The black stain turned into the color of blood, then leaped up into flame. Lady Cassandra jolted to her feet with a strangled little cry. The precious book tumbled, unheeded, from her lap. Smoke rose from the smoldering tome, twisting and swirling in a futile attempt to shape the words that Danilo and his mother had spoken and that he had placed into the spell. Now their agreement was broken, his trust shattered, and the spell could not recall it. The noblewoman regarded her visitor for a long moment as she composed herself. “You have my attention,” she said at last. “And you have my promise,” Danilo returned with quiet intensity. “I will find out what happened to Lilly, despite your efforts to ensure that this could not happen. Why, Mother? Given the events of this daythe events of the last tenday!one might reasonably ask what you have to hide.” “Why indeed?” she retorted. “This whole situation is disgraceful. A barmaid’s daughter in the family tomb? What were you thinking?”
