Chapter 3

Yvonne pressed on. "Your Majesty, this matter is too serious to ignore. There must be an examination."

An examination, right here in the middle of the royal ball and in front of everyone? She really wouldn't stop until she'd completely destroyed me.

Eleanor studied me in silence for a moment. "Charlotte, can you explain yourself?"

I shook my head. "Your Majesty, someone is deliberately trying to ruin my name."

Eleanor nodded. "I believe you. The Duke of Northwatch runs a strict household. His daughter would not conduct herself this way."

With those words, she'd made her position clear to everyone in the room. She was calling Yvonne a liar.

Yvonne went pale. She turned to my mother. "Aunt Madeline, you're Charlotte's mother. You know the truth better than anyone. Tell them."

My mother stepped forward. The look on her face was one of deep, sorrowful disappointment. "Charlotte, I'm your mother, but I can't help you cover this up. How could you do something like this?"

Then she turned and sank to her knees in front of Eleanor.

"Your Majesty, my daughter does have a rose birthmark on her waist, exactly as shown in those pictures."

She lowered her head further. "I'm ashamed to have raised a daughter who has brought such disgrace on our family. I have no right to beg for leniency. Please choose someone more worthy."

She paused, then added in a fake, concerned voice, "I only ask that everyone here keep this quiet. After something like this, how will my poor daughter ever find a husband?"

Every eye in the room turned to me.

I already knew how ruthless my mother could be. I'd learned that the hard way, in another lifetime.

But hearing again how she was trying to ruin my reputation and drive me to my death for Yvonne's sake still filled me with sadness.

She was my mother.

My eyes burned. "I know you love my cousin more than me, Mom. If you want Yvonne to be Crown Princess, just say so. I'll step aside willingly. But why does it have to be like this? I'm your daughter. Are you really willing to destroy me, just for her sake? Are you trying to drive me to my death?"

Tears streamed down my face.

"You know better than anyone whether I have that birthmark. You and my cousin rehearsed this little performance because you were certain I'd never allow an examination. But it doesn't matter either way, does it? Whether they check or they don't, my life is already ruined. You and Yvonne are lying through your teeth, trying to brand me as a woman of loose morals so the crown princess position opens up for her. Is that it?"

I stepped closer, until I was standing right in front of my mother. "I'd rather have no mother at all than have you."

Then I turned and dropped to my knees before Eleanor, my back straight, my voice steady.

"Your Majesty, I ask you to bear witness. Let me be examined here and now. Let everyone see the truth."

With the help of Eleanor's personal attendant, I loosened the side of my dress.

The room gasped.

My waist was burned raw, the skin blistered and bleeding. There was no birthmark. There was nothing but the wound.

"Good God, what happened to her?"

"There's no birthmark there. There's nothing but raw flesh."

"She's suffered burns that serious, and her own mother didn't even react? Is she really her daughter?"

Yvonne's face went white. Then her expression twisted with fury and she turned on me.

"You did this on purpose. You burned yourself deliberately to destroy the birthmark."

She spun toward Eleanor. "Your Majesty, please don't believe her. This was planned. Ask my aunt if you don't believe me. Charlotte is the woman in those pictures. She's shameless and unfit to be Crown Princess."

I looked at her through my tears. "You're absolutely certain I'm the woman in those drawings. What have I ever done to you, Yvonne? Why do you want me dead? I don't have a birthmark. I never did. So what proof do you actually have that the woman in those pictures is me?"

"Aunt Madeline can prove it!" Yvonne's voice cracked, edging toward something wild and unhinged.

My mother turned on me, her eyes blazing. "That's enough, Charlotte. You're standing there full of lies, after everything you've done, and you have the nerve to act the victim. Yvonne exposed you because someone had to protect this family.

"You're guilty of deceiving the queen, and Yvonne tried to give you a way out. You ought to be grateful. Instead, you keep denying it. There's no hope for you."

She turned back to the queen, pressing her hand to her heart. "Your Majesty, I swear it on my life. My daughter has a rose birthmark."

I wiped my tears. "My mother has always favored my cousin. Of course she'd take her side. Fine. If my own mother wants me dead, I won't fight it."

I looked out at the room. "I'll confess. The woman in those pictures is me. Are you both satisfied now? Is this what you wanted?"

I grabbed the hem of Eleanor's gown and broke down completely. "Please take back the golden rose, Your Majesty. Find someone worthy for His Highness—someone whose name is clean. My own mother has condemned me in front of everyone. There's nothing I can say that anyone will believe. I have only one way left to repay her for giving me life. Let me die here."

My mother's face went red with fury. "Charlotte, how dare you stand there and act as if I've wronged you. I'm your mother!"

Those in the hall were stunned by what they saw and were speechless.

Just then, a clear voice rang from outside the hall.

"I can speak to that. I can confirm that Ms. Young has no rose birthmark on her waist."