Dylan opened the door and ushered her inside. The scent of coffee and cinnamon floated in the air, the enticing aroma reminding her she hadn’t eaten for hours. A blast of conversation battered her sensitive ears, and she couldn’t see a single empty table.
Dylan urged her to a counter where a woman with brown hair and a bright, welcoming smile stood, tending to customers. She and Dylan joined the end of the line to wait for their turn.
“I didn’t expect it to be so busy.” Along with the coffee and cinnamon scents came the musky scent of wolves and, if she wasn’t mistaken, feline.
“Dylan,” the woman said.
“Hi, Emily, this is Allegra Wolfehart. She went to school with Esther, and she’s staying with us for a brief holiday.”
“Welcome to Middlemarch and the bedlam that is my café.” Emily’s welcoming smile echoed her words. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
“Emily, any free tables? Allegra and I came for breakfast.”
A dark-haired woman spoke from behind them. “Yes, in the garden, if you don’t mind playing kids.”
“Allegra, this is Tomasine. Allegra is staying with Esther and me,” Dylan said to the new arrival.
The doorbell tinkled, and three men stepped inside the cafe.
“You’d better hustle if you want that table,” Tomasine said.
“What would you like for breakfast?” Emily asked.
“Two full English breakfasts,” Dylan said, checking her reaction for agreement.
“And coffee,” Allegra said. “Black for me.”
“I’ll take a latte, please,” Dylan said.
“Go grab the table.” Emily noted their requirements on an order pad. “There might be a wait because we’re busy with the tour bus passengers.”
“No problem, we’re not in a hurry,” Dylan winked at Allegra.
“Great, we’ll bring your meals as soon as they’re ready.” Emily waved them away and smiled at the men behind them.
Dylan and Allegra headed outside to the garden. It was a grassy patch with several tables and a play area for children. A tall green hedge enclosed the space, and soft music played in the background. Three children were playing with toys while their mothers sat at a nearby table, watching their children and enjoying their coffee.
Dylan and Allegra found a table in a quiet corner and sat. Allegra took a notebook and pen from her bag, intending to start her list. She nibbled on a fingernail, unsure of where to begin.
“You were telling me about your parents,” Dylan said.
“Yes.” She collected her thoughts. “The police ascertained the shooter’s position, but there was precious little other information. Somehow, the shooter vanished. No one saw them, and there was no hard evidence at the site.”
“And your brother?”
Allegra drew in a sharp breath. “He took the last shot and lived the longest. I received a phone call but didn’t reach the hospital in time.”
“Allegra, I’m sorry.”
She shrugged because the tightness of her throat prevented her from speaking.
“What made you suspicious about your council?”
“I made decisions at meetings, sometimes overruling the council because I have that power as the princess. The balance in the royal bank account was lower than the books that Pierre kept showed it should be, and lately, we’ve had a series of mishaps around the chateau. We have inexplicable staff shortages, and minor items have gone missing from rooms. Maybe I’m overreacting.”
“But someone shot at you.”
“Yes, while I was in the wilderness.”
