Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“But I am not, and lying to the queen is treasonous. She may forgive you, you are family, but I cannot risk it. I like my head on my shoulders.”
“They would not dare behead such a beautiful woman in England,” I said without thought.
“Obviously no one has taught you English history yet,” she replied without missing a beat, and at that, I did laugh. “Do not laugh! She will think you are courting me in earnest.”
“Do not be funny, and I will not laugh.”
“That is quite hard. I am very witty.”
I bit my lip. She truly was amusing. “You are also very good at complimenting yourself. Is this how you survived your sister’s shadow? Paying yourself compliments you wished to hear?”
Her eyes widened in shock, and I realized I was right. That was why she was so good at it—she’d been doing it all her life.
“Do not pretend that you know me so well, sir,” she shot back.
“I think I’ve finally figured you out, Hathor,” I whispered as the space between us closed. I inhaled the smell of her, wishing to pull her closer to me. She stared up at me, and for a moment, the briefest of seconds, I was sure she wished for me to hold her, too. But it was at that moment that the music came to an end. We both stood there, and…and I wanted to dance with her again.
“I shall try to make my escape now, before she calls me. Goodbye,” she said quickly, curtsying to me before leaving the dance floor.
I turned back to my aunt, whose eyebrow was raised. The look on her face…I would not hear the end of this dance should I return to her side. Not wishing to, I bowed my head to her and withdrew into the company of the other gentlemen. Lukas came up to me with a glass in hand, staring at me sternly.
“What a lovely dance, Your Highness,” he said. “I would ask her for my own, but she has been ignoring me since you spoke to her at the play yesterday.”
“Is there a question you wish to ask me, Lukas?”
“Will you be honest with the answer, Your Highness?” He spat out the words Your Highness as though they were a curse.
“Honesty?” I repeated with a chuckle. “Pray tell, did you offer me such honesty, or were you working in your own self-interest?”
“I do not know what you mean—”
“If you liked her, Lukas, you simply could have said so, and not sought to slander her to me or me to her,” I said slowly, seeking to walk away from his company when he stepped back in my path, looking me directly in the eyes as he spoke.
“I like her, and I shall seek her hand in marriage before the week is out.”
Without realizing my fist was clenched, I mustered out a simple “Good luck to you, then,” before walking away. I did not get very far before the queen’s first lady-in-waiting was before me. She was a woman of nearly sixty, and yet possessed the energy of a woman of twenty. Her white hair was pulled into a simple bun with two white curls in the front, framing her furrowed brow.
“Lady Crane—”
“Her Majesty is asking for you, Your Highness,” she said abruptly, and then turned for me to follow.
I bit the inside of my cheek as I noticed who was also being brought to the queen’s side by another of the queen’s ladies. Hathor and I gave each other a look of utter exasperation…for this was madness.
“Good. You’ve both returned,” the queen said as we stood before her and the marchioness, whose brown face let not a single emotion slip. “Lady Monthermer was just telling me of the hunt planned for tomorrow. August, you shall be joining.”
It was not a question, and so all I could say was “Of course. I look forward to it.”
“I look forward to seeing your talents tomorrow as well, Lady Hathor.”
Still no room for question.
“Of course, Your Majesty, I have quite the reputation as a hunter,” she stressed and shot me a grimace. “Do I not, Your Highness?”
This again? I gritted my teeth at her. She truly could hold a grudge like none other. “Is that so, Lady Hathor? Here I thought you a peacemaker.”
I stressed the word to remind her of our truce, and she shrugged like she could not recall or be bothered by it.
“Your Majesty, we ought not keep them; young people are meant to socialize,” Lady Monthermer said at her side.
“Ah…well, you both may go then.”
For the second time, I sought to make my escape, but Hathor moved past me and whispered, “Tomorrow I will explain my plan to dissuade her.”
“You have a plan?” I whispered back.
“I will think of one tonight and let you know tomorrow…now stop talking to me.” She huffed and walked off.