The Heiress Queen (Season Series Prequel)

Chapter 24

The next morning dawned dark and dreary, with rain pattering the windows. Isabelle was already awake, haunted by her thoughts and dreading the day ahead. She couldn't bring herself to chase Graham for answers, not when he was so clearly snubbing her for his own pleasure, nor did she want to press Byron any further. Both avenues would only give someone the satisfaction of knowing that they'd shaken her, something she adamantly refused to do.

When Lissa arrived bearing a tea tray, Isabelle was thankful for the company and the distraction before she noticed the contents of the tray. Standing upright between the teapot and the teacup was a letter.

"It's from Kentshire," Lissa said, as Isabelle vaulted from her bed. "Your father's courier was nearly turned away when he refused to give it to anyone but you. Thankfully, he recognized me before they hauled him out."

Isabelle broke open the seal, hurriedly lighting a candle to cut the darkness of the cloudy dawn. She didn't care that the cold was seeping through her nightdress, her fingers shaking as she unfolded the letter.

Dearest Isabelle,

You are correct. I will not waste time with pleasantries, as clearly the time for such nonsense has passed. There is more afoot than I have shared with you, but my prevarication was solely for your protection. I have attempted to conceal things from you if only to prevent your hopes from being dashed and to save you from disillusionment.

The king's council is debating a law that could bring a great deal of change for Kentshire and for you. It is the reason I have delayed your marriage; if it comes to pass, you will be faced with a life-altering decision. Such a choice can only be made by you, not by me, though many others will not see it as so. I have no guarantee, however, that this law will pass, which is why I have not dared to tempt you with such hope.

You would do well to glean as much as you can from anyone with access to the dealings of the king's council. It is one of the reasons I agreed to send you to Highcastle, for should such a law come to pass, you will be far safer there.

I also do not doubt that your betrothed will learn of this news before I do, which is why I will ask you to remain in Highcastle no matter what Prince Leopold tells you. If he arrives to escort you home, please heed my warning: do not leave the capitol until I summon you myself, in writing, with my signature and my seal. It is for your own safety, my dearest Isabelle. If Leopold balks, instruct him to take his objections up with me. I cannot predict how he will react and I would prefer if you remained far away should he take your decision poorly.

I know this letter will not answer your questions and that it will only elicit more, but you must trust me, my Isabelle. I want the best for you and I will stop at nothing to obtain it. For a long while, I'd believed that the best I could do for you was a Germanian throne, but time has brought changes even I couldn't have predicted. You deserve a long, safe, happy life and I will work until my dying breath to secure that for you.

But you must trust me.

There are many forces that would thwart me and, from the tone of your last letter, I fear that they may already be influencing you more than you know. You are a woman, my love, which means that the world will grant you little power unless you are protected by a man. I want to change that for you, your future daughters, and theirs as well. Your mother had prayed for a son because she knew how cruel the world would be to a daughter.

But you are not simply a daughter, you are my daughter. You are the heiress of Kentshire. You deserve every ounce of power such a title commands and I will not rest until I have secured it for you, irrevocably.

Please, keep your faith in me, my Isabelle. There are turbulent times ahead, but we will weather the coming storm together. We always have and we always will.