“Yes! A toast!” Simon turned from the group, finding the nearest footman and waving him down.
“Oh, Simon.” Marguerite feigned a protest, waving her free hand through the air.
“Yes, a special birthday toast,” Alanna agreed as Simon returned with an entire tray of bubbly drinks. He passed out the beverages and handed the tray back to the footman.
“To our beloved cousin, Marguerite,” Simon began with half a bow in her direction. “Wishing you long life, love, and prosperity. Happy birthday!”
A chorus of “Happy birthday” resounded and glasses were tipped back, but before Cecile brought her glass to her lips, she added, “May you become a proper princess!”
Harrison nearly choked on his lemonade, Simon brought his glass down with a glare and “Cecile,” and Pyotr curved his shoulders and angled his head toward her. Only Marguerite and Alanna appeared unperturbed.
“Oh, quiet now,” Marguerite said with a roll of her eyes. “You allknowI’m behind Arabella in this. I no more want to see my father become king than I want to see this party come to an end.”
“Unfortunate, but inevitable,” Simon muttered with the glass to his lips, then he took a swig. Jade cut her eyes over to him, unsure anyone else heard him. Did he side with Grannam? Or did he know something about Grannam that the others didn’t?
The orchestra broke out into a new song, and Cecile’s eyes widened as she gulped and pulled the glass from her mouth. “This dance! Oh, Pyotr, hurry, I want to do this one!” She tugged him away from the group without so much as a farewell, dropping their glasses off with a footman before rushing to the dance floor.
“I have this dance as well.” Simon threw back the last of his drink, taking the courtesy to bow for the group before departing and meeting up with a different young woman than before.
It left Jade alone with Harrison, Marguerite, and Alanna.
Marguerite turned again to Jade, her expression now more inquisitive than confused. Her fingertips rotated the stem of the glass in her hand as she surveyed Jade.
“What an exquisite dress, Lady Elena.” She took a step forward to peer closer at the fabric. “The embroidery is spectacular. You must have an excellent seamstress.”
Nothing in Marguerite’s tone spoke to insincerity or annoyance. When she raised her eyes to meet Jade’s, a sparkle radiated from them, and they crinkled at the corners.
“Yes, we do. She’s young, but she’s been incredibly well-trained.” Jade spoke evenly and confidently, but not too presumptuously, and smiled at Marguerite. “She’s the best in Ellyris.”
With a raise of her eyebrows, Marguerite glanced back at Alanna, and the corners of Alanna’s mouth turned up. The guest of honor turned back to Jade, reflecting Alanna’s smile. “Isn’t it wonderful to have such a talented seamstress?” She angled her head briefly toward Alanna. “Alanna and I have seen the same seamstress since we were children. She’s absolutely magnificent, but she’s starting to lose dexterity with her age, and I’m afraid she won’t work for much longer.”
“It’s an absolute tragedy,” Alanna interjected with a shake of her head. “To lose your skill like that.”
Marguerite threw her gaze over to Alanna. “And forusto lose our perfect dresses!”
Jade drew her eyebrows together and sighed in commiseration. They’d given her the perfect topic to make herself relatable to them. “How awful! I hope she has been training someone to take her place.”
Marguerite pursed her lips and leaned in toward Jade as if to share a secret. “If she has, she hasn’t told us. I think she’s letting her pride get in the way and doesn’t want to admit her time is limited.”
Alanna nodded in strong agreement. Jade leaned in the rest of the way, lowering her voice to the same level as Marguerite. “If you ever come toEllyris, find me, and I’ll take you to my seamstress. Get a whole season’s worth of dresses while you’re there!”
Marguerite’s eyes rounded, and Alanna smiled.
“You would do that?” Marguerite asked, a tempered level of surprise coating her voice.
They must not have expected someone within aristocratic circles to willingly share such a talented seamstress. It was against the nature of the elite, after all, to be generous.
“Why not?” Jade waited for a coy smile or glance between the cousins, something that gave away a plan to take advantage of the debutante who didn’t understand the ways of society, but they only grinned. Marguerite clasped her hands together under her chin, opening her mouth to speak, but a half-cough, half-laugh to Jade’s left drew the attention of the group.
“My, my, all this talk of seamstresses and gowns makes me feel a bit superfluous.” Harrison clasped his hands behind his back and rocked forward on the balls of his feet, an uncomfortable grin on his face. Jade gave him an apologetic smile while Marguerite stepped forward and laid her hand on his arm.
“Oh, forgive us, Cousin. But I simply couldn’t go without commenting on your friend’s gown. It’s so stunning.”
Jade lowered her face as she let a sheepish smile creep across her cheeks. “You are too kind, my lady.”
“Oh, none of that now. I won’t allow it!” Marguerite grinned through her put-on sternness. “We shall be friends; I’ve decided.” She moved her hand from Harrison’s arm to clasp one of Jade’s. “Now, tell me, where did you get your mask? It matches your dress and jewelry perfectly.”
“Actually, if you don’t mind,” Harrison cut in, reaching out to retrieve Jade’s empty lemonade glass, “I’d like to have one more dance with Lady Elena, if she’s willing.”
