Well, here we are again, hopefully managing to upload correctly. Sigh. Hope you're still enjoying the story! Thanks to Rebecca and Stoneygem for your kind words. Onwards...

CHAPTER 3

He moved silently through the shadows, alert for the patrols that roamed the palace grounds, especially now that security had been increased.

"Yeah, you just send out more patrols," He sneered, finding the place he'd been looking for. "You'll still never figure it out, you has-been."

Quickly he tucked his package among the rubble of the unfinished waterfall. If he was lucky, she might actually find it. If not, it would be enough that he'd gotten in and planted it without her pet security guard seeing him.

With a glance around, he slunk off, back into the shadows.

Joseph woke to a warmth and comfort that he hadn't felt in more than a week. He lay still for a moment as he came fully awake and realized it was because he was back in his bed with his wife sleeping in his arms. He sighed, contented. Yes, this was a pleasant change from the past week.

Clarisse stirred beside him and he smoothed a palm down her back, urging her back to sleep. Despite the fact she'd been in bed ever since coming home, he didn't think she'd gotten much real rest.

Perhaps I was wrong to move into the other room, he mused, fingers idly playing in her short hair. Perhaps neither of us were able to rest well.

"Joseph?"

He peered down, into her upturned face.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you my darling?"

Clarisse shifted into a more comfortable position, giving up none of the body contact she'd finally managed to re-achieve with Joe.

"No... at least I don't think so. I was having the oddest dream."

He smiled, smoothing back her bangs.

"And what was so odd about it?" He murmured, stealing a quick kiss as she tried to remember.

"We were at the ceremony for Mia's anniversary as queen and I remember gazing out over the faces and thinking that that wasn't right...."

She felt him tense beside her and turned her head to look at him.

"What?"

"You said you remember... was this a dream, Clarisse, or a memory?"

Her brow wrinkled. "I... I don't know. A dream I think, but ...." She trailed off.

"You said something wasn't right. What wasn't right?" Joseph persisted, rolling onto his side and propping himself on one arm.

"Well..." She struggled with it for a long moment, then shook her head. "I'm sorry, it's gone." Seeing the worried look on her husband's face, she cupped his cheek and smiled. "I'm sure it was just a dream. What else could it have been?"

"I'm asking you, Clarisse." Joe said, sitting up beside her. "If you noticed something that shouldn't have been, no matter how small, it may be a clue to who's responsible for the attempt on Mia's life." He stroked a finger down her cheek. "And for injuring you."

Clarisse shook her head. "It's gone. Perhaps it will come to me later." She smiled gently. "I'm sure it didn't mean anything.... I've been having some very strange dreams the last few days."

Joe regarded her for a long moment, then nodded and threw back the quilt.

"Where are you going?" She lay a hand on his back.

"I need to get back to work." Joe told her, reaching for his trousers. "We're no closer to solving this than we were when it happened." He rose and reached for his shirt. "I need to get downstairs."

He sat down to pull on his shoes, then rose and turned to place a kiss on her forehead. "Be good. I'll see you later."

"Ha." She resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him. Barely.

Clarisse sank back into her pillows, trying to remember her elusive dream.

"What I don't understand is how he's getting in and out without any of us seeing him." Joseph said, shaking his head. "Whoever it is should stand out... "

Shades walked beside him, nodding in agreement.

"There is one explanation." He finally offered.

"Yes, and I don't like it any more than you do." Joseph said grimly.

"One of our own." Shades agreed. "It's the only explanation that makes sense. If he's already part of the staff here, then he wouldn't look out of place."

"Or she." Joe put in. "Although I don't think it is a woman... the notes don't strike me as a woman's work. But we can't rule out the possibility."

Shades nodded.

"Sir!"

They turned to see Landry running toward them, Lionel right behind him.

"What is it?" Joseph's pulse sped up and he half turned toward the palace. "Has something happened?"

Landry held up a small package wrapped in brown paper.

"We found this over by the waterfall." He said, handing it to Joseph as they stopped beside the other two men.

"I x-rayed it – it's not a bomb." Lionel informed them.

Joseph was proud of the fact that his hands didn't shake as he undid the string and slowly unwrapped the soft package.

Inside lay a rag doll, made of a handkerchief stuffed with cotton, tied off at the neck with ribbon. A miniature crown rested on it's head and hair had been drawn in with light brown marker. A tiny knife protruded from the doll's chest, the surrounding area covered in red ink.

Joseph closed his eyes as a shiver ran through him. He swallowed hard, struggling for control.

"All right. I want this checked for prints and then I want the entire area searched. Thoroughly. And then I want to see the three of you in my... Shades' office." He met their grim gazes. "We are going to figure out who among us has been trying to kill our queen."

