They Gave the Doomed Duke the Wrong Bride novel · Chapter 21 of 32

Chapter 21: The Wagon Master

"Chancellor," Isobel said.

She said it.

We were in the commander's hall that night, around the one long table with the map on it. Everard, Isobel, the commander, the old steward, me.

Ned was asleep under the table on a wolfskin, because he refused to be more than ten feet from his brother.

"Midwinter," Everard said. "Seven weeks. The Prince is crowned, my father-in-law gets the chain, and after that there's no court in the kingdom that can try them."

"Then we go now," I said. "We take the ledgers south and read them to the King before he dies."

The commander shook his head.

"Your ledgers are in your hand, Your Grace."

"I know that."

"So does your father." He tapped the table with his one hand. "He'll stand up in that hall and say his bastard forged them out of spite, after he threw her out. He'll say she wrote them on the road. Who's going to say she didn't?"

"The Prince's letters."

"Letters to the Count. The Count will say they're forged too. The Prince will say the same, and he'll be king by then."

I wanted to argue.

I couldn't.

I'd sat at my father's elbow for eight years. I knew exactly how he'd do it. He'd be sad. He'd be disappointed in me. He'd say he should never have taught a kitchen girl to write.

← Chapter 20 · All chapters · Chapter 22 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend