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The remaining planning for the market day went smoothly, but both my aunt and father seemed more apprehensive about the whole thing. Marie told me of rumors of people being beaten, but claimed it was nothing new. She thought that the scandal lied in who was performing the acts, not the acts themselves. Theodore and the Dragon Hunters had not wasted any time making a name for themselves. A week after his altercation with Gretchen, father received word that he'd been praised by the local governor for acts of heroism in dealing with a group of dragon sympathizers planning sedition. My father said it was nonsense, that the young men Theodore had attacked were a troupe of artists from the north with no more political leanings than a wagon wheel. Nevertheless, the governor gave a speech that honored Theodore and his small band of friends, giving legitimacy to their random acts of brutality. With every story, I grew a bit more cynical about the world, but Langston's letters restored my faith.

Our routine returned to normal after the visit to the tailor. I waited anxiously each morning for Marie to arrive with his letter and each afternoon, I tried to put my feelings into words. I struggled to understand our separation. The only thing I truly wanted in the world was kept from me by forces I did not fully understand. More than once, I thought of pleading with father, begging him to welcome Langston into Annandale as his son and my fiance. I could appeal to Aunt Ethel or drag Marie in to defend our relationship. I convinced myself that father would never deny his daughter if he understood how much I loved Langston. I even went to his office to confess everything, but I found him hunched over his desk, brow furrowed with worry as he scribbled in his ledgers. The odd rumors of violence had unnerved everyone, but particularly father. He had been excited about the market day until the Dragon Hunters resurfaced. Now he seemed to be approaching everything with a cautionary dread. Even when good news arrived, such as several of the other lords agreeing to participate, he took it as an ill sign. The idea of a large crowd unnerved him so much that he wrote to the governor and requested a contingent of soldiers to help maintain order. I shared many of his worries, but still thought that these issues were all above or beyond me. Lord Ingram carried the worries of the entire community and that community represented an integral part of the larger state. My plight was small and simple in comparison.

The Lockes did not visit again, although they were invited several times. Theodore rarely crossed my mind except for a single letter I received the week before the market. In it, he said that he hoped to see me and begged my forgiveness for his brash actions. He also included a clipping of the news story. In the letter he claimed to be serving his community the best way he could, but the whole thing repulsed me. The so called dragon sympathizers he had helped apprehend had disappeared entirely. Though it had not been said, I believe everyone understood that Theodore Locke was no longer welcome at Annandale.

On the whole, I was happy. With each passing day, I grew happier as I looked forward to the market day. Three days before, with all the preparations done and my new dress fitted and ready, I waited in my room for my usual visit from Marie. Langston had not missed a day with his letters since that day at the tailors so when Marie did not appear, I went down to the servants quarters to look for her, wondering if she was ill. Instead, several of the other staff directed me to Elsa's office. I darted quickly to the office and found Marie sitting solemnly across from Elsa. The latter looked as severe as I had seen her and on the small desk between them was the familiar fold of one of Langston's notes. Horror overwhelmed me as I realized that the seal was broken. Elsa looked at me with shock and attempted to hide the letter.

"You'll not punish Marie for this. Everything she's done, I told her to do it." I stormed into the office and stepped in front of Marie as if to shield her from an incoming blow. I felt her hand push against mine and she tugged slightly, but I maintained focused on Elsa, ready to battle her will with all my strength.

"What on earth are you on about, Anna? You may be a lady of this house, but you're not coming into my office in such a show."

"The letter. It's mine and I'll have it back from you."

Elsa looked at me and then down at Marie peering from behind my dress. "You believe this here letter is for you?"

My stomach coiled into a knot. I turned around to look at Marie. She looked on the verge of tears. In her lap, shielded from Elsa's view was another sealed letter. I had no idea what to say, but then my desires to plead my case to my father boiled to the surface. If I could not unburden myself to him, then Elsa made a decent alternative. "Langston and I have been exchanging letters for over a month. Marie has been delivering them to me and I thought...I thought you had found out."

Elsa pursed her lips. "Sit down, Anna. Marie, you are dismissed." I started to object, but Elsa held up her hand. "She is dismissed to continue her work. Marie is not in trouble. Unless you would like her stay around for our talk, I think she should be gettin' back to her duties."

Marie looked up at me with pitiful eyes. I nodded and she darted from the room with a quick bow. I took the seat she had vacated and waited for Elsa to say something. She stared at me with unblinking eyes. I resisted her gaze as long as I could. "What do you want me to say?"

"You love him?"

"Yes."

"Does he love you?"

"Yes."

"Who else knows?"

"Nathan, the stablehand. Aunt Ethel, as well."

"So only your father is in the dark."

"I think so, yes."

"Why have you not told him?"

"We talked about it once. He didn't like the idea of my becoming involved with Langston. He thinks I should marry one of the other nobles. Langston has a plan, though. He's going to buy one of the estates and that will confer him a right to a title. Once we are married, it won't be any different."

"Did your father say he was agin' the idea of you and Langston? Did he say that specifically?"

