"That's not her fault, is it?"
Duchess Lyra's words, spoken so calmly and with such simple logic, were a shield against Augusta's harsh words. Delia looked at the Duchess, at this woman who was defending her, and her heart filled with a warmth so profound it almost brought tears to her eyes. For the first time, she felt like she had a true ally.
Augusta, however, was a master of turning defeat into a new angle of attack. She smiled, a gracious, understanding expression that was utterly false. "If only everyone in this world was as open-minded as you, Your Grace," she sighed theatrically. "How great would our kingdom be?"
