The Mad Princess and the Dying Prince novel Chapter 5

"Your Highness, shall we return to the Prince's Estate?" Azure asked, glancing at the rapidly darkening sky.

After the massive spectacle they had just caused, bringing this girl back to spend the night at the estate would cause a devastating scandal...

Then again, it had been suspiciously quiet inside the carriage. Had his master simply strangled her to death?

Was he going to have to dispose of a corpse later tonight?

Azure’s mind raced with panicked scenarios until his master’s voice finally broke the silence.

"To House Beaumont."

"Yes, Your Highness."

A moment later, Jareth spoke again.

"Send for Physician Finch to meet us there."

Meanwhile, at Beaumont Manor.

The maidservant, Autumn, hiked up her skirts and sprinted through the courtyard, her frantic cries echoing before she even arrived.

"My Lady! Disaster has struck!"

Startled, Aurelia Beaumont flinched, accidentally jamming her needle straight into her fingertip. A bright bead of blood welled up.

A sickening sense of dread twisted in her stomach.

"Why are you shrieking like a banshee? What disaster?" Aurelia glared fiercely at the panicked maid rushing into the room.

"The... the eldest lady has returned!" Autumn gasped, stumbling over her words.

"Who are you calling the eldest lady?" Aurelia shot to her feet, instantly enraged.

In Beaumont Manor, she was the true eldest daughter!

Terrified by Aurelia's twisted expression, Autumn quickly corrected herself. "I misspoke! I meant Lady Lucia! Lady Lucia has returned to the manor!"

"How could she possibly be back already?" Aurelia shrieked in shock.

"It's true! Lord Alistair and Lady Beaumont are in the front hall receiving her as we speak!"

"She expects my parents to receive her personally? Who the hell does she think she is!" Aurelia bit her lower lip fiercely. "I'm going to see this for myself!"

Alistair snapped at his wife in a hushed tone, "Keep your voice down! Did you not hear that Prince Jareth brought her home?" He hastily summoned two male servants over and smoothed out his expensive robes. "Come, we must receive His Highness."

Azure stepped in his path, casting a cold eye over the two male servants.

"Lord Alistair, are you intending to have these men assist Lady Lucia?"

Two grown men handling the Prince's proclaimed fiancée? Was this Lord out of his mind?

"Ah! Yes, of course. Forgive me, hearing of His Highness's return to the Royal Capital quite scrambled my wits. My Lady, quickly, summon two maidservants!" Alistair corrected himself in a panic.

"She is nothing but a burden! Mark my words, she’s only putting on an act to force us to greet her at the gates ourselves!" Lady Beaumont muttered bitterly, grinding her teeth.

The entire group hurriedly shuffled out toward the main entrance.

Aurelia caught up with them in a rush, immediately latching onto Lady Beaumont's arm. "Mother, is it true? Did Prince Jareth really escort Lucia home?"

Prince Jareth... their family certainly had no ties to him. But Aurelia was acutely aware that Lady Marquis had pined for the Prince since childhood.

Lady Marquis was the undisputed crown jewel of the Royal Capital’s nobility. Any man she coveted was bound to be extraordinary!