The Glittering Court (The Glittering Court, #1)(121)

“Then arrest him!” said Warren. “And her for being his accomplice! And for attacking me!”

“He attacked me,” I retorted. I gestured to my torn clothes. “He subdued me and tried to assault me! I defended myself!”

Warren was pale and sweating, no doubt feeling the wound and blood loss, but he pushed on. “She invited me here. She’s a girl without morals—laid down for Thorn, laid down for anyone. Then she changed her mind and acted like it’s my fault. You can’t trust the word of some common, vulgar girl!”

Silas looked like he didn’t know what to think, and I didn’t blame him. But it occurred to me that as improbable as it might be, there could be a chance Warren could get away with all this. He was the governor of this colony. And who was I? A memory surfaced from long ago: Cedric telling me that I didn’t know what it was like to live without the prestige of the upper class, that there was a power there I didn’t even realize.

I straightened up to my full height and put on as imperious a look as I could manage. “I’m telling you again: He assaulted me. And maybe you can’t take that seriously from some ‘common, vulgar girl,’ but I’m not one. I’m Lady Elizabeth Witmore, Countess of Rothford, and I am a peeress of the realm.”





Chapter 28


Traveling back to cape triumph by boat was a lot easier than the overland journey had been. We didn’t return right away—not with Cedric’s injuries being what they were. Between us, Warren, and the hired thugs, Silas Garrett had his hands full keeping track of everyone. He finally hired his own muscle from among the various men looking for work in White Rock—deputizing them as temporary agents of the law. Silas used a group of them to help him take Warren and the others back to Cape Triumph. He left a smaller group to keep an eye on Cedric and me at the Marshalls’—not that we were much of a flight risk.

When Silas came back a week later, news came to us by way of the doctor who’d been making regular visits to check up on Cedric. “I told Mister Garrett you’re fit to travel now,” the doctor said. “And he plans on taking you both back tomorrow.”

We were sitting outside in the afternoon sun, with Cedric propped up in a makeshift lounge chair that Mister Marshall had crafted. Cedric’s eye was open again, and most of his bruises had faded to a yellowish color. His left arm was in a sling and would need a few more weeks of recovery. He’d also broken a couple of ribs, and there wasn’t much to treat them, aside from binding them and taking it easy.

“Fit to travel?” I exclaimed. “Like this?”

“The worst is over,” said the doctor. “Your life’s not in danger. Will the journey be uncomfortable? Possibly—especially if you’re careless. But the boat’s nothing compared to the land route.”

“I’ll be fine.” Cedric placed his right hand over mine. “And we need to get back. Warren being there ahead of us isn’t a good thing.”

It was something we’d discussed frequently: The more time Warren was in Cape Triumph, the more time he had to perfect his story and muster support from his powerful friends.

“One other thing . . .” The doctor looked a bit uneasy and cast a nervous glance my way. “Mister Garrett said to tell you that his partner had arrived in Cape Triumph and that he had your portrait—that it was a match. My—my lady.”

I held up a hand. “Please. There’s no need. Adelaide is fine.”

The doctor gave some advice to Cedric before leaving, as well as various medicines to help with the healing. When he was gone, I leaned my head on Cedric’s shoulder. “Well, that’s that. The secret’s out.”

“Exactly which of our many secrets are you referring to?”

“You know which. My identity. Er, my old one.” I sighed. “But if Silas’s partner authenticated it, then maybe my word will have greater weight. Except that now I’ve opened myself up to anyone hoping to cash in on Grandmother’s reward.”

“Do not tell anyone we’re married,” Cedric said in a low voice, guessing what I was about to say next.

“But that was the whole point! To give me protection if I was outed as a runaway countess. And I have been.”

He shook his head. “You’re key in this case—Silas will protect you now. And our backup plan was created before I was outed as a heretic. They’re going to put me on trial for that. If you’re identified as my legal wife, they’re going to cast you as Alanzan by association. I’m not going to have you hanged with me.”

“And I’m not going to have you hanged at all,” I growled. “Or let Warren go unpunished.”

But when we sailed back to Cape Triumph the next morning, I wasn’t nearly so confident. As a fledgling colony, Hadisen had no court capable of handling a major case like this, so it was being dealt with in Denham. Warren had a lot of connections there. And the Alanzan faith was illegal in both colonies.

We docked in Cape Triumph in early evening and were promptly separated. Cedric had to stay in custody throughout his trial, and it was only a small comfort that Warren and his henchmen were also in custody.

“I’m not completely insensitive, my lady,” Silas told me. I didn’t bother correcting him. If my title could strengthen our case, I’d let it be used. “I’ll make sure he’s looked after. And I’ll have a doctor check in.”