The Price of Blood

Chapter 23: Sisters in Arms

Riven was hitched outside of Wornwick's as Giselle arrived, much to her surprise. Perhaps Victoria had found something she wished to sell? It was hard to imagine anyone purposefully visiting Arabella unless absolutely necessary. She hitched Estelle up next to Riven, much to the stallion's obvious delight. The two horses touched noses in greeting. Giselle patted both of them before she entered the shop. Whatever the reason was for her summons, it surely had to be interesting or important if Victoria was also here.

Sure enough, Victoria was sitting on a plush stool next to Arabella's armchair. The two women were laughing. It was amazing that Giselle hadn't heard the two of them as she had come up the steps. To see Victoria laugh was a strange sight to behold. Giselle had never seen her do much more than chuckle half-heartedly when something amused her. It seemed so out of character for the usually solemn and grim bounty hunter. But it was a welcome change to see. As she took a few steps forward, she couldn't help but notice the flirtatiously placed hand Arabella had resting on Victoria's knee. The sight made the tips of Giselle's ears burn and her heart flutter.

"In front of the entire ballroom?" Arabella asked Victoria. The tone of her voice made Giselle want to gag— a high-pitched and shrill tone that didn't hide a single drop of Arabella's great interest in Victoria.

"Oh, goodness yes. You could hear a pin drop in that room as every pair of eyes turned to look at the state of him. The poor mortified marquis never was seen at court again after that, as far as I know. But his son never bothered me again."  Victoria seemed either blissfully unaware of the drooling woman practically falling into her lap or was politely ignoring Arabella's advancement as her hand slid ever so slightly up her thigh. She instead glanced in Giselle's direction. In their brief exchange of eye contact, Giselle could see the relief in her eyes. Rescue had come at last. "Hello, Lady Labelle,"  Victoria said.

Instantly, Arabella removed her hand from Victoria's leg and opened her fan. She cleared her throat to rid herself of her fit of giggles as she fanned herself. "Ah, Lady Labelle, you received my letter."

"Is there something you require, Lady Montbelliard?" Giselle asked. "Your summons was very... brief."

"I just wished to congratulate you on finally tracking down Lady Boucher," Arabella said. Giselle scowled, glad to see that Victoria knew exactly whom her displeasure was intended for as she ever so slightly shrank back into the velvet drapes on the wall behind her. How many people knew of Victoria's true lineage beforehand? "I take it you only just found out, Lady Labelle?"

"You've never told me how you knew when we met the first time here in Tru'Lis," Victoria said to Arabella. "Nor why you kept my secret."

"Darling, I can't tell you how many of your family's parties and ceremonies I have attended in the past. Beggar's rags and bruises couldn't disguise you from me. You practically ooze royalty out of your perfect, tiny pores. As for not revealing you... my intentions were inherently selfish. I couldn't keep you to myself if half the empire was hounding you for your hand." Arabella winked at Victoria before turning her attention back to Giselle. "I trust you'll take my advice a bit more seriously in the future, Lady Labelle? With all the news going around about the success of your raid on that dusty old fort, it seems Lady Boucher has indeed led you to glory, has she not?"

"You've made your point, Lady Montbelliard," Giselle replied. It was positively loathsome to admit Arabella was right. The smug look she wore made Giselle's blood boil. Had she brought her here just to gloat? It certainly seemed to be the case.

"Victoria, darling, do you ever miss the glamour and the life at court?" Arabella asked, seeming to shift directions back to the conversation she was having before Giselle had arrived. Giselle was hoping that meant she could leave, but Victoria clearly needed help extricating herself from the shop. She could add this to the bucket of favors Victoria now owed her.