The pair head off to the manor's private rooms

"Well, I suppose we can just... wander around the dance floor and hope something turns up?" Becky frowned. She was beginning to doubt that this was a good idea after all.

"I suppose," Robin said. There was another pause while Robin finally seemed to start thinking. She placed her hand on her chin, rubbing it, then her face lit up with a smile. "Hmmm... I have an idea! Maybe he's hiding something upstairs in the living quarters! We could wander around and look for hidden notes and stuff, and if anyone asks what we're doing, well....we were dancing like a couple, right? We could be just looking for a bit of privacy....for you know... Stuff."

"I suppose no one would mind too much." Becky said with a shrug, though a part of her wondered what a servant of Lady Dieudonne would be doing in the living quarters rather than attending to the party, or in some hidden room elsewhere in the castle. Still, some direction was better than none.

They started walking, just sort of wandering up a staircase in the general direction the private chambers seemed most likely to be. Some guests were moving about in this area as well, Lords and Ladies chattering and going about their business-- none of them payed the pair much mind. All things considered, the two women blended in rather well. If it weren't for Becky's somewhat clumsy movement in her dress, or the overly bouncy way Robin walked, they might have actually been fairly hard to notice.

"How much do you actually know about Lord Highwater?" Becky wondered aloud as they rounded a corner into the upper hallways. The corridor was long an thin, lined with alternating portraits and nature paintings. She was confident they would be out of earshot by now. "I suppose his reputation is rather dark, but what if we're just chasing after rumors? What if he's actually not that bad, or... isn't the man you're after?"

"No, he's definitely evil," Robin said in a matter of fact tone while answering almost none of Becky's questions. Becky let out another sigh. Maybe she would be lucky enough to happen upon some of Dieudonne's correspondence or information on some of the other guests while they were up here. She didn't think it was entirely likely that they'd learn much about Highwater, but she might turn up some info on the Diadem.

***

This chapter was co-authored by Shandy (https://chyoa.com/user/Shandy)-- Shandy is the author of Fox in the Henhouse and The Peril's of Lisa-- please check out his stuff! :)