Lucille's lips curved into a faint, mocking smile. "Off to the library? Searching for another distraction while your husband causes chaos wherever he goes?"
Salviana froze briefly, her composure slipping for a moment. "What do you want?"
"Oh, surely everyone has heard," Lucille continued with a saccharine tone. "How Your husband slaughtered my dogs the other day, harmless, innocent creatures! The poor thing did nothing to deserve such a gruesome end."
Audrey joined in, her voice colder. "He's nothing but a sadistic, pet-killing demon. Is this the kind of man who represents Wyfn-garde?"
Salviana inhaled sharply, the urge to apologize rising instinctively. She opened her mouth but stopped herself. She couldn't apologize—not when they'd been in the wrong.
Alaric had told her why he'd killed the hound: it had attacked one of the stable boys after being let loose on purpose by Lucille's maids.
And worst of all the hounds had attacked her!