Chapter 94: A Suspiciously Good Deed
Gloria happily trotted off, humming a catching, upbeat tune to herself as she skipped down the wide marble corridor. However, she abruptly stopped in her tracks, pressing her back against a decorative pillar when she spotted two senior councilmen walking by, their heads bent in hushed, urgent conversations.
"I heard Lord Vincent will be officially named the Duke of Vandalia tonight," one of the councilmen murmured, his deep voice heavy with obvious frustration. "I tried to talk the Emperor out of it... you know, argued that it feels too rushed. If that ruthless Marquis becomes a Duke, he is going to be a massive obstacle in our path moving forward. Someone like him will never join forces with our faction. He is impossibly stubborn when it comes to maintaining his loyalty."
"Of course, he won’t," the second councilman scoffed, clicking his tongue in irritation. "He has always been loyal to the crown, and he won’t even speak to the Caledonian delegates. But there is nothing we can do to stop the decree now, is there? It is happening tonight. Our only choice is to plan more carefully from here on out. It’s not as if we can magically make him miss his own declaration... Can we?"
"You are certainly right about that," his partner agreed defeatedly. "Well, we’ll just have to change the next route of our plan."
Gloria’s eyes widened behind the marble pillar as every word sank in. A slow, mischievous grin spread across her face, and she tilted her head, her mind instantly whirling with chaotic possibilities.
Oh, now she was even more excited for tonight.
—
"You want me to monitor the second prince?" Elias pointed a finger at his own chest, his brow furrowing as he processed the directives. "I do not think I have a clear picture of what any of the Emperor’s children look like."
"They will both be present tonight," Vincent replied, leaning back slightly against his desk. "It will be impossible to miss them. I need you to map out the second prince’s daily routine down to the hour. I will handle the first prince myself. I cannot keep my eyes on both of them simultaneously, so I am relying on you for this. If we can establish his habits and movements, it will be easier for me to arrange ’accidental’ encounters with him without raising unnecessary suspicions."
His calculative tone made it clear to Elias that His Lordship was on a mission as well.
As much as he burned to ask why he was being tasked with spying on the imperial lineage, of all the dangerous games in the capital, he held his tongue. He knew Vincent well enough to understand that if the reason were safe to share, it would have already been explained.
"I will carry it out to the best of my ability, Your Lordship," Elias said, giving a firm, resolute nod.
Vincent acknowledged him with a quiet incline of his head.
Bowing deeply, Elias stepped out of the study and into the adjoining chamber that connected the workspace to the main bedchamber. He paused upon finding Penelope smoothing down the pristine linen sheets. He offered her a respectful bow, which she returned with a warm smile, before he quietly slipped out into the corridor.
Left alone in the quiet dusk of his study, Vincent pulled a fresh sheet of parchment toward himself and dipped quill into the dark ink.
The capital was becoming a web of shifting threats and hidden plots, but the foundation of his power lay back home.
He was certain Martha had already begun interrogating the assassin and unravelling the network behind the attack. Still, he needed to write back to ensure the estate ran smoothly in his absence, and to reinforce security around the Devereux perimeter. From the look of things, with the Emperor’s cryptic task and his sudden promotion, he would not be returning home anytime soon.
Later in the evening, after Vincent had excused himself to answer a sudden summons from the Imperial Chamberlain, Penelope found herself wandering the upper galleries.
It didn’t take long for Lady Gloria to materialise from around a grand marble pillar, instantly attaching herself to Penelope’s side so they could explore the sprawling eastern wing together.
"You know," Gloria said, swinging her arms casually as they strolled past high, stained-glass arched windows, "the imperial palace shouldn’t be the only place you get to see! You should step out and take a look at the capital city for once! It’s your very first time here, and there is so much to explore beyond these suffocating stone walls!"
"Outside?" Penelope mused softly. Truthfully, the idea hadn’t even crossed her mind amidst the whirlwind of recent events. She offered a gentle smile. "I would have considered it if we were planning a long stay, but unfortunately, our time here is limited."
"Ah," Gloria nodded in thorough understanding, tilting her head. "That makes sense, I suppose. But listen to me—you are going to be a Duchess tonight! That means you’ll be making far more official visits to the capital from now on. You can go on a proper grand tour then! Oh, and you simply must visit the Valois territory whenever you get the chance!"
"I definitely will," Penelope agreed with a genuine laugh, thoroughly enjoying the young woman’s infectious spirit.
Gloria’s bright grin widened, but before she could launch into a vivid description of her family’s estate, she paused, her sharp eyes catching a glimpse of the grand hall below. Banners embroidered with the imperial crest were being unrolled, and servants in gold-trimmed livery were hurrying back and forth carrying polished silver platters and crystal glassware.
"Look at that," Gloria whispered conspiratorially, leaning over the balustrade with a dangerous gleam in her eye. "They’re setting up the grand hall for tonight’s banquet. The whole court is going to be there... including those delightful old councilmen I overheard earlier."
Penelope turned to her, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "Councilmen? What do you mean?"
Gloria turned to her with an utterly unbothered, mischievous smile. "Oh, just a pair of grumbling old men plotting in the shadows. They seem quite terrified of Lord Vincent becoming Duke. In fact, they were wondering if there was any way to make him miss his own ceremony. Can you imagine that?"
Penelope’s smile vanished, her posture instantly straightening as a cold, sharp alertness washed over her.
"They said what?"
"I don’t think it’s that much cause for alarm," Gloria added, waving her hand dismissively as if brushing away a stray fly. "It’s just the usual pathetic workings of the inner court. They’re never happy about young people rising above them. But besides, it’s Lord Vincent. I don’t think those old fossils have anything on him anyway."
"Can you remember the faces of those councilmen?" Penelope asked, her tone sharpening with urgency.
Gloria blinked, tapping her chin with a finger as her eyes darted upward in thought. "Ah... I knew I was missing an important detail! I didn’t actually see their faces from behind the pillar! But regardless, the declaration will obviously happen tonight. Just be certain to keep an eye out!"
Penelope stared at Gloria for a long, quiet moment.
As easily as they had clicked in the garden, the two of them were still fundamentally strangers. They had met only hours ago. For Gloria to casually drop a warning about a potential conspiracy against the crown’s newest Duke felt... suspiciously convenient.
"What?" Gloria asked, catching Penelope’s intense, unblinking gaze. She reached up to touch her cheek. "Is there something on my face again?"
Penelope shook her head, pulling her gaze back slightly. "I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, Gloria... but why are you telling me this?"
The sharp question seemed to catch Gloria off-guard for a split second. The bright, chaotic energy in her eyes flickered into something surprisingly perceptive. Then, a soft, genuine smile spread across her face, and she leaned in close.
"Remember what I said earlier?" she whispered softly, her usual loud voice dropping into a rare, intimate calm. "I told you that you and I are destined to be great friends. Honestly, I think it’s remarkably wise that you still don’t trust me completely. That cautious streak only makes me like you even more!"
She pulled back with a playful wink, completely unbothered by Penelope’s suspicion. Turning on her heel, her skirts swished as she began strolling backward down the gallery.
"Keep your guard up, My Lady" Gloria called out with a cheerful wave before spinning around and skipping toward her quarters. "See you tonight!"
Left standing alone on the grand balcony overlooking the busy preparations below, Penelope watched Gloria disappear down the hall. A cold knot tightened in her chest as she turned back toward the inner sanctum. She needed to find Vincent, or Elias, immediately.