“Hmm.”Abdul purses his lips.Not entirely convinced but he doesn’t have enough evidence or desire to make a bigger stink about it right now.But I need to be careful in the future.
“What are you doing here?”Victoria turns her attention back to Leo.
“I am here to see your lovely guest, Your Majesty.”I snap my head at him, wondering despite myself if he means the “lovely” comment or if it’s just part of the ploy.Then reminding myself I have no business caring either way, because this is not a real relationship.As long as Victoria buys it.
“Are you now?”Victoria’s sharp eyes, the intelligence in them not dulled by age, bounce back and forth between us, lingering on my hand still on his arm, and his other hand covering mine.This is the woman who tried to set up all of her children, grandchildren, and godchildren.And probably a lot more people whose documents didn’t survive to tell about it.
She’s a bit of a romantic, from all I’ve researched.And now she’s turned her motherly attitude and matchmaking toward me.
“Yes.She is hard to forget.”He looks at me fondly and I stop myself from turning to check if he’s talking about someone behind me.Because while I would one day like to be the recipient of that look, I would like it to be from someone I’ve known for longer than one day.And who is from the same century as me.
But I still soak it up, because I haven’t gotten that look from someone in my century in a long time.
“Indeed.”Victoria’s eyes are sparkling.
“You may know where this is going, but in light of how last night went, and since she does not have any family immediately accessible, I was hoping you?—”
“Yes!”Victoria says.“You were going to ask if you could court her, correct?”
Okay then.I knew Victoria loved to matchmake, but being on the receiving end of it is another story.And even though it grates that I apparently need permission to date someone, I’m glad to have this excuse to spend more time with Leo while I’m still here.
For the ruse, of course.The ruse that benefits both of us.And nothing else.Because even if we didn’t live in different centuries, he’s still unsuitable for me.He’s an aristocrat, part of a system that shouldn’t even exist.And because he has all that power, if he decides he wants to out me as a fraud, he can.Even if we’re supposed to be helping each other, he might decide it’s not worth it if he finds out the truth.
“Yes,” Leo says.
“Fantastic!We have an assembly tonight since we’re leaving Osborne tomorrow, and you can spend some time with her there.Then we’ll be back to London.You are welcome to travel back with us.”She turns to me.“You can come stay with me at Buckingham Palace until we sort out where you are supposed to be.If we cannot get in touch with your family soon and need a more long-term option, I know there are many families that would welcome you into their homes.”
Just like with Victoria Gouramma, whose father, the rule of Coorg, brought her to England after he surrendered to the British and left her in the care of Victoria.Victoria then placed her with a major and took an avid interest in the details of her upbringing.
While it is terrifying to have that much interest of a monarch used to getting her way, I am excited about seeing more of the past.
“Thank you so much, Your Majesty.”I have a ball to go to.One that I am actually excited for, despite the gravity of my situation.
I blame too much Cinderella as a child for that.
And I have the chance to see Victorian London in person.Not in the pages of a book, and not a reconstruction.Not even a historic building with velvet ropes meant to keep tourists away from the furniture.
I get to see history.Live it.Touch, taste, smell, hear and see it.
I’m not going to pass that up.Even if I have to do it in a corset.
CHAPTER9
“Which dress would you like to wear tonight?”Anne pulls options out of a hefty wooden trunk someone delivered to my room while I spent the day snooping around Osborne House with Anne following close behind.
“All of these are beautiful.I can choose any of these?”Every time I go to touch them I pull back.I need to remind myself that they aren’t history yet, and I can touch to my heart’s content.It’s strange if I don’t, actually.
Anne nods at me, pulling even more out while I get dazed by all the choices.But then she takes outthe one.
“This dark blue one is fine,” I say.
Sure, it’s just fine.It shines like the midnight sky illuminated with sparkling stars embroidered in shining thread, and there’s a delicate black velvet floral pattern along the bottom.The neckline is low and the waist is impossibly tiny.It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, but sure; it’sfine.
“That’s a beautiful choice,” Anne says as she sets it down to take out matching accessories.
“Thank you.How did you get all these dresses at such short notice?”
“With the right corset, you have roughly the same measurements as Princess Louise.”
