The Duke's Masked Wife 2: The Prince's Outcast Bride-Chapter 43: Stirring the pot (2)

Amelia was more appalled by Tyrion walking holding the hand of the strange woman now that she knew there were savages in the palace.

’Am I going to lose him to one of those people?’ Amelia wondered, horrified by this thought.

It couldn’t be so.

Amelia thought the prince had lost his mind before when he was choosing Penelope over her, but now he must have truly lost it since he was walking with such a woman at his side.

’This isn’t fair,’ Amelia thought, stomping her foot on the ground.

With Penelope out of the way, it only made sense for Tyrion to turn to her, yet he was walking around with a strange woman.

Amelia gripped her dress. She had come too far to lose like this. To lose to a woman who didn’t know how to act like a lady.

"Amelia," Ronan called out to his daughter. "Why is everyone staring at you? I told you to wait in the carriage."

"It is not fair, father. Why is there always someone in the way?" Amelia asked, wanting to stomp her foot again. "I did everything well to get Penelope-"

"Hush, child," Ronan shushed Amelia before someone overheard her. "We must leave."

Ronan kept hold of her hand to pull Amelia out of the palace before she said something to have them both questioned.

Ronan knew it was a mistake to bring Amelia to the palace, but after she had begged so much, he decided to bring her along if she promised to behave.

Amelia remained annoyed even as she entered the carriage and departed for her home.

"What is it now? Tell me, what have you done concerning Penelope?" Ronan asked, hearing of this for the first time.

"I was touched by one of those barbarians. The prince holds hands with a woman who is not worthy of standing next to him. He welcomed her touch, yet he ignored me. How is that fair?" Amelia cried.

"Barbarian? You silly fool. It was being discussed all over the palace that the king has visitors from the border. The court would never allow the prince to marry one of those women. He is being polite since she is a guest," Ronan said, certain of it.

Amelia smiled, wiping her tears to look presentable again. "You are certain."

"I am. I speak to the court often, and they hate the women there. The prince will marry a woman from this town, so be careful with how you act. When did one of those people touch you? Was it a man?" Ronan asked, hoping they had not done something shameful to Amelia.

Amelia could not lose her value with such lowly men when there were other men with far bigger pockets eyeing her.

If Amelia did not become queen, Ronan had a good match waiting for her. A man a little older than her, but Amelia needed to be around such a man to help her mature.

Amelia was thrilled, no longer worried about the woman she saw. "Of course, she doesn’t look anything like what the prince would enjoy. How could he fall for someone like her when I am present?"

Ronan shook his head, annoyed by the mention of the prince falling in love. That didn’t matter. What mattered was getting the title of queen. Love could come later, and if it never did, the title of queen would make up for it.

Amelia laughed at herself for being so concerned. "Father, I must have all the finest dresses and shoes as well as invitations to all the balls the prince will attend. This is my chance to strike now that Penelope is ruined."

"How so? The court cleared her of any involvement in that young woman’s death."

"That might be so, but the rumours I have spread are doing well to ruin her. She should thank her mother for it. I have gotten my peers to believe that Penelope is cursed to bring misfortune to anyone she gets close to," Amelia shared.

Penelope’s name was not yet cleared in Amelia’s eyes. This was only the beginning.

"They were all so quick to believe it," Amelia laughed, remembering her friends’ faces. "I have placed the death of the late Lady Anya on her, and now this Sarah. It fits perfectly with her mother’s old curse. Are you proud of me, father?"

Amelia hoped he would say yes since it was no easy task.

"Will everything said be connected back to you?" Ronan asked, worried about Edgar coming to his door.

"No, father. I have manipulated those women by giving them something to think about, and they are the ones who continue to run their mouths. I only sit and listen so no harm will come to us," Amelia promised.

"Good. Very Good," Ronan said, rubbing his beard. "You need her well out of the way for you to succeed."

Amelia frowned. She did not like hearing this from her father. He should be the one to say that she was far better than Penelope.

Still, Amelia liked that he agreed she had done well. "I have a few incidents prepared to fuel the rumours. We must have it that someone she goes near will fall ill, or perhaps some misfortune will fall upon their home. Could you do it?"

Ronan thought about it. "There are a few people who owe me some money and favours. They should be willing to help us. We only need to know when she will be at the same ball as us. Was it you who made the young woman frame Penelope?"

"Of course not, father. My heart would never be so cold. I truly believe that Penelope harmed Sarah, and then her father came in to kill her. When will the town be free of how the Collinses acts? One day, they might even target us for no reason," Amelia said, worried.

"I have been asking around, and I don’t understand something. Of all the eligible women who could have married the duke, why did he settle for the duchess? Is it possible that she used some kind of evil magic to seduce him?" Amelia asked, afraid a witch was in town.

Ronan shook his head. There was only one way that a woman could seduce a man. "I don’t believe in curses, but the town will run with this. I remember the old baron used to be so certain his younger daughter would marry the duke, but then Alessandra stole the chance."

Ronan was curious if they had missed the fact that Alessandra was a woman who slipped into the bed of a man belonging to her sister.