Chapter 15
AT THE PALACE Johanna found most of the men already at the table, surprised that she was late. She crossed the room in quick strides and sat down to polite nods. A young girl came to bring her breakfast.
There were cheeses and bread and jams and cooked eggs, everything the foreign guests might want. Johanna ate as much as she could, which wasn’t much these days. She knew that she’d be hungry later.
For the number of people at the table, the gathering was surprisingly quiet. Duke Aroden sat bent over, staring at his plate. The duchess glanced at Johanna a dark expression on her face. Earl Maximilian was not eating at all. Baron Uti was eating, but doing so quietly. His face and bald head shone with sweat. Ignatius Hemeldinck and Fleuris LaFontaine sat by his side, both pale-fa
