Chapter 10
TheGrandDukearrivedwith a small company.He made his residence in the village inn located in the square.News of his arrival spread quickly.Papa bustled into the cabin that morning with an armload of firewood and his eyes alight with excitement.
“The Grand Duke is here!”he announced.
Serena turned from the washbasin, a dish still in hand.He wasn’t jesting.Maris dropped her needlework and jumped to her feet.
“Truly, Papa?”Excitement tinged her words.
“Whatever could he be doing here?”Serena asked, absently.
The last she heard, it was the king who was planning to visit.
“Oh, Serena, everyone knows the king has a son,” Maris said, clapping her hands with glee.“Perhaps the Grand Duke is here to find the prince a bride.”
And she hoped, no doubt, that bride would be her.Serena couldn’t blame her sister for wanting to get out of here.She, herself, wanted that, too, but she knew it was impossible.
“That only happens in fairy tales,” Serena snorted.She waved away the silly thought her sister could be the one to catch the prince’s eye.
It earned her a heated glare from Maris.“It could happen,” she said with a frown.
Serena ignored her.She doubted the Grand Duke would visit to pick a girl for the prince from their poor village.There were likely better prospects throughout the realm.Most in her village were struggling to survive like they were.Thankfully, their autumn harvest had been plentiful, and Papa was able to keep them in firewood.
“I heard from Mr.Ironroot he’s in town asking a lot of questions.”Papa stacked the firewood in the log holder by the hearth, then dusted his hands and turned to face her.He folded his arms across his chest.
She did not miss the pointed look he gave her.“What sort of questions?”
“Apparently, word spread to the king about my recovery,” he said.
Oh, Gods.That wasn’t good.Mr.Fullhide was right, then.
“And…” He added, then paused, “that you paid the taxman for not only us, but another family.Is this true, Serena?”
There was a hard edge to his voice.One she didn’t like.Maris snapped her head in her direction.Her eyes were wide with shock.
The day Serena returned from the Well of Wishes with the satchel full of gold, she had told no one where she got it.Not even Maris.She simply handed over the gold to the taxman and then put it out of her mind.
But someone noticed and someone talked.She cursed herself for being so foolish.Her act of generosity garnered royal attention.Attention she and her family could not afford.
It wasn’t about the taxman, either.It was about the healing elixir.Dr.Graves had mentioned he hadn’t treated Papa, and someone told Mr.Fullhide.
She clenched her hand into a fist.
She said, “It is true.”
Papa’s face drained of color as he stared at her in stunned silence.“Serena—how—?”
“Please do not ask me to explain,” she snapped.
She whirled away and busied herself washing dishes once again.
“Did you…where did you get the gold, Serena?”Papa asked.
He sounded hurt, distressed, and worried.
How could she tell him the truth?If she did, she’d reveal the Well of Wishes and…the stranger.And Maris…well, she couldn’t be trusted.Her sister would tell anyone and everyone who would listen.Her sister would brag about their imagined wealth and then demand Serena share it with her.
Papa, on the other hand…she’d thought a million times about telling him.But she stopped herself because she’d feared he would not understand.
