I winced. “Henri. He didn’t do anything wrong. And I’m not yours to keep. I can do what I like.”
Henri frowned down at me. “I mean to keep my word and let you come around, but the one thing I forbid is for you to let that man onto these grounds. Do I make myself clear?”
The count’s voice was low and dangerous, as if on the verge of erupting. I felt fear course through my body as I nodded my acquiescence. “Yes, my lord.”
Henri’s cheek twitched. “Get inside.”
I nodded and stumbled toward the servants’ entrance, eyes burning with tears. I gasped as I flung myself inside and slammed the door shut behind me.
I was kept busy with chores over the next few days. Overnight it seemed my workload had tripled, as Henri demanded his whole wardrobe be meticulously sorted and mended where necessary. It was a good learning opportunity, and I spent most of my days in the company of Annette, who taught me to patch holes, strengthen buttons, and sew. I hadn’t seen Bram in that time, but I did catch wind of the fact that he’d been to the château and turned away, at the request of Count Morano. As promised.
I suspected that part of the reason I was being kept so busy was so that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to go into town to call on Bram myself. It was infuriating, and I chalked it up to jealousy on Henri’s part. He was acting out like a child. Hardly the sort of behavior that was going to endear me toward him any time soon.
Henri was down to tea one afternoon, and while sorting through his wardrobe, I came across a locket in one of his coat pockets. I sat down on the edge of his bed and opened the clasp to reveal the portrait of a young woman with blonde hair and a young man with a carefree smile. I studied the two figures briefly before I recognized the woman as the same as the portrait in the library downstairs. Henri and Blanche’s mother. Her eyes weren’t painted with the same ethereal green in this picture, but I recognized her nonetheless. The man, I presumed, was their father. He was a handsome man with meticulously styled walnut hair and a neatly trimmed mustache.
“They made for a fine couple, didn’t they?”
I gasped and dropped the locket, earning a reproving look from Annette. She scooped down to pick it up and smiled at the portraits. “You can really see the resemblance, can you not?”
I stood and peered over her shoulder. Now that I was looking, I could see Henri’s jawline in his father, and Blanche’s nose. “Did you know either of them?”
Annette tapped the portrait of the man. “I knew Count Victor Morano. Countess Helena Morano had already killed herself by the time I was hired by the family for her ladyship. That must have been, oh, five years ago now.”
I blinked. “Wait. Their mother killed herself? I thought it was an accident, that she lost her footing while exploring a cliff.”
“It’s likely easier to imagine it happening in such a way.” Annette sighed, returning the locket to my hand. “But I heard from a reliable source that she threw herself off that cliff. I’ve even heard that she was running from her husband at the time, but I believe that to be a wild embellishment.”
Frowning, I held the locket closer to my face, examining the smiling woman with eyes so like Henri’s. It was hard to believe that such a beauty would end her life in such a gruesome way. Or be driven to it. Feeling a little uneasy at the revelation, I closed the locket. “What was their father like?”
Annette smiled. “Oh, he was a kind man. Imagine the polar opposite of Count Montoni. Generous, warm. He always took the time to converse with the staff and treated us exceptionally well. But I’m afraid his wife’s death took a toll on him.” She shrugged. “Bullet to the head. It was a terrible time, that. And so hard on the children, Henri in particular.”
“That’s … awful,” I said quietly, trying to imagine a younger version of Henri experiencing such a tragedy. It had to have been traumatizing. I suddenly felt very sorry for him. No child should have to suffer through such things.
I recalled the hurt, the betrayal, I’d seen mixed in Henri’s face the other night. I hadn’t recognized it then, but I did now. He’d probably felt like he hadn’t been enough of a reason for his father to stay. And now he felt like he wasn’t enough for me to like him. I did sympathize with Henri in this new light, but I couldn’t let him control me, even if he desperately needed to feel in control of the situation. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us, and his self-worth would be even worse off if I left him abruptly in six months.
“But enough gossip,” Annette said. “Bring down any other coats you find that need mending, and we’ll finish this up today. Then you’re going to return the favor and mend some of her ladyship’s things.”
“I insist upon it.” I hesitated as Annette turned to leave. “Say, Annette? Can I beg a favor?”
Annette looked wary. “What is it?”
I licked my lips, unsure of how to secure Annette’s aid. I’d come to the realization that if I was to uncover something damning against Montoni, that I would need help. If he was suspicious of me, he could have warned other servants, such as Grimes, to watch me. I needed to tread carefully if I didn’t want to find myself tossed out or, even worse, at the mercy of the gendarmerie. Annette was a trusted member of the household staff. She was the perfect candidate to aid me in my search. But how to convince her …
“Count Montoni doesn’t strike me as a very noble man,” I said slowly. “He seems paranoid, like he’s hiding something … something important. I think we would all be better off if he was convinced to leave this household in the hands of Henri and Blanche.”
It wasn’t a lie. Not exactly. Part of my negotiation with Montoni, given the temper I’d witnessed, needed to extend to his niece and nephew. I wouldn’t feel good about occupying their family retreat if I left them to fend off Montoni’s rage, especially given that they seemed willing to go to extreme lengths to curtail whatever trouble he was getting himself into. I only needed to secure an escape for myself to get away from this family. As cruel as Henri was, I didn’t need to make an enemy of him while his uncle was the more present threat, especially since this family had seen enough tragedy already.
Annette’s eyes narrowed. “What are you saying exactly, Dupont?”
I shrugged. “I’m just asking you to keep your eyes and ears open. Between the two of us, we might uncover whatever it is that Montoni is trying to keep under wraps. That information could be enough to free us all from him. Just imagine how much lighter Blanche would be without her uncle around.”
“That, she would,” Annette considered. She crossed her arms. “I can tell you have your heart in the right place. I’m not sure what could be so important that it would drive Montoni from the château, but I also saw the way he treated you outside my lady’s room. He feels threatened by something, sure enough. No, I don’t suppose I mind keeping an eye out, but anything you come across, I want to hear about as well. If I’m doing this, I want to do this as an equal. In this together.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Very well, Annette. We share what we uncover.”
Annette grinned. “I’ll try to convince Ludovico to watch for anything suspicious as well.”
“Ludovico?” I echoed, trying to place the name.
