Page 48 of House of Blood and Roses: Vol. 2
"I know. But why would she if she knows she's going to be returning to House Dagworth soon? It's an extravagant purchase to sell a ruse."
"I think we might be about to find out," Marcus says, drawing our attention to Lady Sariah's approach to her father and sister.
We're too far away to make out exactly what's happening, but the gist of the conversation is easy to work out. And whatever is said, neither Lady Sariah or Lord Dagworth are particularly pleased about it.
"Interesting," Marcus says as he takes a drink.
"Is it?" I ask.
"I suppose it depends. But I suspect if Lord Wentworth is alive tomorrow, we'll know our answer about what Lady Sariah has told her father. If she's still going to go through with her charge, she'll do it tonight."
I look over to the woman in question and wonder if she looks like a killer. It's a loaded question, especially when I know other people in this room have killed people, including my own brother and father. It's easier to list those who I don't think will have killed anyone, rather than those who have.
"What do we do with the information?" I ask Marcus.
"Probably nothing. Or maybe find a new business manager in case Lord Wentworth has an accident at the end of his wife's dagger," he responds.
"I should hope not, Father has just started having me go to meetings with him. I don't want to start over again with someone else," Linc says. "Come to think of it, won't Father know about House Dagworth?"
Marcus laughs. "Of course he does. He's used their services. Most of the top Houses have."
"Then why didn't he warn me about the possibility?" Linc frowns and looks over at the King.
"Maybe he was trying to find out how you reacted when you found out?" I suggest. "Or maybe he thought you already knew."
"Hmm. Or he's the one who wants rid of Lord Wentworth. Someone ordered the assassination," Linc says. "But who?"
"And that is a question we likely won't get an answer for," Marcus answers. "Most people will look at Lord Wentworth's brother first, he's in line to inherit a prosperous House, but he's rarely at court, so it doesn't seem all that likely that it's him. It might be worthwhile to watch and see who might be frustrated by Lord Wentworth's continued ability to breathe tomorrow. Even if it doesn't tell us who ordered the assassination, it will tell us who might want him dead."
"And who knows about House Dagworth," I add.
They both look at me, surprised by my statement.
I shrug. "Well, no one is going to be surprised about Lord Wentworth still being alive if they don't know about House Dagworth's assassins. So if someone is surprised about him still being alive, then it could tell us who knows and who doesn't. Or who is a particularly good actor."
Linc looks at me with adoration on his face. "I hadn't thought of that."
"I think we should all watch out or Beatrice is going to end up on the throne," Marcus quips.
"Don't even joke about that within Lord Fallmartin's hearing, you know he'd start planning it," I murmur.
Linc laughs. "I could be a good consort."
I roll my eyes. "All right, you can both stop it now. I'm never going to be queen and you both know it."
"Never is a long time, Bea," Marcus says.
"And you'd better do everything you can to make sure my statement is true," I tell him. "It's going to be you sitting on that throne and not Linc."
"I believe that's everyone's intention," Marcus agrees. "Whether it will come to pass is a whole other matter."
I narrow my eyes at him. "Stay alive, Marcus. That's an order."
His lips quirk up into a smile. "She's already got the commands going."
I roll my eyes and turn to Linc. "Shall we dance?"
"Of course." He holds out his hand to me and leads me onto the floor, leaving his half-brother and the infuriating conversation he's trying to have far behind.
