I didn’t reply.
“Sorry,yourinstructor, Mr. Evergreen,” she said.
“I didn’t know what else to say!” I said. “She’s a stranger! I was worried she would misinterpret it if she knew Evergreen and I just rode around together all day, all alone! Is it really, truly so obvious that I…?”
“If you ask me as your maid, no. Of course not, Your Highness. You’re so very sly,” she said.
“And if I ask you as a friend?”
“It’s a little obvious,” she said.
“How?” I asked. “How is it obvious?”
“Come. I’m only teasing you,” she said.
“No,” I insisted. “Truly. You must help me conceal this, this…this…!”
“Crush?” she asked.
“Crush?”I cried. “How dare you!”
“How dareI?What? Finish your sentence? What wouldyoucall it if not a crush?” she asked.
“I…. I do not know, but I do not wish for anyone, let alone Mr. Evergreen, to know either!”
She was careful. “Alright. Concealing. Got it. Then I will say you’re veryanimatedwhen speaking of or to one of the men but not the other. It is best to regulate your tone and err on the side of caution in the delivery of such interactions. I’m surely not the only one who will take notice if you continue to bounce giddily when Evergreen is brought up.”
“I don’t bounce giddily!” I said. “I am usually angry at him.”
“Oh, I know. And I’m sure you’ll hate me for it; I’m certain Mr. Evergreen knows of your preference, too.”
“He does?” I caught myself. “I mean, what preference? …Stop it,” I demanded. “This is a horrible, temporary affliction, is all.” I felt my forehead with the back of my hand. “Do I feel warm?”
“He mightnotknow,” she said. “But men like that…They have a way of detecting these things. I wouldn’t wager he won’t be in the dark for much longer if somehow he is now.”
“Then you think he knows?” I asked.
She bared her teeth uncertainly. “Likely, yes.”
“Oh no,” I said.
“That’s not to say it isn’tmutual,”she said.
“Mutual?” I found the floor. “No. No. No.”
Josie went on, but I didn’t hear her response.
I looked up to see the seamstress stroll out from the canopy beneath my window. She passed the men and drewbothof their interests. She didn’t even look at them; they looked ather. Then they whispered to each other the way I knew Blades did when they fancied someone, and I was mad.
I was mad that Mr. Evergreen rested his sword to his side in order to spend a concerning amount of energy watching her leave. I was mad I didn’t care that Sam had looked at all.
My mouth was dry.
“Miss?” Josie asked.
“Do you think he likes her?”I asked.
She tucked one of the pins into my waves. “The Prince?”
