Her Crown

XXXXI

"Mr Warwick." Victoria called again feeling slightly deflated when he didn't answer.

Pushing the door open completely she noticed it was completely trashed. Surely he didn't live like this. One of the maids would have told her when they went to change his sheets. Papers were ripped up and thrown all over the floor. Draws were pulled open and its contents spilled out like a water fall. Feathers covered the bed like someone had murdered a family of geese from Christmas dinner in his room. While the curtains had multiple slices to the point where they were doing almost nothing to stop the sunlight spelling in from outside. Victoria covered her mouth in shock. What on earth had gone on in this room.

Miss Florence poked her head through the doorway and gasped.

"Oh my." Miss Florence exclaimed as Victoria turned to look at her , her eyes slightly watery as she ran her hand delicately down the ruined bed.

"Who did this?" Miss Florence asks as Victoria shrugs her shoulders bending down to look at the scraps of paper near the left side of the bed.

Picking up a handful she noticed they had some form of writing on them. Usually she wouldn't go snooping in her people's homes but she needed to know what on earth was going on. Walking over to his desk she laid out the ah doula of scraps some bigger than others which made it a little easier to work out what piece went where. While Miss Florence searched the room for any iconography which would help them distinguish why this had happened and why no one knew about it.

Dear Victoria

I regretfully inform you that I must step down from my position at the house. I hope you understand as I do not wish for my feelings for you to interfere with either your or the children's lives. It was lovely to work along side you but for now goodbye.

W.

Victoria frowned rereading the pieced together note a few times. Not believing what was actually written on the page. Calling Miss Florence to look at it as well to get a second opinion.

"This isn't written by him is it." Victoria questions as Miss Florence lifted up one of the scraps to take a closer look at the penmanship on the page, even touching it lightly to feel how dry the ink was to distinguish how long ago this note had been written.

" I am unsure ma'am. Do we have any of the children's work books that we could compare it to." Miss Florence questions as Victoria thinks for a moment they must do and thus she nods.

" in the nursery most likely ... Um can you ask that the guards are on high alert and call for an investigator to inspect this room. This is rather unlike Mr Warwick to leave a room in this type of state." Victoria orders as Miss Florence nods handing Victoria the piece of paper to take to the nurses as she headed to the barracks and borders to give the orders to the guards.

Victoria held the scrap close to her chest hiding it from any of the servants or guards that walked past her. While this wasn't a serious offence at the moment the rest of the house didn't need to know. But her heart dropped at the thought of it being something more sinister. Since he was a neat man , surely he would never want to trash her home in such away and then leave without a trace.

"Ma'am a letter just came for you." Miss Riley exclaims holding out a little cream envelope out to her intercepting her on her way to the nursery.

Taking it quickly from Miss Riley she headed on down the corridor ripping it open as if her life depended on it. Partly hoping this would give more answers as to what on earth was going on. Stopping in the doorway of the nursery as she noticed Johanthan playing with one of his wooden cars in the middle of the floor as Alessandra sat at a table nicely making up random words with her letter blocks. Reading the contents of what was in the envelope her blood ran cold.

I warned you Victoria. See how easy it is to take someone from under your nose. Abdicate before dusk tomorrow or your dear Johanthan will be next.

Victoria gasped loudly catching the two small children's attention. The pair of them screaming at the sight of their mother running over to her. Both none the wiser at the threat that lay on their heads right now. Johnathan was first gripping onto her legs as best he could screaming mummy as Alessandra wobbled her way over to Victoria. Bending down to their height Victoria's eyes began to water involuntarily.

"Mummy why sad?" Johnathan questions as Victoria smiled at him touching his little rosy cheeks gently as he made himself comfortable on her lap. While Alessandra played with Victoria's hair that had messed up slightly since Miss Riley did it.

"I am just so happy to see the pair of you." Victoria whispers as the two of them scream , giggling at one and other as they fought for more space on Victoria's lap.

"Learn now?" Johnathan questions innocently as Victoria shook her head.

"No sweetie mummy is taking the pair of you to the pond to see the duckies. While the house gets ready for many visitors." Victoria lies but the children didn't seem to mind.

They loved the pond so to go there with their mother seemed like a better idea than learning. The pair of the rushed off Victoria's lap picking up as much as they could carry wanting to show the ducks. For Johanthan that was his ever growling collection of toy cars and for Alessandra that was her special doll that had been Victoria's when she was little. The two of them rushing ahead to the door as Alessandra stopped occasionally dropping the poor doll multiple times. While johnathan pushed the car along the carpet like it was racing to the pond.

Discreetly Victoria walked behind handing off the note to the guard on the door. He nodded toward the other guard on duty who quietly followed on behind her. Luckily the children where to young to notice the man with a sword and armour behind them. Too focused on getting to see the ducks. Oh Victoria wished to be that naive right now.