A curse!

The wizard followed the Duchess into his castle. As soon as they crossed the threshold he let out a cry and collapsed to his knees with a moan. The guards and the Duchess turned to him in shock.

"What? What is it?!" The Duchess demanded.

"There is a powerful curse here!" The wizard said in a wavering voice. "Dark, sinister magics have been cast here!!!"

"On my castle?" The Duchess grew nervous.

"ON YOU!" He cried, pointing a shaking finger at the Duchess.

"On me?!?! Are you sure?!" The Duchess said, eyes now wide with fear.

"YES! Any user of magic could feel it!" He said gravely. "Do you have any enemies?!" He asked, staggering to his feet.

"I...I do..." She admitted.

The wizard assumed as much. How could this cold spirited wench not?

"One of them has hired a powerful magic user to work evil against you!" He moaned.

"What can we do?!" The Duchess grasped his robes.

"I will do all I can to protect you." The wizard said, grasping her shoulder. Gone was the angry, stiff, superior Duchess. She was scared, and **** and easily manipulated. That was what he'd hoped for when he came up with this scheme in the carriage. A perfect way to exploit this smug noble, and make her think every misfortune that befell her was the doing of some mysterious other, when in reality this supposedly kindly old wizard under her service would be responsible!