Too many thoughts ran around Caroline's mind as she boarded the princess' carriage that morning. For one, why in such an unfortunate hour of the day when she had a headache?

"Renee," she started, but when the woman turned and fixed her blue eyes on her with a stern look, she smiled. "Esther," she corrected.

"Thank you," said the princess, turning her blonde head to steal a look outside the carriage window. "Have I said how I hate that I share the same name as Marchioness of Rothsker?"

"Yes, quite a number of times, actually."

"Her Humbrick balls bring Sutherland such shame."

Caroline could only smile, remembering the moment when the princess had decided that she hated her first name. That maybe after the day they found out what the Humbrick balls were for.

"I wonder why your mother would want to see me," she said, trying to remember everything she did yesterday at the ball. "I was at my best behavior last night, I believe."

Esther waved her hand to brush off any concern. "We are not going to Cloveshire, Caroline, fret not."

Her brows fused into a frown. Then she studied her second cousin's face. "You are not taking me to your mother, are you not?"

Esther sighed and flicked something invisible from the skirt of her sapphire gown. "I am not going to take you somewhere to do something careless, Caroline. Although I do admit that I miss those days."

She did not know if she agreed. The days Esther used to take her for little excursions were probably the moments she regretted the most.

When her cousin turned to look at her, Caroline recognized the regret in the woman's eyes. "Forgive me, Caroline, I should not have brought it up. I know you met that horrible being in one of our stupid adventures."

She forced a smile on her face. "I have long forgotten about him, Esther." As the princess regarded her with doubt, she added, "But are you planning to just drive around the Coulway?"

"No, of course not." A sigh and a roll of the eyes. "It is Albert."

Caroline frowned. "Albert? What has he done this time around?"

"Something horrid, I fear."

Caroline sensed the hesitation in Esther's face and the way she fiddled with the skirts of her gown before realizing she was doing it and corrected herself by placing one hand over the other. Knowing Esther would eventually tell her for it was the reason she came to find her after all, Caroline waited-impatiently, of course.

"It has come to my knowledge that Albert is working closely with Belcourt."

Caroline did not know how to react so she blinked and feigned ignorance. "The orphanage?"

Esther looked at her wryly. "Stop pretending, Caroline. I know that you are aware of what Belcourt truly is. Your father is the cousin of the king."

She smiled. "Well, perhaps I know a little about Belcourt... but why would Albert be working with Belcourt? What for?"

"Perhaps he cannot wait to be king."

Caroline stiffened and blinked in surprise. "Esther, it is a rather big accusation. Who gave you this information?"

Esther shrugged. "I have my ways, Caroline." Then something in Esther's face changed. Her lips curled into a wicked grin, her eyes turning deadpan, and her brow twitching once. Caroline merely saw that look on Esther a few times. The last she saw of it was when Esther faced the man nearly ruined Caroline's life. "Albert is not the only one who has someone in Belcourt," Esther said, sending shivers up Caroline's spine.

"And your father is unaware of this?"

"Of course, he is! Who knows what he will do to my stupid brother if he finds out! I need to find more evidence first."

Caroline froze for the second time. "Do you mean to employ my help to gather this evidence?"

"Yes."

"But, Esther-"

The woman's plump hand came to cover hers, her stern eyes shifting into a soft, pleading gaze. "Caroline, Albert will never suspect you. You and he have always been quite chummy since we were children. And you know how he enjoys playing chess with you."

"But-"

"Please, you are the only person I can trust. You do not have to do anything. You simply have to be where he is."

"Yes, I understand, but do you understand what you are making me do, Esther? I will be committing a crime by spying on your brother."

"It will not be spying. Simply consider it gossipmongering."

Caroline scoffed in disbelief.

Esther blinked, swallowed, and taking a lungful of air, said, "Caroline, I helped you before."

For the third time, Caroline stiffened, but it was not due to shock. She was furious. She scoffed in disbelief, turning away from Esther.

"Forgive me. I did not want to use it against you, but I have no other choice. The future of the kingdom and my family lies on this, Caroline. If Albert is indeed planning something, it may lead to a civil war. And I do not wish my family to be ruined by this. Please... just once, I ask for your help." A pause, and then, "Just as I helped you."

She pulled her hand away from Esther's. And stiffly, she said, "I will help you, of course."

Esther smiled, her blue Davercher eyes glimmering with gratitude. "I will not ask anything else from you after this."

Caroline's jaw tightened. Esther did help her in the past and if not for the woman, Caroline's reputation and that of her family would have been in ruins.

But the more she thought of it, the more she realized that Esther was only doing this out of desperation. Perhaps she would have resorted to the same strategy if she were faced with the same dilemma.

But where would this place her? Esther was not aware that she just asked help from someone whose father and fiancé were part of a group set to dethrone the king.

Ah, this was turning too complex. Will her conscience handle it?

But she would only be spying on Albert. That was what Esther wanted.

And perhaps, that was what the Circus would want.

With those thoughts in mind, she sighed.

Trent would not like this.

⠒♣◆♣⠒

"No, I do not like it, but do I have a choice?" Trent asked, looking at Caroline two days later. He traveled an entire three hours to get to Brierwell, the estate the Comhars considered home near Kerndall. It was also where Caroline and Camile were raised, away from prying eyes of commoners. Trent was expecting a nice afternoon ride with her around the estate, but before that, he was asked to sit down in the parlor with her father.

"You are not angry, but you are not pleased either." She pointed at him.

