The Lady Will (Hopefully) Avoid Her Doom

3 - The Letter, the Conversation, and the Voice

Elizabeth held the letter in trembling hands, her mind racing. A letter from the palace? What's it about? She quickly inspected the letter, noting the soft, high-quality parchment and—more importantly—the royal seal holding it shut. Don't tell me it's from Crown Prince Rowan.

Elizabeth took a deep breath before carefully peeling the letter open to read its contents:

Dearest Lady Elizabeth:

I trust this missive finds you in good spirits. I have been informed of your recent mishap involving an unfortunate encounter with a tree. Should you find yourself injured, do not hesitate to tell me, and I shall see to it that the offending tree is dealt with accordingly. After all, I have waited two decades to finally have a sister, and I cannot permit some overgrown shrubbery to jeopardize that now.

Please accept my apologies for the fact that this letter comes from me rather than my inconsiderate, pea-brained brother. I am sure you are well aware of his occasional lapses in judgment. Nonetheless, he has requested that I convey his regards to you, which I have now dutifully done.

With that formality out of the way, I wish to extend an invitation to you. My brother and I plan to visit your town soon, and it would delight us if you would join our excursion. We shall arrive the day after tomorrow, and I earnestly hope to see you then.

With warmest regards,

Mikhail Rathford

Elizabeth was surprised that the letter was from Mikhail, Rowan's older twin brother. Still, her stomach turned sour when she read the part where Prince Mikhail referred to her as his sister. That meant her engagement to the crown prince had already been decided, which she also knew meant she was already on track to meet her doom. Perhaps I should try to change my name and flee the country. Or, I could try to get the engagement annulled, but it would likely need to come from Prince Rowan's side to be more effective. I just hope it will not disgrace the duke's family. I'd hate to cause trouble for them.

Elizabeth realized she would have a lot of thinking to do because of this new revelation, but first, she had a bone to pick with her own pea-brained brother.

"Maria, do you know if Oliver is around? I must speak with him." Elizabeth's icy tone sent a shiver down Maria's spine.

"Yes, my lady. I believe he is currently in the library. Would you like me to take you there?" Maria asked, wondering what had led to this reaction. Usually, Elizabeth would be elated to receive a letter from the palace.

Elizabeth was already opening the door to the hallway. "Yes, please show me the way at once." She was a woman on a mission with no time to waste.

Once they started down the hallway, Maria spoke again. "My apologies, my lady, but please allow me to open the door for you in the future."

"Really, it is quite alright, Maria. I'm more than capable of opening a few doors for myself," Elizabeth replied with a playful smile as she flexed her arm.

"As you wish, my lady," Maria said with a sigh of defeat as the pair descended the pristine marble staircase to the first floor of the manor. They made their way down a long hallway, rounding a few corners before reaching the enormous white oak double doors of the Carrington Family's library.

"We have arrived, my lady. I will wait for you out in the hallway," Maria stated as she opened the door for Elizabeth.

"Thank you for your help," Elizabeth replied before entering the room. Her jaw just about dropped as she took in the massive size of the space. The library was grand, with polished wooden floors and high ceilings. It had to be at least six times the size of her bedroom, and old, dust-coated tomes filled the shelves, which stretched three stories high. She'd been amazed at the sheer size of the duke's manor as she and Maria made their way to the library, but seeing how large the room dedicated just to books was made her appreciate everything even more. She inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar aroma of old books.