I'm so happy that you are still working on this story! I love it. And now we have an evil Helen and VictoriaOh I so hate those two!
What was Chloe think going with only Lana. I hope that little B doesn't try to do anying thing to Chloe... Please please let nothing bad happen to Chloe or the baby.... I also hape that you will post again sooooon
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HI!
Yay! Finally I'm able to read my fav fics! Argh, I hate those evil B-#%$! Victoria and Helen Eww! Great ch!
:love:
Lauren/everYours
HI
Where else do u post ur fic? I read this fic on Malu's fic n it stopped at chapter 35. so where can i find 36-38?
drina
Hey all, here are chapters 44 and 45.....Fiona
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Disclaimer: Smallville, its characters, all belong to someone else. (Sigh) I’m just borrowing them.
---------------------------------------------------------------Chapter Forty Four – Royal Plans
Even with her own excellent control Helen couldn’t prevent the gasp of shock that flew from her lips, she never would have guessed that the prince would tell his wife about what happened. She had never expected the princess to be so *blunt* with her questions. ‘Think Helen,’ she thought.
“H-H-highness,” she said, making herself stammer for effect, “how could you think such a thing? I would never…”
“Don’t take me for a fool lady Bryce,” interrupted Chloe, her tone like ice. “My husband told me of your little *encounter* in the stables.”
“That was an accident highness, I tripped and the prince caught me. I got caught up in the moment, your husband is a very attractive man,” she said. “I don’t know what came over me.”
“Indeed, but that was still hardly appropriate behaviour for a woman, a lady at that who has just lost her husband, especially in such tragic circumstances.”
Lana watched in amusement, as Chloe seemed to tie the other woman in knots. She also made a silent vow to herself never to do anything to warrant the princess to verbally abuse her like that.
‘I should kill you now,’ thought Helen. “I have nothing else to say but sorry highness, it was inexcusable what I did, and I promise you nothing like it will ever happen again.”
“I don’t like you Lady Bryce and I fully believe you aren’t telling us the truth about why you are really here,” said Chloe as she stood up. “But if I see you even *looking* at my husband in a manner that displeases me I *will* order your execution myself. Do I make myself clear Lady Bryce?”
“Perfectly highness,” said the other woman. “And I can insure you that there is no hidden agenda to me being here. My husband was murdered and the killer is after me.”
“I don’t believe you, but until your story is disproved…” she trailed off, but the threat was clear to Helen.
“I won’t do anything to upset you highness,” said Helen. ‘Well for the time being anyway,’ she added silently.
“Good, I’m glad we understand each other,” replied Chloe. “Well I shall leave you to whatever it is you do during the day.”
“Highness,” said Helen through gritted teeth, as she curtsied.
Chloe turned and left the room quickly followed by Lana who had to cover her mouth with her hand to prevent herself from laughing out loud.
Helen waited till she heard the front door being closed before screaming out in her anger. “How dare that *teenager* speak to me like that?” she said. “So what if she’s a princess, the nerve of her.” She paced around the room a few times till she managed to calm herself down. “The sooner I get the job finished here the better,” she murmured. “And I can’t wait to kill the princess.”
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“Highness, I think you made Lady Bryce very angry,” said Lana with a smile as they made their way back to the palace.
“Well that was the general plan,” replied Chloe with a smile of her own. “I don’t trust her Lana, but people like her always slip up. I just hope it’s sooner rather than later.”
“And is there nothing you can do till then?” asked Lana
“Not really, than keep a closer eye on her. I do think after out little *chat* she won’t try anything else with my husband,” replied Chloe. “I just wish I knew why she was really here.”
The two women fell into silence as they reached the palace. “Lana, have the servants currently tending to Lady Bryce replaced with ones picked by you.”
“Yes highness,” replied the brunette. “I take it you want specific servants, ones from your own staff sent to her.”
“That’s exactly what I want, thank you Lana.”
With a curtsey Lana hurried off to carry out the princess’ orders. When she was gone Chloe went to find Clark and Pete.
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“Are you really going to interview all of Lady Hardwick’s staff?” asked Pete.
“Not all of them,” replied Clark. “Just a few here and there to see if it scares anybody into talking. We just need to find out who in the palace has been talking.”
Pete was prevented from replying by the appearance of a maid announcing the princess’ arrival. “Highness,” said Clark, when Chloe walked in, “you look radiant.”