Mia knocked at her grandmother's door and, receiving no answer, opened it and peeked inside.

"Grandma? Are you okay?"

"What?" Clarisse sniffed, raising herself on one arm to face the door. "Oh, Mia. My dear, come in."

Discreetly she brushed the wetness from her cheeks and gave her granddaughter a smile. "How's your day going?"

Mia sank onto the edge of the bed.

"Grandma, what's wrong?" She touched the older woman's arm. "You're crying."

"No, no I'm not." Clarisse shook her head, smiling. "I had a very disturbing dream and... well, I just woke up."

Mia narrowed her eyes. "And you say Charlotte doesn't lie well."

Clarisse did her best to look affronted. "Are you accusing me of lying to you, young lady?"

Mia nodded. "Yep."

When the former queen didn't respond, Mia tried another tact.

"What can I do? Has someone done something to hurt you? Is your side hurting you?" Her face screwed up in consternation. "Do you ---"

"So help me, if you ask if I need a pain pill I am going to hurtle this vase against the wall."

"O-kay...." Mia nodded, then, "Let me help, Grandma."

"Oh my darling, I'm sorry." Clarisse cupped Mia's face in her hands and kissed her. "You know what I need is to take control of myself back and get out of this bed."

Mia's expression changed to one of panic. "Oh, I don't know, Grandma. Joe—"

"Never mind what your grandfather said. I am getting up and getting dressed and going downstairs." She fixed her granddaughter with an uncompromising gaze. "And you are going to help me."

"But—"Mia's eyes widened. "What about Olivia—"

"No." Clarisse threw back the quilt and slid her legs off the edge of the bed. "If I let you out of this room you'll run straight to Joseph and I don't think I can deal with that right now."

Mia frowned. "You two didn't have a fight, did you?"

"Joseph and I don't fight. He's just trying to smother me with care." Clarisse replied, slowly standing. "There." She smiled at the other woman. "See? Perfectly fine."

"Uh-huh. Well let me help you Grandma before you hurt yourself."

"Oh honestly, you're as bad as he is."

With Mia's help the former queen was finally up and dressed and ready to venture outside her suite of rooms.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" Clarisse asked as the two of the slowly descended the main staircase.

"Well, I've pretty much caught up with the paperwork that needs to be done and—"

"What do you think you're doing?"

Both women froze on the bottom step as Joe came striding toward them, blue eyes snapping.

"I'm going outside to sit on the lawn." Clarisse drew herself up to her full, regal height, despite a pain that snaked through her side, and met her husband's angry gaze.

"Uhhh...." Mia looked from one to the other and reached out, putting Joe's hand on her grandmother's arm. "I have some things I still need to take care of ... ummm, you know, queen stuff, so I'll just see you both at lunch.

And she fled.

"Clarisse." The warning was clearly evident in his voice.

"You can just drop that tone with me Joseph." She said, moving down the last step.

Despite his displeasure, Joe held her gently, helping her to walk toward the door.

"Why suddenly do you have this need for fresh air?" He finally demanded.

"Not so suddenly, Joseph." She retorted. "I was in the hospital for two days and I've been upstairs in that bed ever since. It was time to get out before I threw something."

He managed to get her settled in a chaise lounge under one of the huge shade trees on the front lawn before he spoke.

"Clarisse—"

She turned wide blue eyes on him and he melted. Dammit, he couldn't argue with her... not even about her own well being.

"Yes Joseph?" She smiled at him and he growled, deep in his throat.

"I just don't want you overdoing." He finally settled for. "You were seriously injured, Clarisse!"

"Yes, but I've recovered." She put a hand on his. "I need to be up and around... I can only imagine what the staff are saying.. they probably think I'm dying."

"They do not think that." He admonished with a frown. "My dear—"

"Please, Joseph." She held up a hand for silence. "Please let me do this my way. I'm out of danger, Mia is the one you should be worrying about! I need to be up and around my darling or...." She shook her head. "I just need to up."

"All right." He leaned forward and stole a quick kiss. "But if I hear from anyone that you show the slightest sign of distress..."

"Yes, fine, you can slap me in irons, but until then, leave me be."

Joe started to respond, then decided that perhaps his best move might be to leave her alone and get back to work.

"All right, I'll leave you then." He rose, bent to kiss the top of her head. "I'll check in on you later."

Clarisse watched him walk away. "You do that." She murmured, then settled back to enjoy a very nice receding view of her husband's... assets.

From across the lawn, he watched her. Watched as she sat in the shade of a Genovian pear tree and read, sipping the tea her lady's maid had brought.

She should be mine, not his. And how dare he just assume control again after giving it up to have her? I'll show him you can't have it all. A smile curved his lips. In fact, I'll show him that he's not getting anything.

With a last, longing look at the former queen, he strode off across the lush grass.