The Lady Justice

Chapter XVIII: I Threaten, I Threaten Not

Lady Therese De Beauharnais of Roche

15 October, Year 32 of King Frederick V of Monrique's reign

Bordeux Castle, Bordeux

Monrique

In her bedchambers, Jules was reading through the stack of parchment I had placed on her bed, with one hand on her belly and the other holding the parchment. Her eyes flew quickly across each one, a wide smile on her face.

Lisa was reading the ones her friend had finished reading, exhilarated.

"Tess, this is splendid!" she declared gleefully, "thirty-three out of forty heiresses have responded to you!"

"And fifteen of them have refused to take any part in this," Liv reminded her in amusement, "and promised to burn Tess's treacherous letters at once."

"Still, you have eighteen supporters!" Lisa insisted on being optimistic, "Tess, I am so happy for you." Her emerald green eyes shone with joy.

I nodded, but I did not say anything.

Truth be told, I was more concerned about the seven of them who had not replied to me. Although I had made sure to only write to heiresses who had been my acquaintances in the past, I still felt uneasy. Even among those who had written to me, a significant number of them had hated me to my very bones, and had wanted nothing more than to see me fall from grace, before I had willingly withdrawn myself from society.

Jules's thoughtful gaze met mine above the parchment she was holding, and she too, seemed slightly tensed. She reached out to take my hand in her bony ones, and shook her head at me.

"Nay, Tess, we cannot afford to suspect them even before we meet them," she told me quietly, "the number of ways we could be betrayed at this point is endless, and we will drive ourselves to insanity just thinking about it."

Lisa and Liv quietened down at her words, and looked between us, surprised at our serious demeanour.

"'Tis why I trust no one," I squeezed her hand, "and mostly keep my own counsel."

She smiled sadly. "I know."

"Do not worry about me," I assured her, "I do not plunge into anything unprepared. If any of them do decide to betray me, I have other plans in mind to see this petition through."

Curiosity entered her eyes. I shook my head at her, and said nothing, as I counted the letters from the heiresses and kept them safely back into the pockets in the folds of my gown.

At that moment, three knocks sounded on the door. Jules gave me a look, reminding me that this conversation had not ended, before she glanced over her shoulder at the door, and raised her voice.

"What is it?"

"Your Royal Highness, Lady Evangeline has come searching for Lady Therese. Is she still inside with you?" Lady Brigitte stated from the other side.

I stiffened. Why was Ned's darling fiancée looking for me?

"Tell her I am not here," I hissed at Jules.

"Tess," Liv frowned at me, "that is not very nice."

"I do not care. I do not want to meet her, and that is that."

"Tess, she is one of the sweetest people I know," Lisa assured me softly, "I have been her sister-in-law for only two years, but I have been her friend for much longer. Trust me, you will be glad you made her acquaintance once you meet her."