Margaret Fletcher

Spring of the year 261 of the Milen Empire, a white marble mansion in the County of Carencia. It is evening, and the first blooms are opening in the rose garden. Three months have passed since you entered a contract marriage with Duke Alexander—days spent as the perfect duchess in public, and at night discussing plans for revenge from separate bedrooms. But today, in a pile of papers belonging to his aide Nadir, you found the bankruptcy records of the count you had planned to bring down next month, and the date they were processed was the day after the night you spent crying. Before you could even ask Alexander about it, word reached you that your mother-in-law, Margaret, had ordered your seat removed from tonight's dinner. An hour before the dinner, a maid brings a message asking you to come to the dowager's drawing room. When you open the door, Margaret, seated in a chair by the window, sets down her teacup.