I open my mouth. Nothing comes out. Francesca laughs in that same tone of politeness that she speaks in. She turns herhead just enough to look at the portrait. “Would you like to see the letter she’s holding? The record’s still in the archives.”
I frown. “You kept it?”
A single dimple pops from her left cheek. “Of course,” she murmurs. “Lady Athena Sheffolk, she wrote to a bishop who asked her to repent. She declined, evidently, and told him she’d never apologise for being touched by somebody who makes her feel like a woman.” Her eyes flick to mine. “The letter’s very moving.”
My jaw clenches. “And your family put it on display?”
“Athena earned it, didn’t she?” She moves towards the hidden panel, pulls on one of the books, and the stone seals quietly as though it obeys her every move. Then she’s at the main door of my room. “Coming?”
Her choice of words has my teeth grinding.
And I follow.
Of course I do.
Because what else is there to do when a prissy little duchess offers to show you erotic family artefacts?
Kai gets up with exaggerated effort and stretches his long limbs. “Great stuff, I love a good field trip. Shall we get going then?”
I stop. Look over my shoulder. Dead stare. “Sit.”
He freezes, then slowly sinks back into the chair.
When I turn back to the door, Francesca’s already in the corridor, analysing my expression. It takes me longer than I care to admit to realise it isn’t amusement I’m seeing when her lips quirk; it’s approval.
I don’t ask what it means; neither does she.
She walks away, and I steal just a nanosecond to peek back into the room and glare at my brother, warning him with my eyes alone to behave.
“Tell her I love the family values around here,” he says with a thumbs up. I shut the door, but still hear him through it. “And if the ‘letter’ is code, I want details!”
His voice echoes behind me as I make my way to where she waits. We fall into step with each other, and she doesn’t say anything, but I notice a flicker of movement at her mouth. She’s pretending not to, but she heard Kai’s crass words.
She definitely fucking heard.
11
TURN YOUR GAZE AWAY
ERIC
The archive looks nothing like I expected. Which is to say, it doesn’t look like it belongs in a castle at all. It’s tucked away at the end of a narrow corridor on the ground floor, and the entrance has sliding doors. Upon entering, I’m met with an area sleek enough to be mistaken for a gallery. The walls are lined with temperature-controlled glass cases, and there are LED lights framing all of the portraits and plaques. It’s an immediate contrast to the corridor and any other part of the castle.
Francesca explains that this used to be tucked away in a dusty corner of the basement apartments, close to where the castle’s legal advisor lives.
For decades it served as more of a records room where files and artefacts piled high until her uncle decided they could turn it into a museum of sorts, a way for the public to learn about Sheffolk’s history. Over time, they elevated it to a proper archive, and I sense her pride in the new design.
She doesn’t walk at my side, always a few steps ahead, where I can watch her. As she speaks, she doesn’t turn around to check if I’m listening, kind of how my father carries himself.
Except this time, I’m listening. I tell myself this is damage control, that if I nod and appear interested enough, I can wrestle this situation into something salvageable. She excuses herself for a moment to go find the key; I’m not paying attention to that last bit.
There’s a quietpingfrom the pocket of my trousers, and I slide my phone free. The groan is instant.
Heir & Spare²
Henrik
heard you got caught watching porn by the duchess.
