Court of Flowers (Sutherland Book 1)

XXXIV | Everleigh Afternoon

He frowned. "You hid it in the bloody Library."

She pasted a proud smile on her lips. "You are indeed wise."

Sasha fell quiet after that, finally taking the time to look around them.

They had reached a clearing in the woods. The light streamed through the leaves, shining patches of bright light on the field of wildflowers. "I do hope you do not touch this place," she said, blinking away tears. "I have not seen anything so wonderful."

West watched her with interest. "I would have thought that Belcourt has many beautiful things to offer."

"Yes, but nothing so... beautifully chaotic."

He looked around. "That is the beauty of nature. You allow it to flow the way it was designed to be." He grabbed the bunch of wildflowers from her hand and studied them. "There are many beautiful things outside Belcourt, Sasha. You simply have to know where to settle to stare."

Sasha blinked away a tear. Why was she even crying? With a swift motion, she wiped her cheek with the back of her hand and squared her shoulders. Since last night, she was a mess, really. She must get a grip on her faculties because they were all she had left.

"We have to find a way to get to Gabrielle," she said after a while, changing the subject. "It cannot be in Belcourt or my villa. It has to be somewhere else. Once we have her, we need to find a way to make her talk."

"Do you think it is the best approach? You believe she is working with the prince, but you have no proof of the matter."

"I believe in my deductive skills. Why? Do you have anything else to suggest?" When he did not reply, she continued, "Gabrielle is the only chance we have to more answers. At the moment, we are stuck. Your sister's records are missing. We can no longer even say she is still in Belcourt. And if she is, she is most likely to be in the Palace. And I could be wrong about Gabrielle, which will be the worst of all. But if I am not, then we may just find answers. It is either her or the prince. I am certain we both know the prince is untouchable," she finished, thinking about Prince Albert. She had access to the man, but she was not stupid enough to directly confront him. "We simply need to find a weapon to use against her."

"We can have her followed."

She shook her head. "No, we have to get to her. We do not have the luxury of time for a game of chase."

He looked up at the sky. "It is high time we return to the manor. I see rain clouds in the distance."

*****

After supper was served, Sasha and Seven had a fight.

West smiled as Sasha lifted her legs unto the settee and gathered her muslin skirts away from the whimpering dog.

"Do not display those adorable eyes at me, sir," Sasha chided in an angry tone, gazing down at Seven with a scowl. "Look what you did!" she added, waving her tattered skirt. "You play on your own. I do not condone such behavior, sir."

Seven dropped to the floor beside her seat, eyes skyward at Sasha, and whimpered.

"You go to that corner," Sasha indignantly ordered, pointing to the other side of the room.

"The other corner," West murmured under his breath.

Sasha moved her arm to the other corner of the room. "Go to your corner." Seven blinked and raised ever so slowly on his front legs. He turned to West and purred.

West assumed a bewildered look at the dog. Lifting his shoulders with his palms facing up, he said, "I did try to stop you, my friend. You did not listen."