“Do you know where Alvilda went?” Astrid asked.
“I’m not sure. She’d said she needed to pick up a delivery from Nadal’s dairy farm at the far meadow. Said she’d forgotten about it and would get in trouble if anyone knew she was gone.”
Immediately Becka thought of the grazing land near Nadal’s farm and the larkspur that grew near the river. Her bile rose, the sour juices burning her throat. Was Alvilda getting more larkspur to poison her with right now?
“Brent,” Quinn called out, and the shifter opened the door and stepped into the room. “I need your help hunting a stray.”
Brent smiled, his wolfish grin reminding Becka of Caeda’s predatory look earlier. “I thought you’d never ask. Where do we pick up the scent?”
“Calder,” Quinn said, “take us to Alvilda’s room.”
He gaped. “Wait, you can’t hunt her down like a dog! This is just a misunderstanding. She’d never have harmed Becka!”
“We can, and will, hunt her down,” Quinn spat out. “But I promise we won’t harm her, unlike what she might be planning right now in some twisted attempt to further your standing. Now, take us to her room.”
Chapter 28
Becka watched as the enforcers searched Alvilda’s room. Located on the first floor of the manor, her room was oddly smaller than Becka had expected. She’d always lived in and visited the quarters reserved for the immediate family of the duchess. While Alvilda’s room was well-appointed, it lacked the luxury of rooms just one floor up. On the upside, as the room was about the size of Becka’s en suite bathroom, there was much less space to search.
The small, modest room implied that Alvilda wasn’t a high-ranking fae and also that her gift wasn’t powerful enough to command substantial income for the house. No wonder she’d been so aggressively courting Calder; the alternative was remaining in her meager station.
Calder stood just outside the doorway, fuming as he watched the enforcers rip apart the room and Brent pick out clothing from her laundry to be used in tracking. Becka left the room and stood next to him, trying to imagine what he was thinking. Somehow his blatant honesty during the interrogation had dissipated her remaining frustration with him. Becka didn’t care if he liked her; she’d long ago gotten used to being the odd one out in the group. Now that he’d been honest, there was no longer any pretense hanging between them.
Becka liked to know where she stood with someone, even if it was alone in the desert.
“How did Alvilda come to live at the manor?” Becka asked.
Calder’s expression was grim. “She’s the daughter of Padrig, cousin to the duchess. She grew up on his estate, just down the road.”
“I remember him. He’s renowned for his dressmaking.”
He nodded. “When Alvilda came into her powers, they brought her to the manor so she could study with Astrid. She’s good, but not an adept.”
Becka could have mentioned how Alvilda’s illusion at the tea party was well done, yet the first to be called out. But she thought better of it.
“Few are,” she replied.
“Anyway, that’s how I met her. When she finished training, she stayed on at the manor to continue our affair. She took on duty assignments as a lady’s maid for Sigfrid and Ingrid, doing dress alterations, even working in the kitchen. It’s how we first met.”
“She sounds devoted to you.” Which was syrupy sweet, if possibly also a smidge mercenary. Had it ever occurred to Calder to wonder at his lover’s motivations?
Calder wobbled his head from side to side. “Mother wouldn’t approve the engagement; said she’s aiming higher for my prospects than a village girl. We’d hoped if Alvilda conceived then Mother might change her mind.”
“If Alvilda was pregnant, Mother would allow her to stay here, near you,” Becka replied.
Quinn emerged from the room followed by Hamish, who carried a box filled with jars, containers, dried herbs, notebooks, and whatnot. Brent was close behind him, carrying a handful of socks.
“Get those items inventoried and set off to testing,” Quinn said to Hamish, who gave a sharp nod and then headed off in the library’s direction.
Quinn turned to Calder and Becka. “Things were already in disarray when we started. It looks like she left in a hurry. I found dried herbs that I think are larkspur, but our lab will confirm. There were several tinctures and unguents which we will also test.”
Calder ran a hand through his hair. “I still can’t believe she’d hurt Becka. Alvilda knows how important family is to me.”
Becka didn’t point out that Calder himself hadn’t considered her one of the family for some time, only grudgingly tolerating her presence for weeks. No wonder Alvilda had disliked her; he’d emotionally poisoned her against Becka, day in and day out for months.
Quinn extended a piece of folded parchment out to Calder. “She left you this letter.”
Calder snatched it from Quinn’s hand, turning it over and revealing a broken seal. “You dare read our private correspondence?” he replied, his cheeks instantly ruddy.
Quinn put his hands on his hips. “I do. Read it.”
Calder fumed, but opened the letter and scanned it, paling as he did so.
“I meant,” Quinn continued, “read it out loud.”
Calder’s lips formed a hard line and Becka wondered if he’d yield. “As you say.”
He took a deep breath, and then read.
My darling Calder,
I regret leaving you under these, or any, circumstances, but I fear fate has caught up with me.
The arrival of the new enforcers can mean only one thing. Therefore, I must flee before they find me.
Never doubt in my unending and enduring love for you, my light. I would have done anything for you. Even in leaving, I do so confident you will be held blameless.
I freely admit I poisoned Becka. I grieve Duke Vott’s poisoning, but that was at Becka’s hand.
Never fear, my love. One day soon I am confident you will take your rightful place as heir. It’s only a matter of time before
