Olympia could hear people whispering. She did not want to open her eyes to see who it was, however. Her head hurt and she was certain that opening her eyes would only add to the pain she was in. Confusion settled in as she realized she was in a bed and, by the feel of it, had been stripped of her clothes and put into a nightdress. Then she slowly began to remember what had happened to her. Pushing back a wave of fear, she cautiously opened her eyes and was relieved to find herself in her own bed with only Enid and her nephews at her bedside.
“Kitten?” she asked as Artemis moved to help her drink some cider.
“It is fine,” said Enid and she set the tiny kitten down on the bed. “I washed it.”
Olympia stared at the small animal. It was a soft golden color and had dark gold eyes. Its fur was all fluffed out from its bath and it still trembled. She was wondering how someone could possibly have discovered that she had a large tender spot for animals when the kitten began to scramble toward her. A moment later it curled itself up in the curve where her neck met her shoulder. Although it still trembled a little, it began to purr.
Enid sighed. “I suppose we will be keeping this one, too. Now, tell us what happened, m’lady?”
“Did the boys not tell you?”
“They did but I wish to hear the story from you.”
Lightly stroking the kitten and pleased when it slowly stopped trembling, Olympia told them what had happened to her. It was difficult to keep the fear at bay when she recalled her feeling of utter helplessness. Someone had attempted to hurt her or even kill her. As she remembered who the men had said was the one they obeyed the orders of, she suspected just who that might be. There was only one person such ruffians would call m’lady and she had to wonder if Brant’s mother had decided she was a risk too big to keep alive.
“We sent word to Brant,” said Stefan.
“Oh. I wish you had not. He is meeting with Andras today concerning what needs to be done to get his sister free of that wretched woman.”
“He needs to know that you have been attacked. We all know who ordered it done, too. David heard them talking about a lady ordering it done. Something needs to be done about that woman.”
“I know. I am just not sure exactly what can be done just yet.”
“He is the earl. No matter what the woman has managed to get some fools to grant her, any true court, any true judge, would quickly end her rule in favor of the earl.”
That was probably true, Olympia thought, but the moment they went to the courts, it would not be able to be done quietly. “It would be such a scandal,” she murmured.
“Not as great a one if she ended up hanging for your murder.”
“Ah, true. I best rest a little then, for I suspect he will arrive soon and I shall have to tell my tale all over again.”
Enid rid the bedchamber of her scowling nephews with an efficiency Olympia could not help but admire. She then forced Olympia to take a drink of a potion that would ease her pain. When she tried to remove the kitten from Olympia’s neck, however, the animal hissed at her, and Olympia waved Enid away.
“Wretched beast,” Enid muttered but there was no real anger in her voice. “Its legs were not hurt badly though the rope and its struggle left a wee burn. It was not worth your life, however, and that is what you would have lost if those boys had not been following you.”
“Why were they following me?”
“Because I told them to. Now, rest.”
“Such a tyrant,” Olympia managed to say just before Enid’s potion yanked her into sleep.
Brant looked at the young man seated across the desk from him. Andras Vaughn had the look of many of the men in the Wherlocke-Vaughn clan, that utterly annoying handsomeness with a touch of mystery that drew women to them like a flame drew moths. Andras was slender and tall yet Brant suspected there was a dangerous strength in that graceful body that would surprise many. He also had blue eyes that held a strong hint of green. Brant was tempted to ask the man what his particular gift was for he was certain it was one that suited his choice of profession.
“All of this information certainly paints a dire picture of Lady Mallam but, if she has gained the power you believe she has, then it will do little more than hurt her reputation somewhat,” Andras said.
“Only somewhat?”
“She is one of the reigning ladies of society. Women either fear her or revere her. You, on the other hand, have been marked as that most despicable of creatures—an ungrateful son who has sunk himself in sin thus breaking his poor mother’s heart.”