Confession

When Duchess Anita received the news that Anastasia had fallen ill shortly after arriving at the palace, she was very pleased. She was certain that the royal family would never allow a woman who could not bear children to marry the crown prince. So what if the engagement was already official?

As long as the marriage had not yet taken place, breaking it off would be easy.

"So, do they know what is wrong with her?" Duchess Anita asked the Duke, who had received the palace envoys.

"I should be asking you that. The physician said that Anastasia has been poisoned. The royal family wants me to investigate," Duke Thompson said. He had been away for a few days on business—partly out of duty, partly to give his wife an opportunity to act. He hadn't expected to return to such a mess.