Starved Beast

"Except the guards from the prison," I mouthed softly. "When they deliver more corpses..."

Oh God.

She pulled the letter from her pocket again and flattened it - a single, crumpled sheet of paper. "Shall I tell you what happened, monsieur? The truth of what is taking place in our country. Then you'll understand why I had no choice but to hide here."

She didn't wait for me to answer her, but instead she started reading as if a virtue or a healing could be gained in the reading. The letter had apparently been written by the maid of some lady and had then been sent to Christine at considerable risk.

"Regarding the Countess De Lyons and her two daughters," she read shakily. "I have difficulty in relating. They were dressed in the most expensive clothes. The neck was cut square and very low, and the sleeves were cut to the elbow, and they were finished with several ruffles of lace. They wore shirts of brocaded silk looped over a second skirt, with ruffles, festoons and garlands. With every