CHAPTER 115
Grace sat in her chamber long after Mathew had left. The parchments he brought lay spread across the table, their ink smudged with the weight of age. Each word written there pulled at her.
Robert had been praised as a loyal commander. Men had sworn by his discipline, women had admired his leadership, and children in the kingdom had even played at being "Robert the Brave." But now, hidden beneath layers of silence, was a truth far less noble.
Grace rubbed her temples. "Why did no one speak?" she whispered to herself.
The question haunted her. If Robert had been a monster behind the veil of respectability, then silence had been everyone's accomplice.
The door opened quietly, and Juliet entered, her steps soft but certain. She carried a tray of fruit and bread, insisting on bringing it herself instead of sending a servant. Grace glanced at her briefly and then returned to the papers.
"You haven't eaten since dawn," Juliet said, setting the tray down.
"I'm not hungry."
