The morning after, Aliya was surprised to find Oliver holding a razor. She would have loved to stay there just staring at him in a white shirt that was halfway unbuttoned, revealing his chest with the morning sun playing its magic over him, but the razor was a forthcoming threat.

She jumped out of bed and demanded, "What are you doing?"

He turned to her with an innocent arch of his brows. "Jason is to shave my beard this morning after you wake up and I am—"

"You intend to shave it all off?" she asked with a frown.

"Yes, of course." Then he sighed, noting her displeasure. "Darling, it is quite tedious to constantly trim it and—"

"I will trim it for you," she said, carefully taking the razor from him. "You know I do not like your face bare."

"Why?"

"Every woman will start to look at you," she replied. "But we can do something with your hair," she said, leading him to a chair.

He let her play with his hair and he chuckled when she started to make a small braid beside his temple. "Good God, Ali, I will look like a clown."

"You are already a clown," she said, planting a chaste kiss on his nose. "And this will not show."

"It will."

"Well, perhaps, but it is not horrible." She finished and tied the end. Stepping back, she admired her work. "Perfect." Stepping back in front of him, she cupped his face and bent low to cover his mouth with hers, her auburn waves a curtain around them. "No shaving for now."

He groaned. "Jason will be greatly disappointed."

"Jason is not the one who gains pleasure from your beard."

He growled and playfully pulled her to step between his legs. He buried his face in her midriff and blew out hot air through the thin fabric, eliciting a laugh from her.

"Last night was wonderful," he said, hugging her hips and tilting his head back to look at her. "The best tryst in my life, really. You will have to surpass it."

Color flushed her cheeks as she remembered their tryst in the secret room in the Royal Theater. She escaped Ruby and Aaron during the two interludes to join her husband behind the mirrored door, and both times, she was left utterly satisfied.

"It was marvelous," she admitted, bending down to kiss his cheek. "Wickedly marvelous, I should say. Ruby wondered why I had a certain glow on my face every time I returned to the box."

His hand slid under her nightdress. "Are you certain she did not suspect?"

"Well, she could have, but then—" she gasped and jumped away from his searching hands with a laugh. "Later, darling. I have somewhere to go."

He frowned. "Where?"

"Belcourt."

His expression mellowed. "Do you think they will say yes?"

"I do not know. No one can tell with Belcourt. But I need to follow-up on my application."

He did not say anything so she smiled at him over her shoulder as she dressed. "I have done everything they asked of me. I only hope that it pays off. I am certain there are people in Belcourt who support my application."

He nodded and then sighed. "Take Ellise with you. I cannot accompany you today as I am needed in Sinclair."

She nodded, "I will."

He approached her and helped button her dress at the back. Kissing her neck, he said, "I will have you for myself tonight."

"You make me anticipate coming home, Ollie," she dramatically sighed. She turned and wrapped her arms around him. "I should be having breakfast."

"Yes," he murmured in her neck, his hands already unbuttoning the buttons he just hooked into place.

"Do you think you can serve my breakfast fast before I leave?"

In one sweeping motion, she was playfully thrown back unto the bed. Her chuckles filled the quiet room. "With great efficiency, my lady," her husband said, pulling his shirt over his head. Sunlight washed over him and Aliya could only sigh with astonishment as she wriggled out of her dress.

*****

As she and Ellise traveled to Belcourt, Aliya was surprised when the woman broke her silence and asked, "Have you ever tried to find your aunt?"

Aliya asked, smiling at how different Ellise intoned her question. When Oliver asked her before, he did so with caution. Ellise, on the other hand, was utterly blatant.

"Yes," she replied. "She had always lived in the Americas where her husband was, and only came to Sutherland whenever she missed us. I knew where she lived as her husband was—is—a very rich man. I sent her a letter."

"She never replied?"

"No, it was intercepted."

Ellise frowned.

"Carrie, my carriage driver then, was still very inclined to please Belcourt. We were newly courted and had not yet reached our first year outside. She did not post the letter I asked her to post. Had I known I was doing something... wrong... I would have posted the letter myself. I was punished for the letter."

"By Belcourt?"

"Yes."

"What sort of punishment?"

Aliya shrugged. "It depends on the kind of offense you committed."

"And what was your punishment?"

"I was slowly poisoned."

Ellise blinked in disbelief.

"It is the most common type of punishment in Belcourt. You are poisoned just enough to make you throw up everything you have eaten, to make you sick. It would last for days. In my case, I was sentenced to three days of poisoning. It does not leave any mark on your skin—the perfect punishment."

"And no one has died because of it?"

"Oliver asked the same question. No, as far as I am aware, no lady has died. Belcourt also has the best female doctors. But if some died, I would not know. Belcourt will make certain the ladies will not find out."

"Aliya, that is preposterous and evil."

"Your brother also said the same thing. And I do agree. But for most of the women who had known no other life outside of Belcourt, it is a part of life that they ought to avoid by following the law."

Ellise looked out the window, at the high gates of Belcourt. She would not be able to enter and had to stay outside in wait with the driver. "I wonder what other dark secrets Belcourt keeps."

"When I have the liberty to tell you, I will share more stories," said Aliya.

"You never tried to send your aunt another letter?"

"No. I was too afraid. I could not risk breaking Belcourt's trust again. I had to be very careful. I decided I had to do it alone."

