"And the new young princeling…"
"You refer to his majesty, King Egdril the Second?"
"Of course." Willow took that in her stride and decided not to ask to be shown to Prince Mavron even before she felt claws press against her right side. She had bundled its fold so that no one would be likely to suppose she carried a cat there. "His majesty thrives?"
"Of course," the major said with a sort of huffing of his full cheeks as he nervously stroked his sidewhiskers.
"Perhaps we should go directly to the Duchess Insaphar, Salinah? Is she here?"
"Where else would she be?"
No one challenged that, especially since the major now gave orders for them to be escorted to the palace.
INSIDE, THE PALACE was colder than a morgue and darker. Not a painting, portrait, or objet d'art but wasn't draped in sable. Their footsteps echoed through corridors, totally devoid of petitioners and minor officials.
"She can't have killed them all off?" Laurel murmured to her sister.
"Silence, please," the young and officious lieutenant whispered over his shoulder at them.
They went through the public rooms and up the long flight of stairs that branched at the top. A row of guards stood across the right hand turning which would lead into the royal quarters. So they took the left-hand side where only two men stood sentinel. They immediately crossed their shrouded pike heads to prevent entry.
"Who goes there?"
"Lieutenant of the Palace Guard and three female visitors."
"The Princess of Esphania, the Baroness Illify, and the Countess Solesne," the countess said in a low but intense voice, designed to make the callow quiver. "To see Baroness Salinah."
"Wait here," said one of the flunkies.
"We will not," the countess said and, flipping up the pikes, walked determinedly down the hall, her two former charges following as purposefully.
"I say, there, you can't do that…" the lieutenant called after them.
"We can and we have," muttered the countess, flouncing her riding skirt as she lengthened her stride.
Their footsteps echoed in the halls and, when they passed the first door, they were conscious of its being opened a crack and then closed.
"Has she got everyone kennelled up like so many disobedient children?" Willow murmured, appalled that a once bustling palace was reduced to the silence of the crypt.
"And where is Mavron? He should ascend the throne, not a baby," said Laurel.
"Nonsense, how else can that woman gain complete control unless she gets herself appointed as regent for her son."
A muted "MeOW!" issued from Willow's bundled cloak.
"Yes, I know, Niffy," the princess said and patted it reassuringly. "She'll give the word 'regent' a bad smell."
FINALLY THEY ARRIVED at the doors to Salinah's apartment. They were not guarded, so Willow tapped at the door. When there was no answer, she rapped a little more loudly. Pressing her ear against the door, she listened.
"There's someone in there," she murmured.
"Then, we shall enter," the countess said and, turning the handle, pulled open the door. And stopped.
"Oh, for heaven's sake." For a barrier of furniture filled the doorway. "Salinah! It's Countess Solesne. I've come to rescue you."
"From what are we rescuing her?" Willow asked in surprise.
"Well, it must be something. I can't really imagine a girl of Salinah's nature piling all that up unless she's scared out of her knickers!"
"Who's there?" a tremulous voice demanded.
"Sollie, with Willow and Laurel," the countess said and began to dismantle the barricade.
"Willow and Laurel? Oh, my God, they must go immediately. They're no more safe here than I am," but the visitors could hear chairs and tables being moved.
Shortly there was a narrow lane free enough for them to squeeze through.
"Close that door," cried Salinah, sounding more like herself.
"Why don't you lock it?" Laurel asked but discovered there was no key just as Salinah remarked acidly that no one could lock a door in Castle Mauritia anymore. "And you're the cause of that!" she said when the three emerged into clearer space.
"And how do you arrive at that conclusion?" Willow asked, surprised. Though she hadn't thought that anything Salinah said or did could surprise her.
"Locked doors mean subversive activities, of course."
"And all that pile of furniture isn't a subversive obstruction."
"Why are you here? You won't get out now you've got in, you know, and why you came back, I cannot imagine," said Salinah in her usual manner and then ruined the impression by bursting into tears and collapsing against Willow. "But I'm so glad to see you."
They got the now hysterical girl calmed down sufficiently to learn why she was barricading herself in her room as best she could.
"Yasmin's betrothed me to that puling baby!" Salinah was indignant. "She's put Mavron in jail and is beheading him in the morning." She wept a little more. "She had filled Egdril's room with all her little minions. The moment the king expired, she had the prince seized. But he couldn't not be at his father's deathbed, could he? And his men were outnumbered, especially when all her guards swarmed in on top of them. Not even Mavron thought she would move that fast. I warned him, but he wouldn't listen to me. Even when I told him that she'd planned for him to be dead, too, before she finished Egdril off. So what can you possibly do about it?"
"There's only one thing we can do about it," Willow said, removing her cloak and releasing Niffy.
Salinah sprang to her feet, jumping back and away from the cat, both hands outstretched in a defensive position.
"You brought that cat?" Her eyes, already dark from weeping and frustration, widened even more at the sight of Niffy shaking her ruffled fur into place. "Are you mad? The queen'll skewer it the moment she sees it."
"Ah, but she won't see it, will she, Salinah?" Willow said. "And the only thing we can do about Yasmin is get rid of her, and that solves the entire problem. Doesn't it?"
"And how under the twin suns and the triple moons could you possibly do that?" Salinah's haughty pose once more dissolved into tears. "But that is the only solution, isn't it?"
"There now," the countess said, holding the once overly proud baroness in a motherly embrace. "You've been very brave, my dear." Willow and Laurel exchanged surprised glances but decided that Sollie was taking the right tack. "And in such a terrible state. You don't look as if you've eaten… or bathed in days."
"I haven't," sobbed Salinah. "One doesn't dare. She might be ready to poison me next. And I had to act charmed and pleased that she wanted me to marry that… that awful child of hers. You should see it!" Her face contorted in disgust. "I don't even think it's human! It can't be the king's! You didn't bring something to eat, did you?" she asked piteously.
Laurel reached into her travel pouch and brought out some bread and cheese, which Salinah grabbed from her hands and devoured, tearing off pieces and stuffing them into her mouth.
Niffy was now quartering the room, once such a graceful setting for the red-haired duchess. She paused by the fireplace and mec-rowed.
"Sometimes people have no imagination," Willow said as she went to Niffy's assistance.
"Well, chimney breasts can supply sufficient room, you know," the countess said. "And I do know that there's a warren between the walls of this place. Niffy, will you be all right on your own? It's a long way over to the royal wing. Shouldn't you wait for the prince?"
Niffy twitched her tail expressively.
"I don't think Jamas is included in her plans," Willow said, feeling along the ornate moulding for a loose section. "Ah," and she twisted the portion. Slowly a panel beside her swung open.
"Not the fireplace," Laurel said.