should be able to overpower them so long as my men remain loyal to me.”
“And that will be the tricky part,” Idina mused. “Yesterday, a letter came for Duchess Ellington. Since I know there isn’t a duchess here and the letter bore the king’s seal, I opened it.” She reached into the folds of her dress and produced the letter, tossing it on the table. “It states the wedding was delayed due to the death of Prince Henrick. It then goes on to say the king requests the duchess to travel with a guard of one hundred men to the wedding. Once she arrives, the wedding will take place.”
The spoon slipped from Leigh’s fingers, clanking on the table. “Prince Henrick is dead?”
Idina pursed her lips. “Sorry, Mother. I withheld that information yesterday.”
“My father is…” Dexter trailed off.
He was probably going to say his father wasn’t dead, but he thought better of it. In order for Henrick’s plan to work, no one could know he was alive.
“My father is at peace now,” Dexter said, focusing on his soup as he spoke.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Leigh said, her voice weak. “I’m retiring for the night.” She stood, then hurried from the room.
“That was awkward,” Ackley mumbled once his mother was gone.
“I didn’t think she’d still have feelings for my father,” Dexter replied.
Reid hadn’t either. However, it made sense since Henrick still cared about Leigh, even though he was married to Nara.
“Why do you suppose Eldon sent this letter?” Idina asked.
Dexter plucked the letter off the table, examining it. “I recognize the handwriting. When the king sent word he’d be coming, we evacuated all servants and replaced them with soldiers. I assigned Stewart as my father’s deputy. Stewart wrote this—I’m certain of it.”
“I know my brother,” Idina said. “He wouldn’t waste his time writing letters to the duchesses. He’d make a scribe do it for him. If Stewart was around, he’d use him.”
Reid leaned forward on her arms. “So…the king instructed Stewart to write to all the duchesses and invite them to the City of Radella for the wedding. Is it not well known my father is a widow?” Reid swallowed, realizing her father wasn’t a widow. He was still married. And her mother was technically the duchess of Ellington.
“You’re assuming each duchess in Marsden received an identical letter?” Idina inquired.
“Yes.”
“To answer your question,” Dexter said to Reid, “most know your father is a widow. I think Stewart sent the letter to Duchess Ellington, feigning ignorance on the chance you came here to hide, or someone here would know where you are.”
“Which means Stewart thought we needed to know about this,” Reid mused, tapping the letter.
“The question is then, why does the king want the duchesses and a hundred soldiers per duchess to travel to Axian?” Idina smiled, as if she already knew the answer, but was waiting to see if anyone else guessed it.
Ackley cursed. “He plans to either strip the dukes and duchesses of their titles or kill them.”
“Precisely,” Idina replied. “Thankfully, we have people watching the ports. I’ve received word there are several Melenia ships off the coast of northern Marsden. The king has no idea they are there. I believe Melenia intends to invade once the army and all dukes and duchess are south.”
“I agree,” Gordon said. “When I talked with the Melenia officers before I left, they told me they wanted Marsden’s resources. I got the distinct impression they plan to stab Eldon in the back the first chance they get.”
Idina’s smile grew. “I’ve been investigating the land across the ocean to the east of us. It is known as the Mainland. Melenia is but one kingdom of many there. Years ago, my father was engaged to marry a princess from Melenia. King Broc wished to unite the two kingdoms and open trade. However, my grandfather died, so the marriage contract was severed. Melenia has been upset with us ever since.”
“While this is all very interesting,” Ackley said around a yawn, “I’m tired and would like you to get to the point—if there is one.”
“I have a point.” Idina scooted forward on her chair, leaning on the table. “It just so happens war is brewing on the Mainland. There is a kingdom there called Russek. Its king has been showing signs of wanting to take over the neighboring kingdoms. So I wrote him a letter informing him a substantial portion of the Melenia army is hundreds of miles away. If he wants to invade Melenia, now is the