The Husband Poisoning Society, Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Monique

Lynn eyed the body. “When did this happen?”

“Just now. He’s been poisoned.”

Monique put a hand to her mouth. I worried she might be sick. She stepped past the crowd and crouched near the body. As she approached, I noticed she had a black eye. 

“Husband. I barely knew you. And now you’re gone.” She stood and looked at Lynn. “What do I do now?”

Lynn put a hand on Monique’s shoulder. “For now, you wait. If a man is dead from poison, then there are politics at play.”

Laila put her hands on her hips. “You dodged a cannonball here, your grace. If he was any sort of a catch, he wouldn’t have to go across the Boro Sea to get a bride. Nobody liked Duke Siggis, he certainly didn’t deserve somebody who looks as good as you.”

Monique turned a deep shade of pink at the comments. She touched the bruised eye. “I’m sure my husband wasn’t as bad as all that.”

I considered the circumstances for the moment. “Monique? Where were you just now that you didn’t see the commotion when his grace died?”

“I was outside the hall. Am I a suspect?”

I nodded, “Technically, yes. I’m hoping to cross you off the list right now.”

Lynn wrapped an arm around Monique, and shot me a stern look. “Monique and I were standing in line for the ladies washroom. Washroom. We were in line for the ladies outhouse. It stank like nothing else.”

“So unsanitary.” Monique added.

“Outhouses stink. What did you expect?” Sven said, rolling his eyes.

“You’re speaking to Duchess Monique Voxcaelli and Baroness Lynn Octavian. Show some respect, man.” Duke Xander smacked Sven across the shoulder. Sven cringed but stayed silent.

“Oh, am I still duchess? Even with my husband dead?”

“I expected indoor plumbing like we have in Ys.” Lynn said with a grimace. 

“So much work for no reason. Outhouses work just fine.” Sven muttered. Then louder, he said, “Now Ada, tell the count what you saw.”

Ada nodded. “I was walking to get more mead. We were out. His grace was also walking to the table with the bottles. I stopped to let him go ahead of me. Then he stopped and looked around. His eyes and mouth began to bleed. He reached for me. Then he fell over. Then I screamed.”

“The poison didn’t take effect immediately, then. He didn’t drink anything in front of you?” I asked.

She shook her head. “He carried no horn and no bottle.”

As Ada spoke, Lynn slipped a flask from her bodice and took a sip. I had a similar flask in my own bodice. 

“Fiona? You said this was what kind of poison?” I leaned on my cane as I spoke. 

“Giant scorpion poison I think. It produces the effect we saw.”

“I assume the poison would normally take effect right away.” 

“That is correct. An alchemical agent could delay the activation of the poison though.”

“That sounds expensive.” I said.

“Indeed. And hard to acquire. A standard alchemist would not sell such concoctions, they have only illicit applications.”

“So an individual or a faction with money and power. This is starting to sound like a conspiracy.” 

“Duke Xander,” Leon said. “There are many Hyperborean factions who openly opposed this marriage. Are any of them known to use poison?”

Duke Xander shook his head. “Hyperboreans do not use poison. It is a coward’s weapon. This is clearly an outside agent. Perhaps a faction in Ys?”

Leon stiffened. “We are many times smaller than Hyperborea. Our navy is a fraction of yours. What could we possibly gain from angering Hyperborea?”

“Ys could cause the empire great embarrassment.”

“Not the advantage I would personally seek.” Leon said. 

“Who stands to gain from this?” Amy asked.

“This is a good question. Who indeed?” I tapped my cane on the dirt floor.

“Perhaps Agartha?” Duke Xander said.

Vincent whipped his head back to look at the duke. “I doubt we would be responsible. Agartha has no desire to cause strife. Certainly not between its largest neighbor and its largest trading partner. That would be bad for everyone.”

“But a foreign power is not a bad guess.” I scanned the crowd as I spoke. “It’s a ducal wedding. Almost all the nations of the Boro Sea have sent representatives. Any delegation could contain an assassin.” 

“Wait. I’m to be remarried, aren’t I?” Monique said. “Under Hyperborean law, do I not have to marry the next male relative?”

“You do, Your Grace. The next male relative would be Lord Agnar. Soon to be Duke Agnar now that his older brother is dead.” Duke Xander said.

“That sounds like one hell of a motive.” I turned to Leon. “I think we might need to talk with Lord Agnar.”