I Can't Eat Love

Part 10

"Of course the earl of Beral is enthralled by his younger fiancé Lady Erica, but she's in love with the captain of the Eastern guard. They've already started making arrangements, and will elope before the end of the year."

Rig finished his report with a satisfied smirk, having pried out some of the country's biggest secrets and scandals. The nobility would be horrified to know of what all was passed over so easily to me each week by Rig.

"That's... interesting." I answered slowly. I trusted Rig's information, but in my memories Lady Erica married the earl right when I was eighteen, right before my downfall. "Keep your ears out for any plans regarding the Eastern guard."

Rig raised an eyebrow. "You think someone might try to take him out?"

They likely did in another life. "Plenty of powerful people with reason to. Just a gut feeling."

"Well, I trust your gut, girl, it's steered us right quite a few times these past months."

Grinning, we both ignored the harrumph of disapproval that Hallers let out from the corner at his casual speech. After a few weeks of getting to know each other, Rig had happily dispensed with all formalities, calling me "girl" or "kid" instead of by title. I encouraged it, as it reminded me of the times we shared in my first life, one of my few happy memories. But it did tend to ruffle Hallers feathers. He didn't like the idea of anyone showing me disrespect.

"That's all I have for now." Rig packed up his papers. "Any specific things you want me to look into besides the Eastern guard? Or should I just keep a general eye on things?"

"Actually I have a question. Have there been any rival businesses who might make an attempt at copying Prosperity gowns?" I sipped my tea as Rig thought it over, frowning.

"Well there's a few stores who you stole business from, they have made small efforts, buying prosperity gowns and trying to deconstruct them. From what I heard they were unable to get a line on any Tilendrian cloth, and so their dresses were immediately deemed 'cheap knockoffs' by customers." He shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know how YOU managed to get the Tilendria weavers to work with you, they're pretty closed about selling over borders.

I grinned. "It's all about who you know."

"That Nate kid, right? I've got his whole backstory if you're interested..."

"But that information does make me question, why did the gown I'm meant to wear for the party celebrating my birthday disappear for two days?" I interrupted, tapping my chin thoughtfully. "I thought it might have been stolen and given to a rival company to copy, but it sounds like that's less likely now."

"Miss, are you saying something went missing from your bedroom?" Hallers spoke up, his face pale with shock and anger. "How could they ever...?"

"Actually, since you're here, Rig, do you mind taking a look at it?" I pulled it out of the trunk in my office, where I had kept it since I noticed its return after disappearing. It was a baby blue gown, cut simply, decorated with a small amount of intricate lace and a slightly darker blue sash. I had designed it specifically for my birthday, which made me even more suspicious regarding its brief absence.

Rig took the dress carefully, confused. "I'm not a seamstress, girl. Talk to your business partner if you want an opinion on fashion."

"I don't need your opinion on my style choices." I rolled my eyes. "I'm supposed to wear this to a large party, I worry that something might have been done to it, meant to target me. I've looked it over and didn't find anything, but you might be better at spotting a trap than me."

With a grim expression, Rig carefully studied the dress, turning it inside out and feeling over the seams. He leaned forward, smelling the fabric and frowned. "Maybe..." He licked his finger and ran it along a few places on the inside of the dress.