“Yes,” she said. “What else do you like about him?”
“I barely know him,” I said.
“Only well enough to dismiss him,”she breathed.
“I beg your pardon?” I asked.
Her brows raised, and she said nothing to confirm what I’d heard.
I said, anyway, “I’m not dismissing him.”
“Mmhmm.”
“I’m not, and it’s certainly not as though I could,” I said.
“I must apologize, Miss Svana. I did not mean to prompt you with such thoughts.”
I loosed a sigh, checking my reflection. “It’s not as though my marriage is a deal that can be broken, not over horses or anything else.”
“I–”
“Itfeelsvery strange, Miss Jocelyn. I mean, the man does not like horses! I love horses!Lovethem!”
“Many spouses have differences,” she said.
“I wouldn’t know,” I said. “I’ve never had one.”
“My parents were opposites,” she said. “They did fine for themselves.”
“Fine is not a good word,” I muttered.
After a moment, she started unpacking my things again. “I think if the worst thing about His Highness is that he doesn’t like horses, you’ve won quite the luck in the matter.”
“Easy for you to say, you don’t have to marry him,” I argued.
“He could be a violent sort of man,” she said.
“That is true,” I agreed. “I suppose it could have been worse.”
“Aye,” she nodded. “Or. Your husband could have been an ogre,” she replied.
“An ogre?” I asked.
“Ugly,” she said.
“You’re right. He could have been ugly,” I said. “And Iwasprepared to marry him as such.”
“Very noble of you, my lady.”
“It’s just.” I sat back against the seat.“Am I so less concerned about the way he looks and–”
“What of this ball, I hear? Are you not excited?” she asked. “Perhaps you could get to know him there?”
I glanced at her. “Itdoessound fun.”
“Such lovely pastels you own,” she said. “Will the gown you order be the same?”
I watched her mosey about. “You changed the subject,” I said.