Ellise just nodded. Then the woman sighed. "Best be quick. I do not think I will like waiting outside this institution as much as I had hoped."

*****

"My father wishes me to relay that he cannot attend today's opera. I told him to take caution after my carriage accident," he said, emphasizing the last word while eyeing Rider Fairborne. "He is currently spending the day reading a book."

Keene did not comment and simply fixed his eyes on West who was reading the current report from the south. While everyone waited for the official opera to start, Tanner was busy opening cabinets.

"Say, St. Vincent, where did all the liquors go?"

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Ask my wife. She threw everything out."

The men around him chuckled.

"But we only heard about the brandy smashing in your villa. We were not informed that she also came by Sinclair."

"Apparently, she was able to convince my very obedient butler that Sinclair is an extension of the villa. And my sister is quite good at giving directions."

Tanner turned and scowled at him. "What the bloody hell happened to your hair?"

Oliver picked the braided part of his hair and wriggled his brows at Tanner. "Again, the wife did it."

"Your wife may be charming, St. Vincent, but we still have reasons to doubt her," Tanner said, walking back to his seat.

"My wife may not be totally against Belcourt, gentlemen, but she has more reasons to work against it. As my mother reported in grave detail, we are working on getting her sister out of Belcourt."

"Aliya was a prime Belle, St. Vincent," West reminded him. "We are not certain she is telling the truth. She could still be on a mission."

Oliver rolled his eyes and made a motion with his hand to brush the statement off.

"The attack on Keene's carriage was planned, albeit on the wrong victim," West said, eyeing him. "Belcourt must have an idea what Keene is working on."

"First," Oliver said dryly, "My wife is not privy to the missions of the Royals. Second, she was with Keene—the supposed victim—prior to my attack, was she not? If she is working with Belcourt, my accident would not have happened."

"And we very well know how Belcourt can easily manipulate us into thinking they made a mistake."

"It was you who made the mistake, Eaton," Oliver pointed out.

West's jaw tightened. "And what of your wife's Vow?"

"My wife, gentlemen, has not yet been approached for her Vow. But if that happens, I will be the first to know. And may I remind you all that a wife of a Royal is also part of the Circus?" He heard a few grunts of objects and he lifted his hand to silence them. "Now, if you do not trust my wife, I will dutifully make her my mission. I will keep watch until she proves herself worthy of your approval." He stared at West. "You should be the last person to judge my wife, Eaton."

West ignored him and continued with his agenda. Addressing all Royals in the room, he said, "A mission has been compromised."

"Someone finally mentioned it," Oliver loudly murmured.

Trent Durham lifted his hand. "It is not the mission that is compromised. We may still have a chance to get into the manor. We all know that it is Keene who is compromised."

Rider Fairborne sighed. "I concur."

"Because of his connection to you, Eaton, Belcourt already considers him a Royal. And they may have been watching his every move."

"Who else agrees that the mission is to be pursued?"

More than half raised their hands.

West turned to Rider. "Did you get the keys from Calbridge?"

Rider threw a set of keys at West. "Lady Calbridge had gone through a lot to get those. And if it is not for that key, I would have been attacked. Thank your father for me, St. Vincent, and I promise this shall be the last your father will take a different task."

"Good," Oliver sardonically retorted. "This should be the last my father will serve as a runner for the Circus."

Ignoring Oliver, West juggled the keys in his hands. Then he threw it toward Trent. "The mission is yours, Chalbarth."

Trent excitedly grinned. "I will do my best."

"Choose two more Royals for your mission. Rider will give you the details of their plans and you are free to improvise should you need to."

"As it is a friend's manor I am about to intrude, I will have to make more improvisation."

"Any news from the south?" one Royal asked.

West nodded. "Lord Darcy has informed us that the Humbrick Ball may happen soon." He looked at Oliver and asked, "Are you still up to the task, St. Vincent?"

"He is the Circus doctor. He cannot take missions, can you now, St. Vincent?" Tanner chided.

"My father is exempt from taking missions not because he is a doctor, Leighton, but because he is old." He turned to West and said, "I am up to the task, of course. Rothsker will be an easy pursuit."

"Considering who Rothsker is, you may find it a challenge. He may not even take you seriously, St. Vincent," said Tanner.

"Do you still have very little faith in my capabilities, Leighton? After I married a prime Belle?"

"Who could be laughing behind your back as we speak."

"My wife will take pleasure in kicking your arse once she proves herself."

"Enough," West interrupted in an authoritative tone. "Lord Darcy wishes everyone to be alert as parliament comes to an end. Everyone is expected to be at Humbrick Ball where the Belles are expected to be taking more missions."

Oliver jumped from his seat. "Is the opera over?"

West wryly nodded. "Today's opera is over."

While Trent and Rider regrouped together with two more Royals, Oliver rushed out the door. He walked past Lady Winthrop sitting quietly in the waiting chamber.

"Lovely seeing you, my lady," he greeted as he crossed the room.

"Lovely seeing someone alive, Oliver!" Lady Winthrop shouted after him in a sarcastic, sing-song tone.

Oliver climbed into his carriage to head back home.

He and Aliya had much to discuss.

He could feel that she would be tested soon.

And when that time came, she ought to be ready.