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“Indeed.” Cedric stepped closer, his boots crushing thyme beneath his heels.

“The Duchess of Bedford has a keen interest in the unusual. Particularly those with... special talents.” His eyes glittered. “They say she dabbles in witchcraft herself.”

“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” Beth said, edging away.

Cedric smiled, revealing teeth too white and even. “No? Yet here you are, mixing potions like a hedge witch.” He reached out, fingering a sprig of rosemary in her basket.

“I wonder what Baldwin would think if he knew his guest was practicing sorcery within his walls.”

“I’m sure he’d recognize the difference between science and superstition,” Beth replied, unable to keep the edge from her voice.

“Science.” Cedric rolled the word around his mouth like an unfamiliar wine. “Another of your strange terms. Tell me, where did you learn such things? Not in any convent or noble household I know of.”

Before Beth could answer, a shadow fell across them both.

Baldwin stood at the garden entrance, his expression thunderous as he took in the scene.

He wore his hunting clothes, the green doublet emphasizing the breadth of his shoulders, a smear of dirt on one sleeve suggesting he’d come directly from the field.

“Cousin,” he said, his voice deceptively calm. “I wasn’t aware you’d arrived.”

Cedric stepped back, offering a bow that held just a hint of mockery. “I came with the second wave of the King’s party. We had excellent sport this morning while you were... otherwise occupied.”

Baldwin’s jaw tightened. “Then you’ll be joining the feast tonight.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.” Cedric’s gaze lingered on Beth. “Especially with such fascinating entertainment promised.”

As he sauntered away, Beth released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Baldwin crossed to her side, his eyes dark with concern.

“What did he want?” he demanded.

“To intimidate me, I think.” Beth shook her head. “He was asking about my ‘special talents’ and suggesting I’m practicing witchcraft.”

Baldwin cursed, running a hand through his hair. “This is precisely what I feared. Jacquetta’s interest has made you a target for court gossip.” His gaze fell to her basket. “What are you gathering?”

Beth bit her lip. “I promised Lady Rivers a demonstration of... natural philosophy.”

“You what?” Baldwin’s voice rose, then fell as he glanced around the garden.

“After everything I said about caution, you agreed to perform like a traveling magician?”

“It’s not like that,” Beth protested. “I’m just going to show her a simple chemical reaction. Something to satisfy her curiosity without revealing too much.”

Baldwin’s expression darkened. “And you think Cedric and his ilk will see the difference? To them, any unexplained phenomenon is witchcraft, and witchcraft means the stake.”

The color drained from Beth’s face. “I’m not going to do anything that extreme. Just a colored flame, maybe some fizzing. Grade-school science fair stuff.”

“Grade school,” Baldwin repeated, the unfamiliar term further souring his mood. “More of your future speech that marks you as different, as dangerous.”

Beth squared her shoulders. “I can’t hide forever. And She already suspects the truth. This way, I control what she sees, what she knows.”

For a moment, he looked as though he might argue further. Then his shoulders slumped, defeat etched in the lines around his mouth.

“Do what you must. But I will be present for this demonstration.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Beth said softly.

Their eyes met, and something shifted in his expression, a softening, a vulnerability that made Beth’s heart skip. Then he nodded curtly and turned away, leaving her alone with her herbs and her racing thoughts.

Lady Rivers had chosen the castle’s inner courtyard for Beth’s demonstration.

As the sun began its descent, casting long shadows across the flagstones, servants arranged chairs for the royal party and lit torches in iron brackets along the walls.

The courtyard was intimate but open to the sky, with a small fountain at its center and climbing roses along one wall, their pink blooms nodding in the evening breeze.

She had set up a small table near the fountain, her materials arranged with care.

Copper sulfate crystals in a glass vial, vinegar in a ceramic jug, iron filings in a small pouch, and various herbs and minerals in labeled containers.

She wore her pale blue gown, grateful it was cooler than the forest green gown.

Her hands trembled slightly as she arranged and rearranged her supplies. This was familiar territory. She’d done countless demonstrations for her students, but the stakes had never been higher. One mistake, one misinterpretation, and she could find herself branded a witch in medieval England.

“You look like you’re about to face the gallows, not entertain the king and queen,” Eleanor observed, appearing at Beth’s side. She wore a gown of pale yellow silk, her dark hair braided with pearls. “Are you certain about this?”

