“That’s a rather interesting tale,” I said.
“What is?” he asked.
“That you’d forget Ser Elías. You knew his name before I said it.”
“What? Because he’s important to you, he must be to me?” he asked. “I see you’re that kind of princess.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you imply; however, you’ve done nothing but present yourself as a man with recall.”
“What?” He tsked. “And how?”
“Why are youangryI’ve complimented your memory?” I asked. There were crickets chirping. “You learned my maid’s name,” I said. “And used it. To her face.”
He leaned in. “I spoke to her. One generally addresses a person by name when they do that.”
“You spoke to Miss Jocelyn because she was dropping my gown, and you did not have to help her, yet you did,” I said.
“And the other option? Let it fall?”
“What do you care? You thought it was a tablecloth,” I said. “You hate it.”
“I don’t hate itonyou,” he said. “Just when it was bundled.”
I felt my waist. “You don’t dislike it on me?”
Mr. Evergreen followed my hand with his eyes. They fluttered back to my face.
“Are you suggesting I Iook… good?” I asked. A blatant sense of victory filled my chest. Somewhere, my inner monologue screamed to abort before I was ruined.
“You need to hear that you’re beautiful?” he asked. “You know you are; you’re told it every day.”
“I amnot,”I said. “How dare you!”
“How dare I what? Know there’s no way that you make it a single day without someone praising your good looks?”
I scoffed. “Oh, how would you even formulate that theory, sir?”
“I have eyes, don’t I?” he said. “You’re radiant; that’s fact.”
“Are you—?” I stopped. “Are you insulting me orflirtingwith me, sir?”
Cyrus frowned. “You wish,” he said.
“No, I do not!”
Then he smirked.
“What?” I asked.
“What, what?” he replied.
“I— I’m confused.”
“That seems to be your default,” he said.
“Oh! You’re a rotten sort of foul, aren’t you?” I asked. I gestured at his expression. “Do you wake up like this, or do you have to work to be so facetious?”
“Tell me about the ball,” he said.
