Elizabeth stood frozen, lips parted, eyes darting between the men and the paper. She looked pale, disoriented. Gwen watched her for a long moment, then turned away. She stepped outside, past the guests and out into the open air. The sky had cleared. The wind was soft against her skin.
She tilted her head back, looking up at the pale blue sky. “Thank you,” she whispered under her breath. She didn’t know if Albert had planned it. But some part of her believed he had left her this one last shield. Her dignity. Her escape.