“What does that mean?” I asked.
“It means your maid is very good at what she does, and what she does is protect you, miss. However,” she said, straightening my face in the mirror. “I cannot be so good if I do not know everything. Yes?” She preened herself proudly. “That is why you must be honest with me at all times. Who better to dismiss gossip than those behind it?”
“What? Who’s behind the gossip?” I asked. “You?”
“The help, miss,” she said. “And we’re not just behind it. Wearethe gossip. We hear it all. We tell it all.”
“That’s horrible.”
“There’s not much else to do. ThoughIam by far the best listener, and lucky for you, I am well on your side,” she explained. “However, there is nothing I love more in this world than a good, juicy secret.”
“And how does that benefit me?” I worried. “Is your interest not in exploiting it?”
“And ruin my fun, Your Highness? No. Secrets lose their luster with every ear they’ve gained,” she said. “Like jewels,secrets are far less important the more common they are. Would you not agree?”
“I’ve never thought of it that way.”
“See? It’s all about perspective. And for that fact, I do desperately hope Mr. Evergreen gives your Prince a run for his wealth.”
“What?” I asked. “A run for—No one’s running, Miss Jocelyn! Mr. Evergreen and I are friends.”
She pointed outside. “In their spar.”
“Oh.Oh,”I said.
She giggled. “I’ve caught you,” she boasted.
“No, you haven’t. You—Wait. Daniel?Did you call Ser Willoughby Daniel?”I asked.
“I don’t think so,” she said.
“Yes, you did,” I said.“You—Oh.Oh. We’re calling himDaniel,are we?”
“If I called him that, I’m certain it’d be a secret,” she replied.
“A secret? He doesn’t know?” I asked.
“No,heknows,” she said. “At least heaskedthat I call him that. I just do not care for anyone else to know that I’m considering complying with his request.” She pursed her lips. “We’re friends, too.”
“You and my cousin are friends?” I asked.
“Does friends mean something different for you and Evergreen?” she asked.
“No. We’re friendly,” I said. “More like acquaintances.”
She smiled. “If you say so.”
“...Does Willoughby call you Josie?” I asked.
“Youcall me Josie,” she replied.
“Yes, but–” A realization struck: Mr. Evergreen had called me Svana. Not Your Highness.Svana.And more than once.
She stared at me. “...But?”
“Nothing,” I said.
She shrugged. “Ser Willoughby calls me Miss Jocelyn, not Josie, even though I’ve asked. I don’t know how to fix that.”
