And held long, silver spears in their hands.
Spears!
It had to be the royal guard that lined the sidewalk frombuilding to curb to keep the people back in order that we could get in.
And one could say, a spear was a good incentive to stayback.
However, all of this just added weight to already weightyproceedings.
As such, things were primed for people to lose their minds,something they did with shouts and cheers, when our carriage doors opened—Mom,Ansley and Aunt Mary’s in front, Loren’s and mine behind—and Ansley and Lorenalighted.
And it felt alarmingly like things would careen out ofcontrol when Mom and I appeared.
Because the crowd…went…wild.
Fortunately, Madame Toussaint had outdone herself.
Mom was in a mulberry-colored confection with some shades ofmauve and heather in the feathers of her hat.
I was wearing a complementary color of a warm, wintery pinkwith creamy accents.
Aunt Mary, as was her usual, was wearing all black.
I clutched Loren’s elbow, and he moved us swiftly, carefulnot to be too swift so we wouldn’t trod on Mom’s train.
I was officially totally freaked out.
And as such, was making moves by rote.
Sure, the shrieking and shouts of, “The countess lives!Longlive the countess!”and “You can’t keep a good lady down!”were flipping myshit so much it didn’t occur to me these shouts were positive.
Mostly, it was because Loren had been silent and remote theentire ride there, and my heart was hammering in my chest so badly, I felt Ihad to have a care not to exert myself so it wouldn’t explode.
I vaguely noticed Maitland and the two, tall, gorgeous dudesstanding with him at the top of the steps, one gorgeous dude having black hair,the other having dark blond.
And I vaguely heard the clamor mute when we were inside, andthe doors were closed behind us.
I also vaguely felt Loren stop us and say formally, “Satrine, I wish to introduce you to two more of mybrothers.Ridley Middleton, the Earl of Hartley.And Ford Holton, the Duke ofBloodworth.”
“How do you do,” I said stiffly.
They murmured in return, and I sensed Marlow startle at myreply, but I was watching Mom disappear into a room at the same time fightingback a smothering sense of dread.
“Sattie, love, it’ll be allright,” I heard Marlow murmur comfortingly.
I lifted my gaze to him, noting then that my fiancé hadn’tsaid anything to comfort me, not that first word.
And, like a robot, I nodded.
That was when Marlow began to look less startled, ahellalot more worried and ahellalot more than that…pissed.
His attention jerked to Loren when he spoke.
“Let’s get in,” Loren said curtly.
It didn’t escape me his two friends were watching me withacute interest.
But I was ready to move on, face whatever there was to facein that court, and then face whatever was wrong with Loren, which was clearlysomething he thought was wrong with me.