She managed a weak smile. “No, but it’s too late to back out now.”

Eleanor squeezed her hand. “My brother is worried.”

“I think I worry him a lot,” she replied, though the thought of his concern warmed her despite her nervousness.

The courtyard began to fill. Jacquetta arrived first, resplendent in a gown of deep purple velvet, her silver hair coiled into braids.

She took the central seat, nodding regally to Beth.

Queen Elizabeth followed, her golden beauty enhanced by a gown of emerald green that set off her fair coloring.

To Beth’s surprise, King Edward himself appeared, laughing at something Sir Roland had said, his massive frame dominating the space.

Courtiers and nobles filtered in, filling the remaining seats or standing along the walls. Beth spotted Cedric among them, his dark gaze fixed on her with predatory intensity. Of Baldwin, there was no sign.

Jacquetta raised a hand, and the murmur of conversation died away. “We are gathered to witness a demonstration of natural philosophy by Mistress Anderson,” she announced. “Who has kindly agreed to share her... western learning with us.”

Beth stepped forward, forcing a smile. “Thank you, my lady. What I’m about to show you may seem strange, but I assure you, it’s merely the application of principles that govern our natural world.”

She began with something simple, mixing vinegar with baking soda she’d managed to create from the castle’s kitchen supplies. The resulting fizz drew gasps and murmurs from the audience.

“The vinegar and this white powder react to create bubbles of air,” she explained. “The same principle can be used to leaven bread or clean tarnished silver.”

Encouraged by the positive response, Beth moved on to her next demonstration. She poured a solution of copper sulfate into a shallow dish, then carefully added iron filings. The blue liquid began to change color as the iron displaced the copper, creating a reddish precipitate.

“The blue substance and the iron are exchanging places,” she said, aware that her explanation was grossly simplified. “One metal takes the place of another, just as in nature, elements are constantly transforming.”

Queen Elizabeth leaned forward, her interest clearly piqued. “Can this be used to transform base metals into gold?” she asked.

Beth hesitated. “No, Your Majesty. Despite what alchemists believe, such transformation is not possible.” Seeing the disappointment on several faces, she added quickly, “But there are other wonders that are.”

As twilight deepened and torches cast flickering shadows across the courtyard, Beth prepared her final demonstration. She mixed copper sulfate with alcohol in a shallow dish, then added a pinch of salt.

“What I’m about to show you is a property of certain minerals when combined with fire,” she explained, her voice steady despite her racing heart. She struck a flint, creating a spark that caught the alcohol alight.

Blue flames danced across the surface of the liquid, casting an eerie, otherworldly glow over the courtyard.

The assembled nobles gasped in unison, some crossing themselves, others leaning forward in fascination.

In the unearthly light, Beth saw Jacquetta’s eyes gleam with triumph, Cedric’s narrow with calculation, and the king’s widen with childlike wonder.

“Magnificent!” Edward exclaimed. “It’s like holding a piece of the sky!”

Just as the flames reached their peak, the courtyard door crashed open.

Baldwin strode in, his face a mask of fury as he took in the scene.

His hunting clothes had been replaced by formal attire.

A doublet of pale blue that matched Beth’s gown, silver embroidery catching the torchlight.

His dark hair was still damp, as if he’d bathed in haste.

The blue flames reflected in his gray eyes as they locked with Beth’s across the courtyard. She saw anger there, yes, but something else too. Fear, perhaps, or a deeper emotion she dared not name.

“What is the meaning of this?” he demanded, his voice carrying over the murmurs of the crowd.

King Edward laughed, a goblet of wine held loosely between his fingers. “Your alchemist is putting on quite a show. Come, see how she captures the very essence of flame and bends it to her will!”

Baldwin approached the table, his gaze never leaving Beth’s face. “This was not what we discussed,” he said quietly, for her ears alone.

“It’s just basic chemistry,” she whispered back. “Nothing dangerous.”

“Everything about this is dangerous,” he replied, his voice tight with suppressed emotion.

Jacquetta rose from her seat, gliding forward to stand beside Beth. “Lord Baldwin, mistress Anderson has shown remarkable talent. Such knowledge should not be hidden away in the countryside.” She placed a hand on Beth’s arm. “I would have her join my household, to study further under my guidance.”