She beamed at Natalie but took the first opportunity to hurry away. She seemed to consider herself relieved from the duty of entertaining her guest of honor now that Luca had appeared to keep Natalie company.
Natalie watched her go disconsolately. “So honored she needed to run for the other side of the hilltop,” she muttered.
Luca laughed, and Natalie flushed. She’d spoken without thinking. Rose would never say something so impolite about her host.
“I’m sorry to hear you don’t feel honored,” Luca said with a wicked twinkle. “When you’ve been given the very best rug—and so much space!”
Natalie glared at him. “Yes. It’s a reminder of all thespaceyou gave me last night.”
Luca tried to look contrite and failed utterly. She suspected he didn’t know how.
“It’s best to remove the bandage all at once,” he told her solemnly. “Now you’ve spoken to every one of the elderly courtiers left in the capital, and you can safely avoid them for the rest of your visit.”
“Can I just as safely avoid you?” she asked sweetly, and he grinned.
“Ah, but I’m much more nimble than the average eighty-year-old. And people do keep inviting me to everything.”
Natalie looked back over the assembled young people. “Leo was invited, too, but he didn’t feel the need to show up.”
“Yes, but that’s because he hasresponsibilities,” Luca said.
Natalie cast him a suspicious glance. Something in his tone hinted at unspoken meaning behind his words. Did Luca see her as a responsibility?
She looked around a little more wildly, hoping to see another familiar face—any other familiar face—walking past. Where was Rose? She’d been at the reception the previous evening. Surely she didn’t intend to abandon Natalie to handle all the remaining events alone.
“Are you used to something different in the Arcadian court?” Luca asked, something in his tone making the question sound more earnest than his earlier quips.
Natalie thought back to the few days she had spent at the Arcadian capital. She had certainly never seen Rose standing alone at any social occasion. But Rose would disapprove of her speaking rudely to one of Lanover’s royal princes, and Natalie had already forgotten herself several times.
“I suppose it’s different there,” she said cautiously. “Since everyone knows me. They’re not so…careful.”
Luca’s lips twitched, and he glanced toward Trina. “Lady Trina does seem unusuallycareful.” He grinned at her. “What an excellent word, by the way. It’s not normally what she’s known for either. I wonder what has her on edge.” He watched Trinaacross the hilltop before smiling at what seemed to be a private joke. “Of course Leo isn’t the only one flexing his muscles while his parents are away. Trina’s parents probably gave her a lecture before they left about not embarrassing the family in front of visiting royalty.”
If that was the explanation for Trina’s behavior, then all the other young nobles must have received similar lectures. Either that, or they were wary of her potential to upend their hierarchy. Perhaps it was both.
She wished she could announce to them all that she—or rather Rose—had no intention of marrying their crown prince. And neither were they going to offend Arcadia and disgrace their families over a misspoken word.
“But don’t worry,” Luca said, his eyes laughing at her depressed expression. “There’s only about twenty more families left to have their turn playing host.”
“Twenty?” Natalie stared at him. “Do you mean we’ll be doing this for the entire visit?”
He glanced at the view. “I imagine some of the events will be indoors.”
Natalie glared at him, trying to ignore the headache forming behind her temples. She felt exhausted, although the walk to the picnic had been done at a gentle pace and she had already been sitting for some time. She had never enjoyed small talk, but she had never realized how utterly draining it could be either.
Luca shifted closer to her, his voice dropping low. “Not every Lanoverian has been lectured on being careful.”
Natalie remained ramrod straight, refusing to mirror his motions and lean toward him. She gave him a reproving look.
“If you tell me your parents have never lectured you about being careful, I’ll call you a liar.”
He laughed, unabashed. “The word might have been thrown around once or twice, but never in connection with your name, I assure you.”
Natalie raised her brows. She would have liked to know what hehadbeen told regarding Princess Rose, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of asking.
“Social events don’t have to be dull,” Luca said with an expressive look. “We can always entertain each other by being…reckless.”
Natalie jumped to her feet, shaking out her skirts. “Last night, you abandoned me to an entire gaggle of octogenarians and ran for it. Without shame, I might add. And now you want me to entertain myself by flirting with you?”
