The carriage ride felt eternal.

Couldn’t it go any faster?

She needed something to distract her terribly. To distract her from look in his eyes when she had asked what he felt for her.

Was she wasting her time trying to win his affection?

Would he ever come to feel the same way she did?

A few years ago, if someone had told her she would fall insanely in love with the King, she would have wagered her father’s watch that she would not.

But look at her now.

She shook her head.

Fate had a way of messing with everybody. And she was no exception.

But how could she tempt him to speak of his true feelings - if at all he had any? 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Seduce him?

The idea was maddeningly alluring and she found herself tilting towards it.

Was there a way to seduce such a man?

They were both going to attend the ball, weren’t they? There would be ample opportunity to catch his attention - if Garelle and her mother wouldn’t swamp themselves around him throughout the whole event.

With a new resolution in mind, she sat back and allowed herself to close her eyes.

He didn’t know what was coming for him.

They reached Penbrook when it was dark.

Sitting alone in the carriage, she had been terrified of the figures the shadows of the forest formed in her mind. She even shut the curtains and closed her eyes.

Never had she been so happy to see Penbrook.

Claire slid down from the carriage without any assistance and hurried into house.

The two chambermaids, Maria and Fern, were waiting for her at the entrance.

"Welcome, my Lady." They said at the same time.

She beamed at the two of them.

They both took turns to admire her dress before letting her head up the stairs.

They were very good to her. It made her feel bad about selling the house.

Where will they work? In her home in Loodswood after it will be renovated?

She went to Rory’s room first.

A candle had been lit on the bedside table and there was an upturned book beside it.

Lifting the heavy hems of her dress off the floor, she scuttled towards the bed and flopped down on it.

Aurora turned to face the other way, pretending to sleep.

Claire nudged her playfully.

"I’m back."

"Welcome back." Rory said in a groggy voice.

She sat up and stared at the little figure on the bed. "What did I do this time?"

Aurora finally lifted her head up.

"Did you talk to the King?"

Claire raised a confused brow at her. "Is that why you’re upset? What does talking to the King have to do with my arrival?"

Her sister pulled her mouth into a pout.

"Because I know you attended the funeral because he was going to be there. I hate having to compete for your attention since you started liking him, Claire."

Her eyes softened and she stroked Aurora’s hair.

"You don’t have to compete for my attention, Rory. He’s the one who has to."

Aurora didn’t look convinced in the least bit.

"Did you stay for refreshments... because you hardly look refreshed."

Claire chuckled.

"I didn’t. I had nothing to eat the whole day... you wouldn’t believe that they left me behind, Rory."

Aurora’s eyes widened and she sat up very quickly.

"Did you see the body of the man who died?"

Claire actually hadn’t because the coffin had been closed, but she nodded. She described the events as she undressed and brushed out her hair at her sister’s vanity table.

She was glad Aurora didn’t ask after Yeren anymore all through their conversation.

A meal was sent up to her.

"What’s wrong?" Rory asked when she noticed how hesitant she was to pick up the fork.

The last time she had eaten in her chambers, the worst had happened to her.

"Nothing." She said quickly and took a spoon of the porridge that had been served.

After eating half the food, she called for a bath before heading to bed.

The stress of the travel kept her in bed longer than she normally slept.

Aurora hadn’t disturbed her, she went down to the library downstairs to read after bathing and having breakfast.

A few months ago, Aurora would have tapped her awake mercilessly just to have breakfast with her.

What a young woman she was becoming...

The thought made her heart heavy.

When she dressed and went downstairs, the chambermaids were dusting and cleaning.

She had nothing to do but call the agent Aldrich had recommended to her.

A letter had to be written if that was to happen.

After writing and sealing the letter while in the study, she called the footman to have someone deliver it to the man.

Mr. Brookside.

What an interesting name, she thought.

The inventories caught her attention once more.

She probed through them further, trying to discover what had been done to the gross amount of harvest that had yielded all through the years.

Beneath them, she found a letter. It had no address and had been unsealed.

All it said was ’Bring them to the top of the mountain. We await you.’

Who awaits who?

Claire searched for another letter that might answer her questions but found none.

Bring what?

She had a feeling that whatever uncle Jarren was delivering wasn’t something good.

Or if it was, it wasn’t for a good reason.

Just then, the steward poked his head inside.

Before he could speak, she said, "Do come in. Can I ask you a question, Mr. Perlwick?"

The man nodded and stepped just beyond the door.

"What kind of questions, my lady?"

"About the harvests from your previous Master’s lands - do you know where he sold them?" He shook his head.

"The master never discussed anything with me, I’m afraid."

His face was stiff as always but there was no hesitation in his words.

"Very well. What did you come to see me for?"

He clasped his hands behind him.

" A Mr. Zach is here to see you. He said you would know who he was when I mention his name to you."