‘Your Highness!’ Duchess Catriona stood in the doorway, her hands planted on her hips. Behind her, Secretary Franco and Archbishop di Sarvos loomed, glaring at Bianca as if she was a street urchin who’d been caught sitting on the throne. Their glares were so alike they could’ve been brothers, except that Franco was thin and hunched like a vulture and di Sarvos was tall and solid, as if someone had put a red and white robe on a tree trunk. The top of his pointy hat nearly brushed the door frame. ‘Mistress Bianca, a moment of your time,’ Duchess Catriona said, packing so much haughty chill into those words that Bianca shuddered. ‘I’ll just … ’ Marco quickly rolled up the map of Oscurita and shrugged towards the door. ‘Excuse me, Your Highness, your worship, Secretary Franco.’ He bobbed a bow to each of them and squeezed past, turning back at the last second to gesture to the map and give Bianca a thumbs up. Bianca nodded back, but she couldn’t manage a smile.