“Pregnancy seems to agree with you,” added Pete.
“Flattery gentlemen will get you everywhere,” she replied with a grin.
“Is there something we can do for you?” asked Clark.
Chloe took a seat and gestured for the two men to do the same. When all three were seated Chloe began to speak. “Lex told me about your trip to see Lady Hardwick and how she was as elusive as usual. Well I’ve just been to see Lady Bryce and I’m beginning to think the two women have been taking the same lessons. I’m not convinced of the validity of Lady Bryce’s story and I want you Pete to do a little job for me.”
“Of course highness, what do you want me to do?”
“I want you to travel to Carter Town and find out all you can about Helen Bryce and her husband. Say you are willing to pay for information; coins tend to loosen people’s tongues. Just find out everything you can, I don’t care how trivial it may seem, it all might lead to something.”
“It shall be done highness, I will leave immediately,” he said.
“Clark you continue with Lady Hardwick. I have this niggling feeling that the two *ladies* are more acquainted than they would lead us to believe.”
“Very well highness,” replied Clark.
“Thank you gentlemen,” said Chloe with a smile. “Now all I have to do is tell Lex what is going on.”
“Good luck highness,” said both men, knowing quite well that the prince wasn’t going to be too impressed at having been left out of the plotting and planning.
“I think I’ll need it,” muttered Chloe and headed off to find her husband, leaving two laughing dukes behind.
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Lex leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He rubbed his temples, trying to relieve some of the tension. He jumped slightly when he felt a pair of small hands join his.
“Headache,” asked Chloe.
“Sort of,” he replied. He dropped his own hands and moaned softly as she massaged his head. After a few minutes she removed her hands and kissed his head gently. Lex pushed his chair away from the table and Chloe sat on his lap.
“You look tired my love,” she commented as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I’m fine,” he replied. “How are you two doing?” he asked, one hand resting on her stomach.
“Missing you,” she replied. “What time did you get to bed at?”
“Late,” he murmured as he nuzzled her neck.
“Lex, I went to see Helen Bryce earlier.”
“What?” he exclaimed, lifting his head. “Why did you do that?”
“I wanted to ask her if she was here to seduce you,” she said.
Lex closed his eyes and shook his head for a moment. “And you just asked her straight out didn’t you?”
Chloe nodded and Lex couldn’t help but laugh. Only his wife would be that blunt. “And I take it her answer was no.”
“Of course, but there is something else going on. I’ve asked Pete to pay a visit to Carter Town to find out what he can about her, and Clark is going to continue to work on Lady Hardwick.”
“Chloe I agree with you that lady Bryce is lying and I haven’t believed anything Victoria has said since the Whitney Fordman incident. But it’s dangerous for you to be doing this.”
“Don’t give me that Lex, you would be doing the same thing yourself if you could. I know you are busy, so I took the initiative. Anyway you know I was never going to be the quite little wife,” she added with a grin.
“Well, one could *never* call you quiet,” he said with a smirk, “in fact I feel like making you scream. But seriously Chloe, be careful in trying to catch out Ladies Bryce and Hardwick, and keep me up to date with whatever you find out.”
“Of course,” she replied. “Now I do believe you said something about making me *scream*.”
Lex grinned at his wife before capturing her mouth in a passionate kiss. She moaned loudly as his tongue drew her own into his mouth, where he sucked on it gently.
“Lock the door,” he whispered when they parted. Chloe quickly got up and locked the door. She turned to find Lex stalking over to her. Heat coursed through her body and the lust she saw in his eyes. “Make me scream Lex,” she breathed.
‘God I love this woman,’ he thought as he pushed her against the door and kissed her hard.
Outside the room blushing servants went about their business doing their best to ignore the moans and groans coming from inside the other side of the door.
Chapter Forty Five – The Truth about Helen Bryce
It had taken two days of hard travelling for Pete to reach Carters Town. When he got there he stayed in the most expensive inn he could, making sure that the people around knew he had money. It was a small quaint town, about a third the size of Smallville. The highest-ranking member of society was a Count who lived in a smallish castle in the heart of the town. After getting himself settled in Pete called upon the count.
He walked the short distance from the inn to the castle and announced himself to the guard on the gate. After a wait of about five minutes he was escorted to the castle.
“Duke Ross, how nice of you to visit,” said count Reynolds when Pete entered the main room of the castle.
