n, proper attire for a widow, Jolie walke

arance before the fam

nor offered a greeting so cold it could have frozen the tea in Jolie's cup. Duke Ther

olor and noise in the somber room. They were laughing, hea

e a great show of extending her arm so everyone could

n," she announced to the room at large

red no reaction, no flicker of jealousy or pain. Her utter in

cleared his throat. "Lady

trailing behind like a prison guard. Tris

He admonished her to remember her place, to live a qui

id, her voice a model of humility. "I have no i

ed the room, taking in every

les. The one on top was bound in twine, with a neat labe

ome of her ancestor

s. She forced herself to look away, to keep her bre

he first thread in the tangled

the study doors burst open and Tristan and Ser

m through the older woman's, chattering about some upcomi

cated look: resentment, frustration, and a possess

istant smile. She curtsied gracefully. "Y

ed out, back straig

ed provocations having found no purchase. After she was gone, Seraphina began complaining to the D

, her mind racing. She immediately wrote down the

study and take it. She needed access, power, a reason to

to form, more dar

grate in the study connected to his network of passages. He had heard his father'

's calm, measured resp

her eyes flickered toward the desk, the brief,

rested in a land dispute

e realized, was a deeper myst