The Glittering Court (The Glittering Court, #1)(132)

“If you still want it,” I said. “There’s a Myrikosi lady in Cape Triumph who’s very interested.” I unwrapped it, and he hurried forward, leaning close to the canvas.

“Magnificent. I saw it three weeks ago and couldn’t get it out of my mind. I saw one of his other works in this series back on the continent. I was struck back then too.” He gently touched the canvas. “See how the sun illuminates her? Thodoros knows his lighting.”

A pang of guilt hit me. This man was a legitimate aficionado, and I was deceiving him. But was it so wrong if it could give him joy and save a life?

We completed the transaction, and I left his house with a heavy bag of gold. It occurred to me as I walked back to the road that Tom and Aviel might somehow know what I was doing and plan on taking my money. They materialized out of the shadows before I could consider any alternative courses of action.

“All done?” Tom asked, making no threatening moves. “Then let’s get you back. Dawn is coming.” Aviel remained quiet. In the light of the lanterns hanging in town, her hair glittered gold.

Our journey back was frenzied as we tried to beat the sunrise. We were going too fast for me to see Beth, but I did notice the point where we’d had the altercation. The lantern still burned on the road, and two men lay prone nearby. I wasn’t sure if they were dead or unconscious, and no one stopped to find out.

Our speed was good—but not that good. The sun was touching the eastern horizon when we reached the outskirts of Cape Triumph, and here Tom and Aviel left me. “We disappear with the dawn,” he said with a smile. “But I hope you can handle things now.”

I got off the mare. My legs were so stiff from all the riding that I nearly fell over. “Thank you for your help. I couldn’t have done this without you.” I glanced at Aviel. “Either of you.”

“Our pleasure,” he said. She simply nodded in acknowledgment as she mounted her horse. He sketched me a bow from his saddle. “Que Ariniel te garde, Lady Witmore.”

I couldn’t help a smile, both at hearing a pirate perfectly deliver an old Lorandian proverb and at having Ariniel invoked on my behalf. Back at my parents’ crypt, I’d dismissed the glorious angel who helped with safe passages, but I could certainly use her help now. I waved to the pirates, and their horses soon thundered out of sight.

I walked into Cape Triumph alone. I didn’t know the exact time, but seeing so many businesses open didn’t bode well. The trial would be starting soon. What would Cedric think when he didn’t see me among the spectators? That I’d abandoned him. No. He knew me too well. He’d know I was working to save him. I just hoped I could do it.

I went to Nicholas Adelton’s home and found him walking out the door. He sized me up from head to toe. “I’m running late and had planned to go to the courthouse—but it looks like you need me more.”

“Gideon Stewart talked to you?”

“About his tenuous plan? Yes. And I really didn’t think it could be pulled off in time . . . especially the part about the woman with nothing coming up with five hundred gold.”

I pulled back my coat and showed him the money bag.

He shook his head and laughed. “Never a dull moment with you.”

“Will you help us? I know it’s a lot to ask after everything we—”

“Miss Bailey,” he interrupted. “Let’s go find the Westhaven representatives.”

They were staying at an inn in town, one of the nicer ones. The common room here was quiet and orderly, and Nicholas and I sat at a table while the innkeeper fetched the Westhaven representatives. I yawned once, then again.

“You look like you’re ready to fall asleep,” Nicholas said.

“Just need a quick break,” I said. “Then I’ll get a second wind. Or maybe I’m on to my third or fourth at this point.”

I could tell he was struggling to say what came next. “Adelaide . . . you didn’t do anything, uh, illegal to get that money, did you?”

“No.” I reconsidered. “Well, not exactly. Maybe kind of. I don’t know. No one was hurt, if that makes you feel better.”

“Somewhat.”

A man and a woman approached our table. They looked respectfully middle class and were dressed no differently than anyone else. After seeing the Grashond residents, I wasn’t sure what to expect from those working toward a religiously tolerant colony.

“I’m Edwin Harrison, and this is my wife, Mary.” The man looked us over, no doubt perplexed by the extreme contrast in my and Nicholas’s attire. “Is there something we can help you with?”

“We’d like to buy a stake in Westhaven,” said Nicholas.

Edwin instantly transformed. “Absolutely! How wonderful. We’re so eager to have more people join our endeavor. Dear, would you go get one of the contracts?” He turned back to us while she went upstairs. “You must tell me more about yourselves, Mister and Mistress—”

Nicholas and I exchanged amused looks. “It’s not for us,” I said, though I would be affected if this worked. “It’s for someone else.”

A little of Edwin’s enthusiasm diminished. “That’s highly irregular.”

“The man in question is detained,” explained Nicholas. “I’ll be serving as proxy.”