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“That’s for later,” she said “Now I have to see what’s left in the shops”

“Don’t spend it all in one place,” he said, trying to keep his voice light but hoping she heard the warning to spend carefully

“Silly man,” she said as she danced out of the parlor

A fewdown the drive in the pony cart with one of the stable lads as her driver He also saw aup the drive Not a er from the town One of them would have come on horseback Thisweb just beyond Grayhaven’s gates

He started to go to his study, then turned and headed for the front door Anyhere wasJulien track him dohen he could be on hand

He tih the entranceway on his way to the stairs when Julien opened the door and took the e

The er’s tone sounded courteous, but there was clearly soer in the eyes that stared at him before Julien shut the door and handed him the wax-sealed heavy paper

Theran broke the seal and opened the e—and wished he’d waited until he’d reached the privacy of his study

“Trouble?” Julien asked

He shook his head “Already taken care of”

“I knohat that phrase ot buried Will anyone weep?”

The coldness of Julien’s words stung him

He went into his study and locked the door Just a physical lock, just an indication he wanted no co him

He read the words again and again As he sat there through the , he was glad he’d given Kerlad she would find some sweetness in ould be a bitter day

Kerh with the pleasure of a long es in the back of the pony cart and felt a prick of guilt, which was easily dis neeeks, s for herself—like that gorgeous red dress that cost ninety gold marks

Of the two hundred gold , she had ten left She’d ood to haveall the things she’d been denied

She’d regained some control at the end when she realized she had to coifts for other people—things she could let Theran see He didn’t have to know that she’d grabbed a few things off the shelves of a shop an aristo wouldn’t norifts into the boxes of the things she’d bought for herself in the only aristo -heap town If he noticed that the quality of the goods didn’t match the implied quality of the box, he would blame the merchant

She’d known he was being stingy and had been holding back on giving her any ed that she deserved a Queen’s due—and a Queen’s income

Theran was like her father in that wayHe’d gruged her so her the marks she needed to pay for the clothes or the entertain herself to the notice of the h reputation and potential to form a court around her and provide her with a place to rule that would, in turn, provide her with the income she deserved

Theran wouldn’t be happy that she’d spent all the le more out of him