Hours later, Tyrion arrived at Linda’s home with time to spare before he needed to return to be with Penelope.
Tyrion exited his carriage before the front steps. He ignored the gazes of the guards who acted like they didn’t know of his relationship with Linda, or they failed to recognise their prince.
Tyrion sent one of his guards ahead to inform the butler or headmaid of his presence.
Linda’s home was always like a second home to Tyrion. If he needed to hide in the past, Linda would be kind enough to offer him a room. It was thanks to keeping close to Linda and the Henson family that Tyrion realised how to get knights to pledge their loyalty to him.
Tyrion entered the home, which welcomed him with a portrait of Linda, her daughter and husband. Beside it was a portrait of Linda and her brothers.
"Tyrion!" Linda called to him as she rushed down the stairs.
"You must be careful," Tyrion said, offering his hand to Linda as she made it to the last step.
"To what do I owe this visit? Are you running from your duties again?" Linda asked, suspicious. She immediately thought of writing to Hazel.
"No. Those days are over. I came because there is something I need from you. Is your husband home?" Tyrion inquired.
Linda looked around for her busy husband. "He should be somewhere close by. He could be training with the men. What is it that brought you here? You are scaring me. Is your mother and sister well?"
"They are, but I am a little wounded. You only asked about their well-being," Tyrion replied.
"Since you made it all the way here, you are well. Come with me," Linda said, holding Tyrion’s hand. "We will find Griffin together, and while we walk, you will tell me what you wish to know."
"There was a man at your last gathering by the name of Cassius Monroe. What do you know of him?" Tyrion asked.
"Cassius?" Linda whispered, the name unfamiliar to her. "I don’t know him. If he were a man in the army, my brothers would know him. Perhaps he is one of my husband’s friends. Since your family was attending, all the guests were checked. Why?"
"I need to know where he resides," said Tyrion.
"Well, Griffin should have the answer. There is no way this Cassius could have attended without an invite, and for the invite, he must know my husband. Is this person causing you trouble?" Linda questioned, hoping she hadn’t brought an enemy around.
After the matter with her grandfather, Grant Henson, Linda didn’t want her family to be involved in only more plots to hurt the Castros. Her friendship with Hazel had luckily held strong after Grant plotted to stop Hazel from having children and eventually planned to put Linda on the throne.
"He is a danger to my family. He has an interest in Penelope that doesn’t end, and strangely, neither I nor Edgar can find where he lives," said Tyrion.
"It is odd if Edgar fails to find him. I wish I had the answer for you, but I don’t. I was already worried about the murders around the town. It has become harder for me to let my daughter leave home, but I can’t have her live in fear," said Linda.
Linda was thankful for the many guards her brothers sent her when they heard about the murders. She had the protection needed to keep safe, but Linda couldn’t stop thinking about others who weren’t so fortunate.
"There he is," Linda said, spotting her husband.
"Is there a reason you also invited men from the court to your home? I didn’t know your husband was close to them as well. He is starting to be full of surprises," Tyrion said, his suspicions going to Griffin.
"That was a bit of a surprise for me as well. I am not doing anything to be against your family, Tyrion. I would have preferred that no one from the court come. I don’t trust them," Linda said.
It was men from the court who plotted with her grandfather to try to make her queen when Linda was already in support of Hazel.
"I trust you. It’s your husband that I am trying to understand," Tyrion said, watching as Griffin ran over to them. "Did you marry him because he had a good rank in your father’s army? It couldn’t be for looks or sense."
"You’ve asked me this since you were seven, and my answer remains the same," Linda replied.
"Prince Tyrion, what a surprise. I thought your days of running to my wife to hide were over. Or, did you come to see me?" Griffin asked, extending his hand for Tyrion to shake.
Tyrion continued to hold Linda’s hand and stared at Griffin’s. "It’ll be a cold day in hell first."
Griffin chuckled and placed his hand back at his side. "Who knows? It might be freezing right now."
"Perhaps. Should I kill you so you can go and check?" Tyrion asked, trying to be helpful. "You could do me a favour and check if there are some other friendly faces there."
"Now, why would I, as a man of good faith, end up in hell, Prince Tyrion? I thought for all the years I have been married to Linda, you would see me in a good light and start to like me. You were what? Seven, when you said you didn’t like me?" Griffin asked.
"I had a good eye when it came to the people around me. You can beg for my love later," Tyrion said, earning himself a pinch from Linda. "What do you know about Cassius Monroe?"
"Who?" Griffin asked.
"See, I will believe that Lady Linda doesn’t know who he is, but you," Tyrion said, letting go of Linda’s hand. "I don’t believe you."
"The name doesn’t ring any bells. We had plenty of guests," Griffin replied, not afraid of what Tyrion would do to get his answers.
"You mean to me that you were careless with the home of the woman whose overprotective brothers control the king’s army? Would you like me to inform them that you were careless, or would you like to spit out how you know him?" Tyrion asked, knowing Griffin was lying.
"You always had that insufferable habit of biting your tongue when you lie," Tyrion pointed out.
"Griffin," Linda addressed her husband. "Our guests are always carefully selected. Who was he? Since Tyrion has come all the way here to ask about him, he must be dangerous. Are you hiding something from me?"
"He’s lying," Tyrion said.
"Cassius describes himself as a jack of all trades. He’s a new businessman who is gaining recognition amongst the men in town. He described himself as a man with a vision for the future. He arrived with his brother as guests with a man from court," Griffin shared all that he knew. "Arthur."
"Is this the truth?" Tyrion asked, suspecting there was more.
"I am loyal to the Hensons," Griffin said, not needing his loyalty questioned. "And to the Castros."
"Then you shouldn’t have lied. What is it that you know that made you lie?" Tyrion inquired.
"I am dying to know as well," Linda said, angry that he lied to her face.
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