1 Kidnapped Child

"The child had gone missing." the loud shriek of the maid broke the serenity of the room and hearts.. Too many to count. 

Everyone came running at that one shriek as if everyone was waiting for this very moment holding their breaths. Like they were nothing but the actors of a show waiting for their line. Except.. No line was said.

Everyone looked at the empty cot with a horrified gaze.

"The lady had already died while giving birth. If the child had died, it only meant.." no reply came out until the master of the house Duke James Crawfield O Marcane entered the room and stared at the empty cot.

His eyes dimmed and just when everyone had expected him to break down and cry… he laughed.. He laughed as if he had won the treasure. Yet his laughter trembled everyone present in the room.

The butler Edgar came forward and signaled all of them to leave the room.

Only God knew what he whispered to the master. The staff could only wait outside with growing anxiety and restlessness.

"Do you think it is the work of Blackthrones?" whipped a maid looking around. Too afraid to be caught yet bundle of nerves to keep her mouth shut.

The other maid twisted her apron with force. Her sister's wedding was down the corner and she was depending on the bonus they would receive for the birth of the child in the family. But a girl was born. Not only that, the duchess Cornelia, died giving birth. There was no bonus but a hope that things would be better but now she did not know anymore. 

Not discouraged by her silence, the first maid continued, "I have heard a rumor that even the death of the duchess was not natural." she nodded her head with a grave look to increase the impact of her words making the other maid gasp.

Many eyes turned to them and Nell frowned. She held Rosie and walked out of the palace.

"What in the world are you talking about?" Rosie twisted her lips as she looked back at the entrance as if a cat had lost her milk.

"We were supposed to wait inside. I want to know what the knights found!" she blurted out with a sigh, "and yes, it is an open secret that Blackthorne had killed the duchess. He had hoped that the child would die too. But when the little miss did not, he took her. It is as simple as that. The duke about it but he could do nothing because he had no proof. 

Now he could only summon more knights to find his daughter. But do you think he can find her?" her lips twisted in a grim look but Nell felt a strange coldness seeping into her bones and chilling her to the core.

"How.. How do you know all this?" She was shocked by the words left in her mouth. She had been the personal maid of the duchess yet she never realised that her mistress was killed. Then how did.. Rosie.. Does the kitchen maid know about it? It did not make sense.. Except.. Her eyes widened with shock only for Rosie to smile.

"I have been lucky to have you with me, Nell. you have made things much easier for me." Nell froze. She opened her mouth but the words did not come out. Rosie did not care more. She just hugged the woman and whispered, "but alas.. We could not be friends anymore, Nell. but do not worry, I will pay for your sister's wedding." 

The moment Rosie took a step back, a horde of knights came running to them.

"Catch the spy. She is the one.. She had mixed poison in the food of the duchess. She must know where the princess is." by Instinct, Nella ran toward the exit. If they catch her, they will torment her. They would not care if she had spoken the truth or not. Because in their heart, she was already the culprit.

But how could she outrun the trained knights? It took only five steps before they caught up to her and dragged her in the prison. Nell had closed eyes as she was tied and left alone. She knew it was only the start.

How much time had passed when she heard steps, the duke had come to meet her personally.

His cold and sunken eyes felt like she had been here for ages.

"Where is my daughter?" his cold voice flinched. The man she knew was a kind and sweet person. He had always spoken so softly that she had felt indebted for his kindness. But now those eyes were looking at him with hatred and desire to kill. "If you return her, I will make your death easier." he offered and it must have taken a lot from him to offer such mercy. 

"I do not know, your grace. I have been framed." she confessed but he only gritted his teeth, enraged. In a swift motion, he leaped to her and held her chin.

"I do not have time for your pretty games, Nell. The physician had already confirmed that you had mixed poison in the medicine he had left in your care. Except you, no one had access to my wife's medicine.

The knights checked that your sister had received a large sum as her wedding gift two nights ago. The day my wife died and now…" he inhaled a deep breath when she winced by the pressure he was putting on her chin, " I have already lost Cornelia, Nell. I can not lose my daughter. She is the last reason for me to live… please.." her heart broke for the man. If only she could do anything for him.

"Your grace, you are wasting your time on me. It was Rosie. She had framed me. Please.. Just check on her and you will know the truth." 

"Rosie? Your friend? Ha! Do you have any shame? You are accusing her after killing her in the garden when you were trying to run away. Everyone had seen you running from the room and her following you."