His brow was arched high, his leg was folded over the other, and his folded hands on his lap. "Yes, I am most certainly not pleased," he gritted through his teeth. "I know what goes into that brain of yours, Carol. You have always liked the dangerous things."

"I will be very careful."

He let out an incredulous scoff. "Of course, you will be," he said, "because I will be coming with you."

She blinked. "Of course, you are. Albert will question your absence."

He turned to look at the Duke of Remington, Laurel Comhar. The man was regarding them with amusement. "I gather you approve of this, Your Grace?"

The man blinked, his forest green eyes twinkling with pride. "Of course. My dear Caroline had always wanted to do something for the Circus."

Caroline winked at him with a wicked smile. Trent could merely shake his head.

"It is only a weekend party, Trent," she said.

"At Birth, Carol."

"Birth is amongst the safest places in Sutherland."

"And it is also infested with tourists. Anyone can have a motive."

"Albert's party will be exclusive."

"Albert's parties are never exclusive."

She sighed. "You know I still have to go. Why are we even discussing this?"

"Because you were the one who asked me to sit down for a while for your very small announcement?" he retorted immediately with enough sarcasm.

She sighed, carefully tucked her unruly light brown hair behind her ear, and sweetly smiled at him. He fought a smile, knowing what she was trying to do. "I am doing this for both the Circus and Esther."

"I know. A little evil, I must say. You are doing the princess a favor whilst betraying her in the process by reporting whatever you may find to the Circus."

Her smile turned tight. "She saved me once, Trent."

Her father groaned. "Darling, let us not talk about the past."

"It seems that everyone is willing to forget how Esther has saved us all in the past."

"By scaring your lover away, yes, how can we ever forget?" he said, ignoring the duke's murmurs about a bastard ruining his precious daughter.

"The Circus believe that anything the royal family does is essential," the duke said in a clearer tone. "It might be true that Albert is planning something against Leo and Reginald. Or it might be that Princess Renee-"

"Esther," Caroline and Trent corrected at the same time.

"Princess Esther is brewing something on her own. It is best that we, the Circus, know the story of everyone."

Caroline clapped her hands together and shot to her feet. "It is settled then!"

Trent sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Will you be staying for supper, Trent?" the duke asked after him.

"Yes," he said as he stood to follow Caroline.

"Well? How are you going to do it, Caroline?" Camila asked, jumping from the wall she was leaning on outside the parlor. She squeezed between Caroline and Trent who had caught up with Caroline. "Surely you do have a plan?"

"I will simply let my instincts lead me on, Camila."

"I do not think instinct will be the best weapon, Carol," Trent murmured beside her as they entered the dining room.

"I quite agree. A concrete plan is necessary."

"My instincts had always been right," Caroline replied to them both.

"No, they were not. You fell victim to a man who-" Camila said, stopping when Caroline came to a sudden halt to glare at her.

"My instincts were delayed at that time, Camila," Caroline said through her teeth, putting a hand on her sister's shoulder. Trent rested his hand on his hip, thinking he should have brought along Jamie. His brother would know how to deal with Camila. "Now, sister, step back... go on, step back," Caroline said, gently pushing Camila away from her. The confused child took a step back. "Thank you," said Caroline, straightening to full height. "You have just stepped over the bounds." Taking a step back, she let out a look of mocked amazement as Camila's face started to shift from confusion into something else entirely. "Ah, you look wonderful when you are in your proper place, dear sister."

Camila gasped, chestnut brown eyes suddenly filled with fury.

Caroline turned and continued toward the connecting door that led to the kitchen. Trent followed, saying over his shoulder, "Uh, Camila, I believe your father was looking for you," before leaving the irate Camila alone in the dining room.

As they walked past the cooks and the maids, they burst into chuckles.

"She would find a way to get back at you," he said, opening the door for her.

"She always does, the little devil." Walking to the stable, Caroline looped her arm around his. "Thank you," she said. "For understanding."

"I do understand, Carol, but you must also know that I worry."

"Yes, of course. Quite understandable. I also worry about you whenever you are out on a mission."

He scoffed. "We should head to the cabin," he said. "I can sense rain coming."

It was not a far ride to the cabin. The newly erected building was Caroline's project, one she had been thinking of for years. It was located in the woods behind Brierwell.

And it was her pride and joy.

It was also the place that housed her greatest heartache.

Trent tethered his horse and watched Caroline pick up wildflowers along the way. He smiled, standing witness to a sight he should have gotten used to many years ago but never truly did. The gloomy afternoon sun could not even dull the radiance that was Caroline Comhar.

Her light brown hair was now free of its pins, cascading down to her hips in a beautiful wavy mess. Her dark blue dress was lighter now that she was back in Brierwell.

"Hurry!" she called over her shoulder as the wind blew, carrying with it the smell of train.

Trent ran with Caroline, rounding the side of the cabin, and then at the small fenced garden. In her light riding dress, she walked to the tree they planted seven years ago beside the tomb of her daughter.

"Did you miss me?" Caroline asked aloud, bending down to place the wildflowers on the tombstone.

Trent stood beside her and looked down. It started to drizzle then, light droplets of rain staining the words written on the stone.

Philippa, forever an angel.

⠒♣◆♣⠒

The chilly wind blew through the night.

Sasha quietly sat inside her carriage, watching the woman walk to the small tavern from across the street, splattering rainwater with each step.

The dilapidated building was glowing yellow from the candles inside.

The sound of drunken laughter burst out as Ruby opened the door and walked in.

She waited for a while before she tapped on the ceiling of her carriage to signal for Briana to drive away.