No, it wasn’t at all the dress a princess would wear.At least, not a princess who would be subservient to the wishes of those around her.Not a princess who would hide behind lists and rules, wondering if she was behaving like a proper lady.
No, it was the gown that a confident woman would wear.A woman who was making her own rules.
Hannah’s smile was serene.“I have made my decision.”
“But, my lady, you can’t possibly—”
“You will abide by my wishes, or you will both find yourselves in another post.”Hannah sent them a cool, commanding look, and her message was clear.After exchanging looks, both women dropped into curtsies.
My goodness, that felt good.Liberating, actually.She’d never given orders before, always letting others dictate her decisions.
“Do you...wish to wear the diamonds or the rubies, my lady?”Estelle ventured.
“The rubies,” Hannah decided.
She held out her arms, waiting for them to finish dressing her.Estelle clamped her mouth shut and obeyed.Though Lady Schmertach appeared horrified, she, too, assisted the maid.When they had finished, a soft knock sounded at the door.
Lady Schmertach answered it at Hannah’s bidding, and a footman came forth with a message.“The king has requested your presence, Lady Hannah.He wishes to speak with you about your betrothal.”The servant bowed and stepped back into the hall, waiting to escort her.She couldn’t exactly keep the king waiting, so she followed the footman with Lady Schmertach trailing as a silent chaperone.
Hannah felt more than conspicuous in her red gown, particularly for a royal summons.It was one thing to wear a shocking dress for a court ball—it was another to wear such a garment in front of a dying king.
The footman led her into the king’s chambers, where she saw the monarch seated in a high-backed, upholstered chair.
Hannah fell into a deep curtsy.“Your Majesty, I received your summons.”It was the first time she had ever been in the presence of a king.Her nerves grew rattled, and she was afraid of somehow saying the wrong thing.
The king was not old, but illness had drawn away his strength.His gray hair hung at his shoulders, deep wrinkles set within his eyes.Yet she sensed a ruthless air of authority.His gaze passed over her gown with disapproval.“I understand that my son wishes to marry you.And that you are the daughter of an English marquess.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Why would you believe that you could possibly understand the role of a princess?Do you think yourself capable of ruling at his side?”
No, she didn’t know anything about ruling a country, any more than Michael did.But beneath his pointed questions, she saw a man who was trying to intimidate her.
Be polite, she warned herself.“I can learn what I need to know.”
The king regarded her with dismissal.“You haven’t any idea what the life of a princess is like.I suppose you believe that princesses sit around all day wearing diamonds and choosing new gowns.”
His callous remark sent all of her years of good manners and training up in flames.Hannah counted silently to five, then ten.“No, that’s not what I believe at all.”
“You want to marry my son because you want to become royalty, isn’t that right?”
“I am going to marry Michael Thorpe,” she said firmly.“Not a prince or a Fürst, or whatever else you want to call him.I am going to marry the man I love, not his title.”
Before the king could add another sardonic remark, she plunged forward.“And,yes, I know exactly what the life of a princess is like.She has rules to obey, expectations to live up to, and countless advisers telling her what she should and shouldn’t do.”
Hannah picked up her skirts and stood directly in front of the king.“And I would likely be the worst sort of princess you’d ever have.Do you want to know why?”
The king shook his head, but she spied a gleam in his eyes.
“Because I refuse to live like that.I don’t care at all whether I should be wearing a white gown or pearls or a crown.Or whether I should host a garden party or an evening soirée.”Her hands clenched into fists at her side.
She gathered the edges of her temper and continued.“I care about whether the man I love is safe at night.I care about a widowed woman, Mrs.Turner, who risked her own life to save his.And I care about your other son who is about to lose not only his kingdom tonight, but his own father.Just because he was born on the wrong side of the sheets.”
When she was finished, her lungs were burning.But Hannah met the king’s enigmatic gaze with no regrets.
“You’re wrong, Lady Hannah,” the king said.“You wouldn’t be at all the worst sort of princess.You’d be the kind of princess I would want my son to marry.”
He reached out for her hand, and smiled.“After the ceremony, I have no doubt you will tell me all the changes I need to make to my kingdom.”He coughed, signaling to a servant for his medicine.Then he leaned back against the chair to rest.
