Delphinium, or A Necromancer's Home (TCoLaD Book 2)

Ghosts

~ (Continued) Qvattorday, 13th of Maius ~

It had been two weeks since she learned of her husband's disappearance. Some hope had been given to her by Salome, who had gone through a similar ordeal, and Perdita stayed by her side almost constantly, to the point of the other woman neglecting her suitor, and that eased some of her pain. But Cordelia still kept away from most of those around the château. She was not sulking, she refused to call it that, but her strength and disposition were so low that she desired nothing beside to sleep. She ate one or two meals a day, and never in company beyond Perdita or Renaud. Though, once, Elizabeth had joined her, their discussion melancholy even if the blancwitch's presence and brief hug had eased her nausea and helped her finish her meal.

Perdy insisted she keep better care of herself and she tried; Jourdain's child made her feel she had a purpose (and she could not wait until he came back and she could tell him!), but it was still difficult. Every day she felt weaker and fell into deeper sadness.

Yesterday, the prince himself had come to tell her that the search for Jourdain was ending. He offered his sincerest apologies. When she told him her idea about Midsummer, and how Salome had returned at Midspring, he agreed that it was possible he would return then, and told her how the Duc Félicien had too returned at Springfinding years ago.

He also said that Renaud was no longer in residence and on his way to Folia. She had not pressed for details, though now wished she had. That Renaud would leave at the behest of his father, she understood. Comte Feuilles was an imposing man. But His Highness had mentioned it was his grief that took him, and while she dared not question His Highness, that seemed odd. Renaud would have come to her and either asked her to accompany him home, or at least inform her he was going.

With Perdy's luck they had come upon a second rumor that added to the mystery, and yet helped to uncover it—gossip that Lady Síofra was unwell. With the margrave and margravine rushing to the château that afternoon it seems confirmed.

Renaud leaving that morning, at around the same Síofra began to be unwell? The two were undoubtedly tied. He had done something, harmed her in some way.

To her shame, Cordelia's first reaction was a twisted feeling of pleasure that the other girl had had something happen to her. Let her, as fay, know pain while she had lost her husband to her kind. And then Delia had felt ill in a way that had nothing to do with the child in her belly. She liked Síofra! They had spoken together, played cards, and while she was not as close with her as with Perdita, she thought of Elizabeth and Síofra as friends. It was not Síofra's fault Jourdain was missing, nor was it His Grace's, fay they may be.

Oh, and her husband would be ashamed of her for this as well. Jourdain had never had any problems with the fée or fay, unlike his father. Her husband had even once said to her in secret that it would be an adventure to be taken into Faery. He had never thought his mother had died because of a fée curse, and instead thought the comte had spread the rumor with his wife's illness as a means to spread his prejudice.

With Renaud courting Síofra she had assumed her brother-in-law had changed his ways away from Frederick, grown to think outside of his father's influence, but perhaps seeing the comte had again instilled old habits. Or losing his brother had caused him to lash out at one he claimed to love. Or was this a lover's spat that had nothing to do with her bestia?

And now Cordelia lay awake, a hand resting on her abdomen, unable to sleep due to feeling unwell physically and mentally, and thinking about the last several days and all that had taken place. Perdita was asleep beside her, not wanting to even leave her to go to her own rooms in case she was needed. Moonlight filtered in through the space between the curtains, and an owl hooted in the new darkness. With her other hand Cordelia was stroking Perdita's hair, which seemed to glow in the light.