“Count,” said Pete, “thank you for seeing me without an official appointment.”
“Its no problem, we don’t tend to get many visitors from Metropolis here,” replied the older man. “Please have a seat.”
Pete took a seat offered and found himself facing the count.
“I am getting the impression Duke Ross that this is *not* a social call.”
“Call me Pete please. And yes you’re right it’s not a social call as such.”
“Very well Pete, call me John. Now tell me what has brought you to Carters Town?”
“Lady Helen Bryce,” said Pete and noted the gasp that flew from the count’s mouth at the mention of her name. “I take it you’ve heard of her,” he commented when the older man composed himself.
“We have, and I have to say we were glad to see the back of her, she was nothing but trouble while she was here.”
“Well she’s turned up in Metropolis looking for sanctuary,” said Pete. “The king has give her a cottage on the palace grounds. She says she is fleeing her husband’s killer and that he is after her and wants to feel *safe* until he has been captured. But the prince and princess aren’t too convinced of the validity of her story.”
“Bryce isn’t her marriage name, when she first arrived here she was already Lady Helen Bryce and was married to a lord Kwan, we never did find out exactly where he was from. But they hadn't being married long and had purchased a property on the outskirts of town. Rumours soon started of various indiscretions around town between the *lady* and certain men. In fact during one dinner party here at the castle she made an attempt to seduce myself.”
“Well that habit hasn’t changed,” retorted Pete. “There was an incident like that with the prince not too long ago. What was the story around her husband’s death?”
“That in itself is a mystery. He pretty much kept himself to himself while they were here. He was friendly enough but tended to go out of his way not to mix with people. Although I would be surprised if he was ignorant to the carrying on of his wife, but you never know. Then one morning the maid entered his room with his breakfast and found him dead in the bed, his throat had been slit. According to statements taken from their staff most heard nothing but a couple attested to seeing a cloaked figure riding away from the house. Lady Bryce ran the full range of emotions of the devastated wife. She claimed to have been asleep in her own room and heard nothing until the screams of the maid woke her. Of course we carried out an investigation but it was to no avail. A few weeks after Lord Kwan’s death, Lady Bryce packed up and left, telling no one where she was headed too.”
“And did she say anything else during her questioning other than she heard nothing?” asked Pete.
“Not really. She said she wasn’t aware of any enemies that her husband may have had. I brought up the question of could the murderer of been a jealous lover. To which she replied that would be impossible, that she was completely faithful to her husband. How she managed to make a statement with a straight face will forever be a mystery to me.”
“What are your thoughts on the murder?”
“Honestly Pete, I think she killed him and was very good at covering her tracks. But I have to say her leaving came as a surprise. She had said she would stay in Carters Town for a while, and then one day she just upped and left. I do know she received a message the day before leaving so maybe that had something to do with it but I never did see the message myself.”
Pete sat back in his chair and thought over what the count had said.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t have been more help,” said Reynolds.
“You have been very helpful,” replied Pete. “Believe me this is more information than we had. I was wondering was any of Lady Bryce’s staff still in town?”
“The only one I can think of is a maid, what was here name now?” He paused for a moment, trying to recollect the name. “Greer, Tina Greer that’s it. She is working at the inn you’re staying in.”
“Excellent,” said Pete, “I’ll have a word with her as well. Thank you for your time John it is most appreciated.”
“Glad to help, would you like to stay for dinner before heading back to the inn?”
“That would be nice, thanks.”
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A few hours later Pete made his way back to the inn. When he got there he enquired after Tina Greer and discovered she was working in the kitchen. After making introductions he arranged to meet with her in an hour.
As he sat in his room waiting for her he went over his conversation with count Reynolds. There was definitely a darker side to Helen Bryce. ‘I wonder if she’s in Metropolis to murder again,’ he thought. ‘And if she is I’d put money on her target being either Lex or Chloe, or maybe even both. But why them? Had someone hired her? Was Lady Hardwick involved?’ He hoped this maid might be able to give him a little more information.
He was interrupted from his thoughts by a knock on the room. “Come in,” he said. A slightly nervous looking young woman entered the room.
“Duke Ross,” she said with a curtsey.
“Tina, thank you for coming to speak with me,” he said, “please have a seat.” She took the seat opposite him.
“I want to ask you a few questions about Lady Helen Bryce,” he asked when she was seated. He noticed the look of fear that crossed the girl’s face at the mention of Helen’s name.
