You need to pay more attention to Bee. Riddle says she is much alone, running about
with little supervision, no chores or expectations, and that she looks neglected.
Her clothing, her hair … He says that you seem to pay attention to her mind, but the
rest of her is … Well. She can’t be allowed to run about like a stray cat. You need
to take her in hand. Would you have her grow up both useless and ignorant? Unkempt
and untaught? She needs to be occupied, both her mind and her hands! He says that
we have badly misjudged how intelligent she is, and that as a result she has not been
educated as she should have been, from the time she was small. Bee is jealous of Shun
and the attention she demands. Don’t give her cause for that. You’ve only the one
child there, Fitz. Pay attention to her.
I will, I promised, but she was gone. And I was left sitting in my chair, my head aching from the Skill as it had not in many a year. My uncle Verity
had once said of my father that being Skilled by him was like being trampled by a
horse. He was strong with it; he charged into his brother’s mind, dumped his information,
and left. I now thought I understood what he had meant. My candles had burned down
to stubs before I felt completely like myself. Nettle had planted a foreign thought
in my mind. Bee was jealous? I spent that time pondering why on earth Bee would feel
jealous of Shun. When I thought I had the answer, I resolved to call in Revel early
the next day and remedy all.
Chapter 22
PERSEVERANCE
Safely arrived at Withywoods with my charge. This Lady Shun is perhaps the most awkward
task Lord Chade has ever assigned to me. Daily I am grateful that you are nothing
like her. Bee is, as you warned me, a strange little girl. I do not see any signs
that your father neglects her. In fact, they seem remarkably close and (blotted area). I will watch, as I have promised you, and answer true what I think is (obscured by blotch). I could write so much more to you, my dear, but there is small space for this pigeon
to carry my words. And in truth, you would already know much of what I would say.
DISCARDED PIGEON MESSAGE SCROLL
