Baldwin’s head snapped around, his eyes narrowing as he searched for the speaker. The crowd shifted, and Beth caught sight of a familiar face. Cedric Whitmore, watching her with undisguised contempt. Their eyes met briefly before he melted back into the crowd.
“Ignore him,” Baldwin said, his voice tight. “He seeks to provoke.”
Beth nodded, but her heart hammered against her ribs. Cedric’s presence here couldn’t be coincidence. He’d tried to have her branded as a witch at Glenhaven. What might he attempt with the power of the court behind him?
Before Beth could voice her concerns, the blare of trumpets silenced her, and the crowd’s reaction left no room for doubt. The king had indeed arrived.
With regal assurance, Edward IV strode purposefully across the floor, Queen Elizabeth by his side, moving with an effortlessgrace, radiant as she whispered something that made him smile. Behind them, Jacquetta, Lady Rivers, scanned the gathering with an intense calm, as if absorbing more than anyone might guess.
“We greet you, Baldwin of Glenhaven,” the king declared, his voice resonant. “It pleases us to have you return to these walls, for your welcome is always gracious.”
Baldwin bowed low. “Your Grace, we are profoundly honored. No delight surpasses the pleasure of your royal presence at Glenhaven this summer.”
Edward laughed heartily, clasping Baldwin’s arm. “Lord Devereux, it is a joy to see you again. Your hospitality leaves a lasting impression, and we eagerly anticipate witnessing more of Mistress Beth’s wondrous experiments.”
Queen Elizabeth offered a gentle smile and turned to Beth. “Mistress Beth, it seems our visit to Glenhaven was especially fortuitous, as I discovered I am with child.”
Beth dipped into a deep curtsy. “Your Majesty, may your happiness be boundless, and blessings upon the child.”
Jacquetta nodded in acknowledgment. “Arrangements have been made for you to demonstrate your marvels in the east solar. The king eagerly anticipates new wonders.”
Beth remained low in her curtsy. “You are too kind. The little I know of natural philosophy is at your command.”
The queen regarded Beth with approval before she and Edward moved on. In the silence following their absence, Baldwin gently guided Beth toward a nearby alcove.
She spoke softly. “That was nerve-wracking.”
His touch on her elbow was light but unyielding. “Aye, but they have welcomed us. Let that be enough for now.”
The garden courtyardwas crowded with curious nobles by the time Beth arrived with Baldwin and Eleanor. Roland had gone on an errand for Baldwin and said he would meet them later. At the center of the chilly courtyard stood an ornate fountain with water flowing from the mouths of carved stone fish into a wide basin.
Her heart sank. She’d spent the time during the meal trying to think of a safe demonstration, something that would satisfy curiosity without revealing too much. She’d settled on a simple copper sulfate solution that would produce bright blue flames. Impressive but controllable.
But now, with dozens of eyes upon her and the king himself watching expectantly from his cushioned seat, her hands trembled. She set her small leather pouch of chemicals on the fountain’s edge and tried to steady her breathing.
“You needn’t do this,” Baldwin said quietly. He stood close behind her, his presence both comforting and intimidating in his formal attire. The sunlight caught in his dark hair, highlighting strands of copper and gold from the time he’d spent outdoors this summer.
“If I refuse, it will look suspicious,” Beth replied, keeping her voice low. “Better to control the narrative.”
His jaw tightened, but he stepped back, giving her space to work.
Beth removed small vials from her pouch, conscious of the hushed whispers around her. She’d prepared these mixtures at Glenhaven, never imagining she’d be using them as court entertainment. Carefully, she poured the copper sulfate solution into a small metal dish.
“What I am about to show you,” she announced, raising her voice to address the crowd, “is merely a property of certain substances when combined. There is no magic here, only natural philosophy.”
King Edward leaned forward, his eyes bright with interest. “Proceed, Mistress Beth.”
Beth added the catalyst to her mixture, but as she did, she realized her error. In her nervousness, she’d grabbed the wrong vial. Not the mild reactant she’d intended, but a more volatile compound she’d been experimenting with at Glenhaven.
She opened her mouth to warn everyone, but it was too late. The solution bubbled violently, then erupted in a spectacular blue-green flame that shot upward with unexpected force. The heat singed her eyebrows, and she stumbled backward and would have fallen if Baldwin hadn’t been there to steady her against his chest. “Bloody hell, woman.”
The flame caught the decorative oil that floated in the fountain’s basin, spreading across the water’s surface in a dancing ring of fire. For one breathtaking moment, it was beautiful, blue-green flames atop water, defying nature itself.
Then someone screamed. The courtiers scattered, ladies lifting their skirts to flee, men shoving each other aside. Beth stood frozen, horrified at the chaos she’d created.
Baldwin pulled her away from the flame. His face was a mask of alarm, eyes reflecting the unnatural fire. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head, unable to speak. The flames were already dying down, having consumed the oil, but the damage was done. She’d turned a simple demonstration into a spectacle of terror.
