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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

N early a week had passed since Cassia had gone to be with the queen at Whitehall Palace.

Though Rolfe would see her whenever he brought fresh provisions, he had not spoken above a few short sentences to her since he’d blurted out to her that they were man and wife.

The days they’d spent apart, he decided, had likely been a good thing, giving Cassia the time she needed to come to terms with the fact that they were, indeed, wed.

And with Cassia safely behind guards inside the palace walls, it had also given Rolfe the opportunity to further investigate the murder of her father.

The illness—whatever it had been—had very nearly taken the queen’s life. It was diagnosed, by a new physician, one who applauded Cassia’s conviction against the leechings and who sought other, more humane measures, as an infection of the blood brought about as a result of her miscarriage.

In so selflessly running to Catherine’s side and working so diligently to help her to recover, Cassia had shown a side of herself that Rolfe had not yet seen.

It only made the way he felt about her grow stronger.

Despite having recently been victim to poison herself, she’d risked her own health and safety in order to save the life of a friend.

And save it she had, for Rolfe had little doubt that, if not for Cassia’s efforts, England would now be mourning her queen.

He sat alone now in her father’s study at Seagrave House.

He had spent the past several days relentlessly pursuing every lead he’d found in trying to unmask the identity of the true murderer.

Rolfe did not have much more information than that which he’d started with.

His frustration was mounting for this was the only thing he could do for Cassia, the one thing he could give her that she truly wanted.

And it was the only way he could see for himself to make amends for what he’d done to her in marrying her.

He plowed his fingers back through his hair in exasperation. There had to be something more, something he was overlooking. No crime in history had ever been committed without leaving at least some evidence, however small, however insignificant. He just had to have the wits to find it.

Geoffrey still stood out as the most likely suspect. Every time Rolfe turned around, Geoffrey’s hand seemed to be involved in some way.

He had long ago discounted nearly all of Cassia’s former suitors, either for being too stupid to have hatched on something as serious as murder, or for having gone on since their pursuit of Cassia.

A couple still bore looking into, one being Cassia’s last and most serious suitor, the Duke of Manton’s son, Malcolm.

Rolfe was still waiting to receive his information from Dante on that particular one.

Like the others, Rolfe thought, he would most probably turn out to have had nothing to do with the crime, thus crossing another name off the quickly diminishing list of suspects.

Rolfe had also grown increasingly suspicious of Lady Castlemaine, especially since the night of the masked ball.

Someone at the ball had poisoned the tea Cassia had drunk, someone who, it could appear, had intended it for Catherine.

With the queen’s mysterious illness, so like Cassia’s, and so close in time, the similarities alone were enough to suspect her.

And with Seagrave having been the main obstacle for her in her attempts at gaining monetarily, Rolfe had come to look more closely at her, though he doubted she had committed the act herself.

But how would Lady Castlemaine have benefitted by removing both Cassia and the queen?

Court rumor had it that she was beginning to grow rather desperate in efforts to secure her position with the king.

His growing attraction for the lovely Frances Stuart and his equally decreasing response to Lady Castlemaine’s unending demands were becoming clear.

By poisoning the queen now, Lady Castlemaine could very well succeed in diverting Charles’s attention away from his latest conquest. But did Castlemaine dare to believe she could become queen?

And why would she wish Cassia dead? Her dislike for Cassia was more than evident, particularly given Cassia’s close relationship to the king. But was it enough to have caused her to attempt to take Cassia’s life as well?

If Barbara Palmer was the true culprit, then she had covered her tracks quite nicely.

There wasn’t a hint of evidence that could be traced back to her, at least none that Rolfe could find.

But he had dealt with enough schemers in his time to know that sooner or later, with enough persistence and determination, most every plot was uncovered.

And within the half hour, Rolfe realized it wouldn’t be all much longer before he found the proof he needed when Clydesworthe, the Montefort butler, presented himself at the door to announce a most unexpected visitor.

“Lady Castlemaine is here to see you, my lord.”

Here? At Cassia’s house? It was almost as if by some magic she’d appeared just as he had been thinking about her. Rolfe was immediately intrigued. “Then by all means, show her in.”