I paused. My mind went back over the conversations I'd had with father. He'd spoken against the idea of being alone with a man, not specifically about being alone with Langston. I had been so wrapped up in my own desires that I'd overlooked the nuance of his advice. "No, I don't think so."

Elsa nodded and pulled out her letter once more. "I can't think of any better for you than Langston. He's got a will like iron and a mind of his own. He's irreverent and spends more time with his head in the clouds than most. Other than you. You and him should talk with Lord Ingram. I will go and speak to your favor, but he won't need it. I can't imagine he would turn down having Langston join your family. But first, we need ta' get through the market day. Has Langston told you anything bout his work outside of the factory?" I shook my head. "You've heard of the dragon hunters roaming about. They're spreading some fool idea that surviving dragons are supporting a few of the lords as a way to buy back into power. It's not true, not in that way at least."

"Are they implying that father is among them?"

"Yes. Lord Locke had been defending him, but now that Theodore is in with those madmen, the winds have changed for Mr. Locke's fortunes. Langston has...contacts that are keeping us in the know about the goings on in Hartfell. That is what this letter contains. Men from Hartfell will be at the market, and they'll be looking for trouble. Here are names so that our own friends can make certain nothing goes wrong. For a long time, we have all been working to keep good people safe from those who intend them harm."

For some reason, Elsa's cooperation in a ring of spies did not surprise me in the least. On the other hand, I felt absolutely betrayed that Langston did not share his involvement. "Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't anyone tell me? I could have been helping, somehow."

"Because you are one of those we have kept safe. Langston or your father or me, doesn't matter which. We did not tell you because if you knew, you would be in danger. A single name is enough for some men to drag you into the street and tie you to a whipping post. As much as we have all fought against it, a paranoid fear still drives this country. Your whole life, you have not seen a single dragon wear their true skin or say their true name, but you have met many. A day is coming soon when that fear will finally end. The hatemongers will be outed and we can finally start living in peace again. Until then, caution. Your father has been playing this game for your whole life and we are nearing the end."

"What end? The people hate dragon kind."

Elsa nodded. "Some do. Many do not. Still, keepin' these things from you has done us no good and will only get you into trouble. Your father may be angry with me, but to hell with 'im if so. Do you remember how the war started?"

"The execution of Richard Maxwell. A mob came and drug him into the street. It's what set off the Wyrm." I didn't understand Elsa's sudden determination to divulge secrets, but I had no intention of stopping her.

"Right. That mob was led by a stranger and his friends wearing hoods and what would eventually be the symbol of the dragon hunters. Your father saw 'em that night and he learnt the name of at least one of them. Matthew Coren, son of the Duke of Coren and father to Peter Coren. Matthew died several years after the war, but not afore Lord Ingram found him. Lord Ingram says that he showed "contrition" in the end. He told your father about a meeting that happened the week before Maxwell's murder. Several lords came together, including the Duke, and made a plot. Crops had failed, people was starving, and talk of revolt was not uncommon. These lords needed a scapegoat for their failures. Blame the dragons, they decided. They plotted and killed Richard Maxwell. They thought a few dragons would be arrested and the Wyrm would back down. Instead it started a war that killed thousands, including most of the conspirators. Of the eight in the plot, two have survived until now. The Duke of Coren and Robert Locke."

I thought back to the dinner and party where Robert Locke had sat a few feet away from me. He had kissed my cheek on the night of my birthday and given a toast to my father. "He's father's...they are friends?"

"Locke needed to trust your father. Lord Ingram needed to be close enough to find some kind of proof. The governor and Parliament are on our side, but only so far as they're equally protected. The Duke of Coren is still a very powerful man, made more powerful by profiting from the war. Proof has resurfaced recently. Langston told us of a charter signed by the original eight members of the plot, including the Duke the Coren. The Lockes have it, keeping it safe in case the Duke tried to betray them. We did not know it existed until one of Langston's men overheard Theodore Locke bragging about it in an argument with Peter Coren." She took a breath and leaned forward, breaking her usual rigid posture. "Anna, what you need to understand is this. Langston is doing very important work. Soon we may be able to put all of this behind us, but until then Langston must remain where he is. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I think so." What had started at contempt for hiding things from me had quickly changed into a new admiration. "Can I tell him that I know?"

"I'm surprised he kept it from you at all. Though I can understand his trepidation to share it. If I could give you some advice, ask him why he would risk so much. Be prepared for an answer you may not wish to hear."

"I still don't understand how I can help."

"You already are helping. By being the Lady of Annandale. Like I said, get through the market and then speak to your father."

Elsa sent me away despite the thousands of questions on my tongue. I went to my room and immediately wrote a letter to Langston with as many questions as I could fit on the page. As I finished, I found the note Marie had shown me earlier tucked behind a jewelry box. I read it and smiled at the charming platitudes and promises of love and happiness. I decided against ruining our current bliss with my curiosity. I wrote a new letter telling him about my excitement for the market. I also included a passage about Elsa, telling him about how brave and terrible my childhood nanny could be.