For Want of a Fiend by Barbara Ann Wright

Author:Barbara Ann Wright [Barbara Ann Wright]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781602828735
Google: O-OUMQEACAAJ
Amazon: 1602828733
Goodreads: 15843255
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2013-05-14T03:00:00+00:00

*

Her mother met Starbride an hour after the funeral. With Rainhopeful behind her, she rushed inside Starbride’s sitting room in a swirl of skirts.

“I saw what happened, Star,” her mother said. “Are you all right?”

Starbride nodded as they embraced. “I wasn’t the target.”

“Nonsense. You’re every bit as much a target as the Umbriels.”

“I…I suppose. Well, I’m free to act where they might not be, so that’s what we have to do.”

“You’re not going to break off the consortship, are you?”

“What? Why would you think—”

Her mother clucked her tongue. “People would be more willing to talk to you if they think the princess has thrown you over. Isn’t that how the Umbriels think?”

Starbride held her breath. That was not only genius, it was far more devious than she’d come to expect from her mother. She knew she should suggest it to Katya, but the thought left her empty, almost hollow, as if the lie would be a precursor to a real event. Her fingers began to ache, and she glanced down to see she was clutching the consort’s bracelet.

“Come,” her mother said, “sit with me.”

Starbride shook her head to clear it. “Katya wants me to talk to the nobles. She thinks the people who tried to start a riot today might have noble backing.”

“Oh, of course.” Her mother rolled of her eyes. “Because the common people couldn’t possibly be upset without someone to think for them.”

“Mother, the Umbriels don’t think that way!”

“Don’t give me that. If more common people were allowed to attain the lofty rank of nobles through intelligence and drive, the established nobles would be besieged by new neighbors.” She tossed her head and sniffed. “Like me.”

Starbride had to smile. “Well, Katya thinks that incredibly smart commoners like you are being bankrolled by nobles, and I agree.”

“Well, money and brains make a good partnership. But the people wouldn’t be easy to rile unless they were upset in the first place.”

Starbride ducked her head. “I’ve been thinking the same thing, but now that all this has happened there’s no way to know for sure.”

“And now the princess wants you and me to find her deep-pursed noble, yes?” her mother said. “Should I be slightly disapproving of how the Umbriels treat you and see if I can catch any sympathizers in my net?”

Starbride didn’t know whether to laugh or be appalled. Katya should have recruited Starbride’s mother right away. “Get Countess Nadia to help you. Or rather, I should do that. She’s particular about how she spends her time.”

“She’s probably already begun a search on her own. She’s very loyal to the Umbriels, by all accounts.”

“Yes, she was kind to me even before I became princess consort.”

“She smells the right course on the wind.” Her mother rose and retrieved Starbride’s hand-embossed paper from a desk in the corner. “Invite the countess to tea.”

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