She ushered through the door like a ballast without waiting to be acknowledged, nearly knocking Clydesworthe aside as she strode into the room.

She was dressed to rich extreme, her sumptuous gown glittering beneath the light of the candles.

When she saw Rolfe sitting behind the desk, she managed a charming smile and extended her hand to him.

“Lord Ravenscroft, a pleasure to see you again.”

Rolfe took her hand and pressed the obligatory kiss to it, noticing the many jeweled rings that decorated her slender fingers. Cassia’s words came back to him, ringing in his ears.

... her jewel boxes, it seems, continue to grow, far exceeding our own queen’s.

“What is it I can do for you, Lady Castlemaine,” he asked, sitting back down. He motioned to the opposite chair for her to sit.

“Such formality. Please, call me Barbara. Allow me to extend my congratulations to you on your recent marriage. I’m fascinated. However did you manage to gain Cassia’s consent to it?”

If only you knew, Rolfe thought. Then he said, “I simply asked and she accepted.”

“I, for one, thought she’d die before she’d ever marry anyone. Caught us all by surprise I must say, and so swift and secret a ceremony. It leaves one to wonder why the rush.”

“Yes, well, with the recent death of Cassia’s father, she didn’t think a display of pomp and ceremony appropriate.”

Barbara pursed her rouged lips. “Yes, poor Seagrave. He will be missed by us all.” Her practiced sorrowful expression changed in a flash. “Nevertheless, I have come to extend an invitation to you.”

Rolfe’s interest was sparked. “An invitation, you say?”

“Yes. You see, I am hosting an intimate gathering at my apartments in the palace the night after next. Only twenty or thirty of my closest friends, you understand. I was rather hoping I could count you among them.”

Rolfe nodded, wondering how it was he had been elevated to the position of being considered one of Barbara Palmer’s closest friends. His suspicion of her motives mounted.

“I see.”

“Of course you will bring Cassia. I never for one moment believed that drivel about her murdering her father, you know.”

Rolfe decided to seize the opportunity she had so kindly presented. “Of course you didn’t, because Cassia is innocent. In fact, I have found evidence that will prove it beyond a doubt.”

Lady Castlemaine’s brilliant violet-blue eyes lit up. “You have? Do tell, what is it?”

“I’m afraid I cannot reveal it just yet, my lady. We wouldn’t want the true culprit to learn of it and somehow slip away, now would we?”

She smiled. Rolfe noticed it was a smile that never quite reached her eyes.

“Of course. Where has Cassia been keeping herself to these days?” She glanced out the door as if expecting Cassia to appear at the mere mention of her name.

Obviously, interestingly, her presence at the palace had been kept secret even from Lady Castlemaine.

“I haven’t seen her in some time and I wanted to congratulate her on her marriage.

Who would have thought she’d finally meet the man to suit her? ”

“Yes, who?” Rolfe replied. “But I’m afraid Cassia is unavailable at the moment. I’m certain I can accept your invitation for us both. Night after next you say? We would be honored to attend.”

Mara looked up from the book she was reading as Cassia came into the parlor. She smiled, saying, “Are you feeling more refreshed after your bath?”

“Yes, much,” Cassia replied, taking the seat across from her. “I didn’t think I’d ever get that terrible smell off of myself.”

Mara nodded. “The queen is on the mend?”

“Yes, and it appears, barring any further complications, she can expect a full recovery. She was looking so much better when I left the palace today. The color had returned to her cheeks and she’d eaten some of the broiled chicken and bread you had sent over for her.”

“Splendid. I trust His Majesty will see that her recovery continues along the same vein. And you, Cassia, how are you feeling?”

Cassia sat down. “”A little tired, I suppose. I had thought to rest a bit, but I wanted to talk with you first.” She paused, then asked the question that had been on her mind since she’d left for the palace. “Mara, what can you tell me about Rolfe?”

Mara closed the book she’d been reading, setting it aside. “Let’s see. I have only known Rolfe for the past several years, but I can say, from the moment I met him, I knew he was a decent man. It hasn’t been easy, you know. He has been touched by tragedy. Has he ever told you about his family?”

Cassia nodded. “He told me what happened to them, during the wars. I understand that he believes himself responsible.”