“I don’t know much,” she said, “I only worked for a little while.”
“Where you there when lord Kwan was murdered?”
She nodded, “but I didn’t see anything and I told that to the count when I was questioned.”
“Tina, why are you afraid of her? The moment I mentioned her name a look of fear appeared on your face.”
The girl remained silent, staring at her hands that were clasped in her lap.
“Tina,” he asked again.
“She said she would kill me if I said anything,” she whispered. “And even though she is gone I think she has spies around the town.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you,” said Pete. “I can give you money to get away from this town. Please tell me what you know.”
Tina took a deep shuddering breath and lifted her head to look at Pete. “She killed her husband, I saw it myself, I was…I was her husband’s mistress. I had just left him when I saw her enter the room, a while later she came out and I looked in and he…he was dead, there was blood everywhere.” She covered her face with her hands and began crying.
“It’s ok,” said Pete soothingly. He waited a few minutes till the girl composed herself again.
“A few weeks after his death she received a message, immediately after getting it she announced she was leaving Carters Town. She came to see me before she left and warned me not to say anything or she would have me killed.”
Pete reached for a pouch on the table beside him and handed it to the girl. She opened it and gasped when she saw the gold coins inside. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Leave here,” he said, “go somewhere safe.”
She got up quickly and headed for the door, “oh Tina, you don’t know who the message came from do you?”
She turned to face him again. “I don’t know who sent it,” she said. “But I did here her dispatching another message to someone in Metropolis called Justin. Does that help?”
‘Justin,’ thought Pete. ‘Victoria’s servant.’ “Oh yes, it helps very much. Thank you again.”
With a smile and a curtsey the girl hurried away.
“Yes,” exclaimed Pete. “We’ve got Victoria.”
Love Love Love it Fi
Suzanne
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Yeah another ch so soon!!!! I love it... I still can't wait to read more.... Hehehe remind me never to piss Chloe off.....
CC :sign3:
hi fiona
thanx 4 sending the chapters that i requested. i've enjoyed this story so far. great work. :sign4:
Hee hee! Oh, Victoria is SO dead now! *dances* Proof that she knows Helen, and they'll figure out Helen's assignment (hopefully before anything bad happens), and they'll both get fed to the dragon.artyhat:
I can't believe I missed so many updates. I really need to get better about checking this section.
I'm so thrilled to see Victoria and Helen about to die - at least that's what I'm hoping for.
Please let Pete get back in time to tell Lex & Chloe.
Thank you so much for the reviews. Here Chapter 46....Fiona.
Disclaimer: Smallville, its characters, all belong to someone else. (Sigh) I’m just borrowing them.
********************
Chapter Forty Six – Put The Clues Together
Pete stayed in Carters Town for one more night. He had gone looking or Tina Greer the following morning but he had been informed that she left town. He paid one last visit to Count Reynolds to thank him for his help and then started off for Metropolis.
He had spent the best part of the night going over in his mind everything Reynolds and Tina had told him. And now matter how many times he pieced things together; he always came up with the same result. Victoria Hardwick, for reasons know only to her, hired Lady Helen Bryce to kill Lex and Chloe. Pete knew Victoria was jealous of the prince’s marriage but resorting to murder was taking things a little too far.
As the coach hurried along Pete wondered how Helen was going to strike. She could hardly kill them like she did her husband, and even more disturbing to him was the fact that the princess was pregnant and still that didn’t seem like a deterrent to her carrying out her *assignment*.
‘That is one evil woman,’ he thought. A clap of thunder startled Pete from his thoughts. He lifted the curtain covering the window of the coach and saw that it was raining very heavily outside. The coach bounced around as the horses galloped along. An inner voice told Pete he should probably stop and wait for the worst of the rain to pass, but all Pete could focus on was getting back to the palace and stopping Helen Bryce. Lex was, along with Clark, his best friend and since she had married Lex, Pete had come to count on the princess as a friend as well. He cared for them both and would never let anything happen to either of them.
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“Has there been any word from Pete?” asked Chloe when Clark walked into the room.
“Not yet highness,” he replied. “But it has only been five days, and it would take at least three or four days to actually get to Carters Town.”
“I suppose,” said Chloe with a sigh.
“Have you had any luck interviewing Lady Hardwick’s staff?” asked Lex.
