“I see,” she said. “I’m so very sorry for my misplacement of that moment.” Through semi-flushed cheeks, she added, “How kind of you to remembermyname then, sir,” and offered him a curtsy.
“A person is not hard to remember,” he said. Then he found my face again.
Miss Josie began to apologize a second time but then stopped and looked between us.
“What?”he asked her.
She shook the thought, whatever it was. “Just my apologies, sir,” she said. She tried to take the fabric back, but he swung his body barely out of her reach.
“I said I’ve got it,” he said.
“Thank you.”
“Where does this thing go?” he asked.
“Miss Jocelyn.” My mouth was oddly dry; I nearly coughed her name out. “Is that what I think it is?” I asked.
She nodded.
Cyrus said, “I’ll head to the dining room if you wish to follow.”
We paused.
“The dining room, sir?” Josie asked.
“It’s for the party, yeah?” he asked.
“Yes, but–”
“Where else would you put a tablecloth?” he asked.
“Awhat?”I scoffed at that. “Are you quite serious?”
Jocelyn snickered, then covered her mouth at my despair. She dropped her eyes.
“What did I say?”Lord Evergreen asked. Abruptly, he looked over my shape and then took a moment to say, “Your Highness, you look well.”
“I look well?” I asked. “In what manner, sir?”
He didn’t answer right away. His moody dark eyes glinted toward the ceiling, then back to mine, and as I hated how striking they were to find, over and over again, he said, “Your dress, I suppose. I like the color.”
“My dress looks well?” I asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
“But not my gown?” It was an accusation.
“What?” he asked. He shook his head. “Did I not just compliment it?”
Lord Evergreen had the nerve to seek Josie’s confirmation. She looked away.
“My dress, yes,” I said. “But we are speaking of my gown.” He looked confused. “The one you areholding,sir. The one you’ve called a tablecloth.”
His mouth parted with hesitation. Then he pinched one of the garment’s finely manicured cords. “This?Thisis a gown? Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure!” I said. “It’s a gown.Mygown for the ball this evening. Obviously.”
I rolled my eyes and said Josie’s name in the sternest tone. She cleared her throat and directed the lord down the hall, but not toward the dining room, to my bedchamber. We followed him.
