A Lady's Guide to Courtship

XXXIV. Lost

I know I do not have the talent... But it ought not to stop me from thinking I am good enough, yes?

Wakefield's breath hitched as if a force had punched him in the pit of his stomach. He nearly stumbled on the ground if he had not found support on the table. He rapidly blinked away the tears from his eyes, his hands shaking as he snarled at Rosa Gimer, "And do tell me where the mask is, Miss Gimer."

Her eyes went frantic.

"Where is it?" he gritted out, the veins of his neck engorging with restrained fury.

The woman stumbled back in fear.

Sapphire. Everard.

I would not even be surprised if my own sister would come forward and present herself as Lady Weis, he heard Ralph's mocking voice in his head, and she could give you as many sapphires as you want for proof.

"Tell me the truth now, Miss Gimer, before I call the Town Guards and have you arrested for treachery!"

Finally the woman saw the extent of his rage, saw the seriousness in his face and she burst in tears. "I am sorry, my lord!" she wailed. "Please forgive me! I was merely desperate for money! I did not—"

"Who gave you the damned letters, Miss Gimer?" he demanded with a snarl.

The woman shook her head. "I do not know!"

"I swear, woman, if you are lying—"

"I swear I do not know!" she shouted. "Someone sent me the letters out of nowhere with some money and a letter giving me instructions to present myself as Lady Weis the moment you return to Wickhurst. The rest of the money is to be delivered to me on the morrow! I ought to disappear from your life the moment I get hold of it. I swear that is all I know!"

This time he saw that she was telling the truth. It was in her eyes, the way she was desperately looking at him.

His jaw tightened.

"My lord, I do not wish to go to prison."

"With what you have been willing to do for money, Miss Gimer, you do deserve it," he spat, "but I am not as heartless as you or as the person responsible for this. I want you to remove yourself from my estate. Dare not speak of this encounter to anyone." He straightened, planting his feet firmly on the ground. "What time do you expect the money to come tomorrow?"

"L-late evening, my lord," she said, sobbing in fear.

"I shall have someone to watch and wait for this delivery to be made. And you shall take the money and give it to that man. Do you understand?"

When she hesitated, he said, "I shall double the money this person sends you so long as you help my cause."

Rosa Gimer whimpered.

"And do not speak of this to your mistress. She is the worst gossipmonger there is and if this event ever reaches the Herald, you shall find yourself standing before the Men of Courts."

The maid was vigorously nodding her head.

"Now go. Go!"

The moment he was alone in his study, Wakefield leaned back on the table, weak. He did not know how long he spent staring blankly at nothing. He just stared.

Would you not want to know my secrets? You might find one of them quite revealing, my lord, I tell you.

He took a long, shaky breath as Ysabella's voice came back to him. Every hint she had given him came rushing, drowning him that it was getting harder to breathe.