“Lady Reid is an exceptional individual,” Dexter said. “I have never met anyone like her. The way we met was rather unorthodox, and I didn’t make the best first impression. However, she made a lasting impression with me. From that moment, I realized she was a woman I needed in my life.”

“Is it true the king arranged this marriage?” Lord Robert asked. “That Lady Reid’s father sold her to you to gain a title? That the king sent her here to be a spy?”

Dexter chuckled. “Lady Reid, would you like to address Lord Robert’s concerns?” Letting go of her hand, he gave her the reins, allowing her to take control of the situation.

Reid glanced over at Nara. The princess nodded once, giving her support.

Focusing on Lord Robert as she spoke, Reid made sure her voice was loud enough so everyone present could hear. “You have raised some valid questions. But tell me, Lord Robert, why was my father in such a precarious situation where the king was able to blackmail him?”

There was a collective gasp when she said the word blackmail.

“Your father didn’t have a legitimate heir,” Lord Robert answered. “He sold you so he wouldn’t lose his title and land.”

Reid smiled, pretending he was a child who didn’t know any better. “You are correct when you say my father had no legitimate heir.” Then she addressed the crowd, trying to meet as many people’s eyes as possible, willing them to believe her sincerity. “I was the fifth daughter born. My mother died while giving birth to me. My father never remarried, so he did not produce a son. As many of you know, the king has some pretty antiquated and unfair laws. One being that only a male can inherit. My father was forced to declare I was a boy in order to retain his land and title. Otherwise, all his holdings would have reverted to the king. It wasn’t losing his land and title that concerned my father—it was giving the king more land and power.”

The crowd hung on Reid’s every word, and a rush of power filled her. “Many in northern Marsden are suffering under the king. Women are not allowed to work. They cannot leave the house unescorted. When I came to Axian, I reveled in your prosperity and treatment of individuals. Upon my return to Ellington, the disparity between our counties felt even greater. I told my father I wanted to bring positive changes to Marsden, and Axian was the prime example of how it can be.”