in a chair, her hands free—with a straight, confident look.”
“Incredible. What is the arrangement of her hair?”
“Her hair is up, with a couple of curls reaching down to her shoulders.”
Lily closed her eyes and saw the portrait coming to life before her. An arrogant blonde painted against a gold and white backdrop, in a gorgeous dress… Her gray eyes staring decisively, a deep cut reveals her beautiful breasts.
“Is she wearing any jewels?”
“Yes—diamonds. A small diadem made of diamonds, a necklace, a bracelet and a couple of rings—”
“Is it a diamond bracelet?”
“Yes.”
“On which hand?”
“The same as mine,” Lily said, remembering the portrait.
Hans unclenched his fists.
“My Lady, you will have to go to the palace with me. And another thing—this portrait was not in the palace gallery?”
“I haven't ever been there. It was somewhere in the palace.”
“You saw it while walking along the corridors?”
“Yes—and it struck my eye,” Lily swung her head, and her heavy braid stung painfully on her bare back.
“I was lost and wandering along the palace corridors, when suddenly I saw this portrait. It seemed to come out of the darkness as if it had deliberately been put out of sight—”
Hans bit his lip. Unlike Lily, he knew whose portrait the king would be willing to hide.
“I think I know which portrait you are talking about. In case I’m right—you will not accompany me to the king.”
“What about an alibi?”
“Do you trust me, My Lady?”
“Yes.”
“In that case, trust me to the full.”
Hans didn’t say more. He knew that only the royals had a right to a wear a diamond wedding bracelet.
***
Edward opened the note and frowned. He trusted his servants. A royal trustee was an important source of information. The king selected his trusted people very carefully.
Hans Tremain was one of the best. It astonished the king to see what ingenious plots he managed to bring to light. He had been faithful and stubborn since his youth—since the very moment when Prince Edward, the future King of Ativerna, had helped him out.
What urgent matter could bring him to me if he insists on attending this evening? He was asking for the king’s audience today, as soon as possible. He said in the note that it wasn't very serious. It was something about the Countess of Earton and her daughter.
Well…if the matter concerns Miranda, it cannot be put off. She is my granddaughter, after all. Edward had no clue that Hans had deliberately lied in the note. He had to get the audience of the king as soon as possible at all costs. He wasn't going to postpone this matter, for it was not the kind of matter that could be put away until better times. If Lilian Earton was right, then the kingdom was in danger, and the king had to know about it.
The note said it was about Miranda. That was to discourage eavesdropping. No one cared about children in this world.
***
Alicia Earton received a note from Lily.
Her daughter-in-law had asked if she could pay her a visit. Lily would come to the palace to meet with Alicia in private, so they could sit and talk about Miranda.
The countess pondered for a moment. She then resolved that everything was not as scary as it sounded.
Lilian Earton is a smart young woman. Why not spend time with her? We could meet and sit down to talk….Why does it have to be this evening? I suppose there is nothing to be surprised about. With her mad routine, she must be too busy during the day.
***
“Home soon.”
“Yes, very soon,” Richard grinned.
“The ships are ready, and our things are loaded. We will raise the sails in three days.”
“I am sick of remaining in Ivernea.”
“It’s your own fault. You could have a good time here if you wanted. We have bought a lot of scrolls, which would otherwise be destroyed here. We talked to the merchants and made some of them see Ativerna in a more favorable light. We went through the shops. It felt like all the rare things came from us. The Mariella Trading House, a beautiful name.”
Jess turned the golden pen in his hands.
“Yeah. I wonder who came up with it? The owner must be a smart lad.”
“I’m also extremely curious. We have to find out upon our return.”
“We also have some news to bring to the king.”
“The princesses are due for a visit. There will be a couple of receptions, I will soon marry Anna, and everyone will be able to breathe freely.”
“Everyone except you.”
“Alas…”
Richard wasn't excited for the future.
***
Lily and Hans rode in the carriage and looked at each other gloomily. They didn’t want to talk. They had already discussed everything they could think of. They had even managed to quarrel and reconcile a couple of times. Lily tried to find out from Hans who this lady was. Hans was silent as a fish. He told her that if his guesses were right, she would find out soon. If not, it wasn't worth messing with her head. Nevertheless, it was a must for her to see and identify the portrait. Any information was useful. Lily suggested that she could go to the king with him, but Hans dismissed it. It was better for her to stay away from that snake swamp—the vipers would be safer. Lily hissed no worse than a snake. She declared that Hans was her own trustee above all. She said that the state secrets were extremely life threatening. She was a countess, after all, but he was a simple royal representative. They would not have mercy on him.
It didn’t take long for Hans to lose his temper. Lily was told that if every royal secret endangered the life of one royal representative, there would be no one left to do the job. They would most likely take mercy on him. After all, it was his job to keep secrets. He couldn't be so sure about the countess.
Thus, they fought, disagreed and reconciled. There was no time for arguments. Lily rode in the carriage and thought that the eye of the storm was no metaphor. It was her destiny to attract hurricanes.
Is it wise to go to the king, if it puts Hans and me in danger? Maybe it is best to agree with the Ivelens, let’s say, in exchange for getting rid of Jess? I can be useful for any dynasty.
This thought tickled Lily’s mind, but she immediately rejected it. It was good to have a strong and powerful monarch on the throne. At least Edward was a fair ruler. He guarded the kingdom’s peace. Would the Ivelens manage to provide peace and stability for the kingdom? It is one thing to put one’s ass on the throne, and quite another to pass it down to the family.
The Fa
lse Dmitrys had their minute of fame, but neither of them managed to preserve the throne. If no one had supported the Godunovs, there would have been no Time of Troubles and no Romanovs on the Russian throne. Gee, they would have avoided the big hemorrhoids!
Lily supported legitimate rulers. After all, Edward is different from Nicholas the Second, who strove to bring happiness to all, but lost a couple of wars, as well as his own country. No, Edward is a good, serious man. He is not afraid of tough decisions but is also not drowning in a pool of blood. He manages to keep everything calm and cozy. What if the Ivelens failed to keep the throne? It would bring a new Time of Troubles, cause bloodshed, war, and revolution. Nobody needs that, especially not me. I have lived through that hell and borne the consequences of Perestroika back in my own world. Let the lovers of change go to hell and not provoke the greatest of sins. After all, not every murderer gets his deserved punishment.
Alicia met them at the entrance to the castle. She gave Lily a very serious look.
“Lilian, what is this secrecy for?”
Hans waved his hand, dismissing all her questions.
“My Lady, I implore your forgiveness. I asked the countess to remain in the castle just in case. I wanted her to stay around you. His Majesty might want to see her.”
Alicia shrugged.
“If it’s so necessary—”
Lilian nodded.
“I trust Leir Tremain. Let’s go?”
“Yes, only one thing—”
Hans confidently stepped inside the darkness of the corridors. The women followed him. Lily did not look into the darkness very far. Besides, what can I expect to see in the dark? Old portraits, old armor. When they stopped, the dancing candlelight separated from the darkness the beautiful face of a woman.
“My Lady,” asked Hans and froze. He realized that his guess was right.
“It is that very portrait I have seen before. Who is she?”
Hans remained silent, but Alicia couldn’t resist.
“It is the king’s first wife. Her name was Imogene of Avesterra.”
The Price of Happiness: A Strong Woman in the Middle Ages (A Medieval Tale Book 5) Page 6
