A Captive of Wing and Feather A Retelling of Swan Lake - Melanie Cellier Page 0,57

I couldn’t call out a greeting, and he had slipped away before I could gesture for him to come inside. And since Audrey had disappeared, I couldn’t follow him either. I was stuck until Wren returned.

Thankfully she arrived not long later, pulling up short when she caught sight of me. I signed to her that Audrey had gone, and she gave a long-suffering sigh.

“Why am I not surprised? She always did take advantage of your good nature, Lady.” She stiffened. “I mean, Your Highness.”

Please, no, I signed, and then added, I’m sorry. About Audrey.

She regarded me for a long moment while I held my breath. Finally, she sighed. Glancing at the children, she kept her voice low.

“Audrey is…Audrey. No one knows better than me that she’s hard to control. I can’t blame you for failing to do what I have never really managed.” She gave me a hard look. “But you should have told me what happened.”

I nodded my agreement, hoping my face sufficiently reflected my repentance, and her anger melted away. She glanced toward her daughter.

“I know you just wanted to protect me. I’m familiar with the feeling—I would do anything to protect Junie. But, Lady, I’m not a four-year-old. I just wish you’d trusted me.”

I looked away, not sure how to respond, and was suddenly enveloped in a hug. Tears pricked my eyes as Wren held me close. She was a good friend—better than I deserved.

“Now get out of here,” she said. “I saw Audrey on my way in and gave her my report. And I think I spied Gabe as well. No doubt they’re waiting for you.”

Although the children were busily occupied on the other side of the room, a cry went up from Junie when I moved toward the door.

“No! You can’t go! The villain needs to stay on the mountain.”

I hesitated, but Wren waved me on with a wry look.

“Don’t worry, I’ll sort them out. You be off.”

With a smile for her and a wave at the children, I took the offered opportunity and slipped away. I paused in the corridor. No one was in sight. I couldn’t hear anything either. So I did what I always did when in doubt and headed for the kitchen. The large room was the undeniable hub of the haven—its beating heart.

Sure enough, I heard voices as I approached the kitchen door, but something made me hesitate. Catching my name, I lingered outside. It only took me a moment to place the two voices—Cora and Gabe. The strange combination was enough to keep me outside, out of view, as I heard my name again.

“It’s like she’s two different people,” Gabe said. “When I see her with the residents here—the elderly or the children—she’s like the Addie of my childhood. Kind, gracious, gentle…But when she interacts with me—”

Cora barked out a laugh. “Let me guess. She’s defensive, closed off, and generally prickly?”

I peeked through the gap in the door and saw Gabe give her a rueful look.

“It’s that obvious, huh?”

“A number of things are obvious,” she told him dryly. “Lady doesn’t trust you—because she doesn’t trust most men.” She gave him an exaggerated look up and down, a smile tugging at her mouth. “And, given your unfortunate excess of charm and good looks, I’m guessing she doesn’t trust herself around you either.”

I stiffened. Cora knew me far too well, apparently.

“Doesn’t trust herself…” Gabe trailed off as he grasped Cora’s meaning, a surprising flush appearing on his cheeks. “Oh, I see.” His gaze grew thoughtful.

“I’ve always assumed it had something to do with her past—and with how she turned up on my doorstep alone at thirteen. But it’s my policy not to ask questions of those in need—they know my ears are open when they’re ready to talk. And maybe Lady would have reached that point eventually—if her voice hadn’t been stripped away.”

Cora paused, frowning. “Of course, now that I know who she really is…” She shook her head. “There have been all sorts of rumors about old King Nicolas and Prince Dominic—King Dominic, I should say—so I can only guess at what she went through.” She bent a piercing eye on Gabe. “You probably know more about that than me.”

“I know something,” Gabe said. “But I’m not exactly one of Dominic’s confidants. I suspect he doesn’t have a great many of those. But I know he was far less at fault than his father, at least.”

Cora sighed. “Which is not the same as being blameless, as I’ve no doubt Lady