on her door, the voice soft and h

ded in, her face a perfectly calibrated

voice a gentle murmur. "From that litt

e Jolie. The sight of the brightly co

don't agree... if you can't find it in your heart to forgive us... I will renounce my life. I will go

to paint Jolie as the villain if she refused-the selfish girl

but on the surface she showed pained conflict. She let h

leaned forward, dropping t

voice catching with expertly feigned anguish. "I prayed every night for these feelings to be taken from me. I begged t

rs hovering just shy of Jolie's wrist, never quite t

Have you ever felt that, cousin? That instant, shattering certainty that you have found the one p

ngle tear tracking perfectly down her porcelain cheek, "-love like ours does n

oice dropping even lower, laced wit

surely you wouldn't stand in the way of a love writte

d, her heart

e, her voice thick with manufactured emotion. "Fo

complished, and swept out of the room. Jolie knew, with absolute certa

came the n

t Duchess Eleanor Beaumont wished t

of armor stood like silent, judging sentinels. Tapestries depic

oak doors. The scene was

untess Rosamund Valois, Jolie's own aunt and Seraphina's mother. To h

riangle of power, with an empty c

with lilies and un

mantel, gloved fingers resting lightly on the marble, as though the room i

ndured four centuries without a whisper of scandal, and I will not see it undone now because a girl cannot mast

Rosamund swept in like a perfumed

does. But think of Seraphina. Think of what she has found-a love so rare, so consuming, the kind of love poets we

t, her eyes glistening with the tender cruelty of a

atre. She waited until Rosamund's echo faded, then set

manded the air from the room. "The girl is not a fool.

arriage with grace. In return, the Valois family will settle upon you a dowry that will make you a desirab

have nothing. No dowry. No protection. No place. You will be a cautionar

hat followed

She allowed a single tremor to pass through her lower lip-nothing theatrical, just enough to be noticed. Inside,

et them believe their coordinated assault

y what she needed

d her head. Her eyes shimmered with tears she

I unde

lief passed among the three women. Their

t and gave Jolie "permission" to begin preparing her trouss

humble and submissive, a

her, the mask vanished. Her back straightened, j

s quick and purposeful. She locked the door

wrapped in oilcloth, was the only thing of value her parents had left her: an ancien

over. This was her true inher

a mistress. She w

on had bought time.

tem on the bed. Linens, silver, dresses. To any observer,

taking shape. Audacious, utt