The queen shudders and draws back slightly. ‘Yes, I suppose it is.’
‘Forgive me, Your Majesty. But you have taken a ratherextrememeasure for the sake of a few hours of freedom,’ I cannot help saying. ‘Could not one of your other ladies have—’
The queen scowls. ‘No, there is no one I trust more than you.’
‘Oh.’
‘And this way, you can be my royal tasterandmy doppelganger.’ Her pale pink lips twist deviously.
‘But I do not need to eat. Now I only drink—’
The queen interrupts. ‘Dimitri assures me you will require only the merest morsel to detect any poison. And that you will not be affected if there is.’
I nod dutifully. ‘Very well.’
‘And then at night, we will swap places. If anyone tries to murder me, then they will discover I am not so easily disposed of with a dagger. And you will easily heal from a knife wound or two.’
Wonderful, I am to be used as a pincushion too!
‘May I ask where you will be while I am pretending to beyou in your chamber?’
The queen averts her eyes and plays with the gold rings on her fingers. ‘That is of no concern to you.’
But I am determined. ‘Humour me, Your Majesty. I have sacrificed my humanity for you. I deserve to know your whereabouts.’
The queen sighs. ‘Very well.’ She leans closer and says sotto voce, ‘I will be with Robert.’
‘Oh, I see. And may I enquire what you will be doing in Lord Dudley’s chamber?’
‘Playing chess, of course.’ The queen flutters her eyelashes, looking innocent.
I raise an eyebrow. ‘Chess? A likely story.’
The queen looks annoyed. ‘I do not like what you are inferring, Hester. If you insist on being disrespectful, I can have you removed.’ I stare at her neck, and the queen hastily changes her mind. ‘But since you are the most trusted member of my court, of course, I shall gladly tell you.’
She speaks so softly I am glad I have vampire hearing to pick up on what she is saying. ‘Now that Robert’s wife is dead, we can give in to our ... carnal desires.’
I stare at her. ‘What do you mean his wife is “dead”?’
The queen shrugs. ‘Lady Amy was found at the bottom of the stairs in Cumnor Place the morning after my birthday feast. It appears she fell and broke her neck.’
My hand flies to my mouth. ‘Oh, how terrible! She was such a sweet lady!’
‘Yes, it is a most unfortunate business. Poor Robert has been beside himself and much in need of comforting...’
Hmm, no doubt ...
‘Yet life is for the living.’ The queen looks at me. ‘Well, for most of us.’
I grit my teeth and straighten my shoulders. ‘This is all very well for you. But it is highlyinconvenientfor me. So I would like to be rewarded for my assistance.’
The queen looks startled, and it is clear she was not expecting me to be difficult. ‘Rewarded? I would have thought that eternal youth was rather a large reward. Along with superior eyesight, hearing, strength, physical beauty’—she ticks them off on her fingers—‘and possibly several other unique powers that may appear in due course. Would that I were in your position ... But of course, all eyes are upon me. And when I do not age, my enemies would spread rumours that I am an unnatural ruler. I would be tried as a witch and burnt at the stake.’
My lips tighten. ‘SoIam to be burnt at the stake?’
The queen flutters her fingers to remind me of how much power she holds. ‘Of course not. I will protect you from that fate.’
‘Still, I want recompense,’ I state firmly. I am pushingthe queen to her limits, but I must think of my own kin.
