Chapter 6
All eyes turned at once to the Duchess of Merrow.
Graceful as ever, she stepped forward and bowed with courtesy.
“Your Majesties,” she said, her voice clear and unwavering, “I heard this very poem eight years ago.”
“I was not the only one. Lady Cora was there too-before she ever became Queen.”
The court fell still, the atmosphere shifting. Few dared breathe.
The Duchess continued.
“It was years ago. Lady Elena was only twelve. Her mother had fallen ill with a fever, and the Marchioness and I paid a visit out of friendship and concern.”
“Lady Elena, wishing to show respect, composed a poem-a piece she named The Crown Ascendant-a tribute to Her
Majesty’s reign.”
“We were astonished by her talent, but we also impressed upon her an important lesson.”
“The crowned eagle is a sovereign emblem-it must never be likened to any but the Queen.”
“So she committed it to memory, and years later, when Her Majesty was crowned, she wrote it out again and gave it to her
father as part of her tribute.”
The room stirred with murmurs of disbelief. Even the Queen’s lips parted in astonishment.
Seraphina looked as if she’d been struck. Her knees trembled, her lips moved silently, repeating the same thing over and
over:
“That’s not true… That’s not… true…”
But the Duchess wasn’t finished.
Her serene expression sharpened as she looked straight at Seraphina.
“Everyone in House Hawthorne knows the truth of your mother’s origins.”
“She was no lady. She was a chambermaid to Lord Hawthorne’s wife-and while the mistress was heavy with child, your
mother drugged the wine and laid with the master.”
“Out of mercy, Lady Hawthorne allowed you and your mother to remain until your first birthday.”
“Your mother died in the streets. You returned to the household six years ago, when Lady Elena begged for your sake.”
“So tell me, Seraphina: if your so-called elder sister only met you six years ago… how could she have stolen your poem eight years ago?”
“Unless you’d like me to write to the Dowager Marchioness and have her come testify in person?”
Chapter 6
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Seraphina’s mouth opened. Nothing came out.
This time, even Cedric had nothing left to say.
In both lives I’d lived, Seraphina had always been the woman Cedric believed in-brilliant, gentle, untainted.
He’d known she loved him. In our first life, he stayed silent-bound by loyalty to your father’s decree: one bride, one vow.
But now, after gathering all his courage to finally choose her…
He found out she’d been lying all along.
His face twisted with horror, voice cracking like old timber.
“You lied to me?!”
“That tribute verse-you stole it? And the collection too?”
Seraphina finally broke down. Her strength gave out, and she clung to his leg, sobbing desperately.
“Cedric, please-I did it all for you!”
“You were willing to marry me, to make me your lady. I only wanted to be worthy, to prove myself worthy, to earn my place by your side.”
“Yes, I copied the poem-but my feelings for you, they’re real. I swear they are!”
Cedric stared at her, watching the tears slide down her cheeks. His voice softened, almost against his will.
“You meant well, but you went about it all wrong.”
“You let your pride drive you to folly.”
Seraphina nodded frantically, agreeing to everything he said.
“Yes, of course. It was foolish-so foolish of me.”
“But I’ll change. I swear it.”
Cedric sighed, then turned toward me.
“Elena, she knows what she did. Won’t you forgive her, just this once?”
I said nothing.
He assumed my silence meant I was still upset about the stolen poem. So, in a show of what he must have thought was great magnanimity, he offered, “If you forgive her now, she’ll be cast from the estate.”
“You’ll be my lady, just as I always promised. And she…”
“She’ll be stripped of claim or privilege. Let that be her punishment, not your burden.”
Before I could reply, he took Seraphina’s hand and tried to lead her away-eager to escape the scene.
But Lydia stepped forward and blocked the garden gate.
“Leaving so soon, Lord Cedric?”
“We may have uncovered the truth about the stolen verse…”
“But we’ve yet to resolve the matter of my lady’s mother-who died under very questionable circumstances.”
