RALMH 81

A command was given to Betty, a maid of the Charte Ducal House: “Write a letter for me.” The letter was to be sent to Deyvan, the Grand Duke, who was engaged in marriage discussions with the Lady of Charte. Initially, it was merely a matter of pretending to be Lady Charte. [My injuries are not significant enough to cause you concern, so please do not worry.] But after realizing that the Grand Duke was carefully reading the letters she wrote, Betty began to pour her genuine feelings into the correspondence. [I will await the day Your Grace returns. I pray for your continued well-being.] As Ian, the Grand Duke, traced the sentences on the paper with his fingers, he murmured, “I must finish this war before the year ends.” To someone without a family to return to, the end of the war had always symbolized nothing more than the conclusion of duty. But this time, it was different. He wanted to meet the warm and sincere person behind these letters in person. Yet, Ian did not know. When he faced the Lady of Charte again, he would be met with unfamiliar, wary blue eyes. “Still, it’s a relief to know you are safe for now.” And that he would find himself unable to look away from the gentle brown eyes of the maid, Betty. Will he discover the true author of the letters?