**3rd Person POV**
He was frustrated because the young prince would tell him nothing. Titus’ conclusion was that he was trying to protect somebody.
“You have an innocent man locked up for nothing,” she said, the anger from her face-off with Lord Lowell was still fresh in her blood. Titus had to take a step back to examine the lady in front of him. She looked very serious.
“Do you mind telling me why?” asked Lord Titus.
Lady Lowell thought for a second about what she was about to do. Could she give up everything for a kiss that had meant nothing? Then she scorned the irony of her thoughts. She would not be giving up anything save a failed marriage.
“Princess Charlotte, I have told you that you cannot see the Prince,” Lady Lowell turned around to see Charlotte standing behind her.
“There is no law that stops prisoners from receiving visitors. I demand to see my brother,” said Charlotte in a firm voice.
“This is different, you cannot…”
“I have a letter from your king. If I do not see my brother, I assure you that my father's army will be waiting to tear down this palace to bring him home,” returned Charlotte. Titus sighed. He had heard many things about Charlotte and while frankly, he had always discredited the stories as exaggerated he knew now that this was not so. If at all, the stories failed to capture just how tenacious and vicious she could be.
Lady Lowell was promptly forgotten and left to stand awkwardly in the corridor while Titus escorted Charlotte further down to where her brother sat in a cold cell.
Charlotte gave Titus a hard stare and at once he was out of sight so the two could talk. Charlotte knew however that she had to be fast. She knew that Titus would be back sooner than she could recite the alphabet.
“Regi?” quipped Charlotte. Her brother who was looking like a lost soul brightened when he heard his sister's voice.
“You don't have to put on an act for me. This sucks and I know it. But you have to listen, someone is framing us,” said Charlotte hurriedly.
“What do you mean? Us?” Reginald was convinced he was the only one.
“That night I found the gun and some bullets in my room,” confessed Charlotte.
Reginald listened to her with interest.
“You must tell no one. They will not believe a word you say.”
“Can you not prove your innocence? Who did you spend the evening with?” quipped Charlotte but Reginald said nothing. He could not ruin a lady’s reputation just because he was in trouble. If he had to go down, he would do so alone and not drag other innocent people along with him.
When she realised her brother was not going to respond to her question, she had her answer. She did not have to be told that he had been with Lady Lowell. No wonder she had been lurking about.
“Regi if she can prove…”
“You will not mention her at all, do you hear me?” said Reginald fiercely. Charlotte swallowed, love was indeed powerful. She knew better than to pursue it. Her brother had made up his mind.
“Princess, it is time for you to return,” said Titus. Charlotte ignored him and reached out for her brother's hand through the iron bars. He squeezed her hand, grateful that she had come to see him.
“Princess?” quipped Titus once more.
Charlotte obeyed him this time. When she reached the outer corridor, she saw that Lady Lowell was still waiting. The smallish-looking woman appeared anxious.
Titus then seemed to remember her standing there and asked, “What did you want to tell me about his innocence?”
“Nothing. She wanted to tell him nothing,” said Charlotte in a firm voice, staring hard into Lady Lowell's eyes.
“Princess…” Titus began to say sensing that Charlotte was trying to subvert what could possibly be useful testimony.
“She came to see me, right Lady Lowell?” quipped Charlotte.
Lady Lowell was quite confused but she agreed with Charlotte. Charlotte put her arm around her and together they left Tutus standing in the long winding corridor.
“What did you want to tell him?” Charlotte asked although she could already guess the answer.
“I was with Reginald that night. If I can serve as an alibi…”
“You know what they will say? That you conspired with Reginald to kill Nydia. So no, you can do no such thing,” said Charlotte firmly. She had chosen to honour her brother's wishes and not involve Lady Lowell in this mess.
“The prince? Is he well?” quipped Lady Lowell with hesitation in her voice.
“As well as he can be. You have nothing to worry about,” Charlotte assured the woman.
“My husband… Lord Lowell, says he testified that he saw the prince with a woman. He implied…”
“He said that to scare you. He has done no such thing,” responded Charlotte with a smile.
Lady Lowell sighed in relief.
****
Charlotte knew one thing was certain. It was that Prince Harlin was next. The search had been paused when the bloodied dress was found in Reginald's room. The search would continue tomorrow when the guards having searched Reginald's room from top to bottom for the murder weapon will come up with nothing.
Charlotte knew this and she knew that while they would find nothing in her room, there would be something in Harlin's room. So she marched to his room now to search it herself. If they knew what the enemy had planted, they would be better prepared.
She said her goodnight to Lady Lowell and made her way to Harlin's room. When she reached her cousin's room, she knocked on the door repeatedly. She knew that he was inside but she did not know why he was taking so long to answer the door.
When he finally opened the door, he did not let her in.