Michael shook his head, maintaining his silence. The more he held back, the more agitated the duke became. Finally, the duke clenched his teeth and began to divulge his reasons for pushing this match.
"The queen is an ambitious woman," Capone began gravely. "There are several young ladies residing in the royal palace, all of whom are her nieces."
Michael's eyes widened slightly. This was an unexpected revelation. The duke continued, confirming Michael's suspicions.
"It's no secret that she has long sought to marry one of her nieces to the crown prince."
The duke paused to sigh, the frustration evident in his voice. Though the queen had framed her actions as a way to broaden her nieces' horizons, it was nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to secure power. Fortunately, the queen's nieces, stiff and unremarkable in demeanor, had failed to capture the crown prince's interest.