“Not really, they are all either very loyal to her or very scared of her,” he said. “Which means none of them are talking. I’ve even offered bribes but still they aren’t budging.”
“What about the servants here?” piped up Lana.
All three turned to look at the brunette and she blushed. “What I mean is, if Lady Hardwick’s staff aren't talking because of the reasons Clark gave maybe whomever here in the palace that is working for her will.”
“That could work,” said Chloe. “If they are here Victoria’s influence wouldn’t be as strong and might be more inclined to talk. Excellent idea Lana.”
The other woman beamed and caught Clark’s eye. He smiled back.
“It would take forever to interview every member of staff in the palace,” said Lex, “so we need to narrow the field down somewhat. Start with any servants that were hired in and around the time of the wedding.”
“Also talk to the guards who were on duty when Dominic was here,” said Chloe. She paused for a moment and shuddered slightly as memories of her time captured flooded her mind at the mention of Dominic’s name. Sensing her unease, Lex took her hand and squeezed it gently.
“Very well highness,” said Clark. “And as usual I’ll use guards I trust to help me with the interviewing.”
“There has been no news from the new servants now tending to Lady Bryce,” said Lana. “They all say she’s been spending most of her time in her rooms and hasn’t received any visitors or messages since you *visited* highness,” she directed at Chloe.
“So there isn’t really a lot we can do until either Clark comes with something or Pete comes back with something,” said Lex.
“Or Lady Bryce decides to make a move,” added Chloe.
“Well I’ll go and start talking to the staff here in palace,” said Clark. “I will report back if I come up with anything. Lana do you want to come along, you would know the staff that were hired coming up to the wedding?”
“Sure,” said the brunette standing up, “unless of course the princess needs me for something.”
“No you go ahead Lana,” said Chloe with a smile, knowing the two wanted to spend time together.
With a bow and curtsey from both they left the room. Lex let out a sigh when they were gone. “What’s wrong?” asked Chloe.
“I don’t like this not knowing what’s going to happen,” he said. “It means we can be caught by surprise because we don’t know the exact plan. And on top of that my father has been handing more and more duties over to me. If this continues *I’ll* be running the kingdom soon.”
“But that would have happened anyway,” replied Chloe. “You *are* going to be king someday and I think it would be nice if your father didn’t have to die for that to happen.”
“I know, it’s just I don’t get to spend as much time with you now,” he said. “And especially with the baby on the way I wanted to be around more.”
“You are around enough my love,” she said. “You are going to be king, and that means I will be queen, it’s something I’ve come to accept, and when it does happen our time will be even less our own.”
“MMM so we’ll have to sneak off every now and then to be *together*,” he said with a smirk.
“We do that anyway,” she replied with a laugh.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently. “I wouldn’t have been able to get through this without you,” he whispered.
She was about to answer but a gasp flew from her lips instead and her hand went quickly to her stomach. “What’s wrong?” asked a concerned Lex. “Is there something wrong with the baby?”
She grabbed his hand and placed it on her swollen stomach. There was nothing for a moment and then he felt it, a faint movement. He looked up into Chloe’s eyes, an expression of wonder on both their faces. Although both knew there was a baby on the way, feeling it move sort of made it more real for them.
“Our baby,” he whispered. Chloe smiled at him and kissed him. “See you were around when it mattered,” she whispered back.
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Lady Bryce paced around her room. Since all the servants where replaced she hadn’t been able to get a message in or out of the palace. And also there had been an increase in the number of guards watching her.
She wanted to leave Metropolis, but she wouldn’t get her money until the prince and princess had been taken care of. ‘I think it’s time to move things along,’ she thought. She headed to the front door and the guard stationed there.
“I wish to go into town,” she said to him. “Would that be possible?”
“It is my lady,” he replied. “I will organise a carriage for you immediately. My name is Sean, and I’m acquainted with Lady Hardwick.”
Helen smiled at the man. “I think you and I should have a chat on our way,” she said.
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From his hidden position Clark watched as Sean and Lady Bryce left the cottage. Lex had his suspicions about Sean since Dominic’s death and had been looking for an opportunity to test him. So Clark had suggested putting him on guard duty outside Helen’s cottage.
He followed them to the stables and saw that they took a carriage and headed towards the main gate. Clark made his way to his horse and followed them, making sure he was out of sight the entire time.
‘Now let’s see who you are going to meet Lady Bryce,’ he thought.
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