Pip chuckled. “Come now, Liz, you must admit that I was inspired. I will never forget the sight of Lady Barker running down the hall in her shift dropping other people's bracelets as she ran. You never would have had the evidence of her thievery otherwise.”
“I was going to search her room.”
“She was carrying everything on her person. Well, until she was visited by the ghost of her mother, anyway.”
Lizzie sighed again. “The Red Suite.”
Pip gave her a big grin. “Appropriate. It looks like a bordello.”
Lizzie scowled. “Don't be silly. That was the queen's suite.”
Pip giggled. “My, our queen has unexpected depths.”
“Not that queen…”
“What about our queen?” they both heard.
Pip almost groaned out loud. Neither of them had noticed that they had been approached by none other than the current queen's granddaughter.
“Your Highness,” Pip intoned with Lizzie as both dipped curtsies to the seventeen-year-old heir to the English throne.
Princess Charlotte, plump and pretty and up for every rig and row, waved away the formality. “You both know better than to play up to me. I amquitepowerless to help better your lots, which means we are all three forced to endure thisexcruciatinglydull party. Not that I blame your dearmaman, Elizabeth. She throws the mostdivineaffairs, and she wassokind to make sure the Prince of Wales could not deny her invitation to me. It is simply that the Prince of Wales has burdened me with the mostdreadfulwatchers. Only my own dear Mercer has my interests at heart. And you also, I hope.”
Pip dreaded having to answer. She really did like the princess, but if she became embroiled in one of Charlotte's escapades, it would go much harder on her than the crown princess. And that was just from the government. She didn't even want to consider what her parents would do.
“We are here to serve,” Lizzie assured the princess, but in a tone of voice that dampened expectations.
Charlotte giggled and patted both of them on the shoulder. “It isquitegood to know that you will be there if I need you. After watching your exhibition this afternoon with bow and arrow, Lady Phillipa, I should insist you carry a bow to protect me at all times. Astonishing display.”
Pip gave a quick curtsy. “It was my pleasure, Your Highness.”
Much more of a pleasure than constantly having to disabuse people of the notion that she could sing or paint or stitch.
The princess patted her on the arm. “I had heard about your unusual skills, of course. Can’t wait to see you on a horse. I understand you could do a turn at Astley’s. For now, however, I simply wish to hide out along with you to watch the party.” Her attention became riveted on Beau and his partner. “Mostdiverting, is it not? I swear, if my heart were not already given, I woulddelightin spending more time with that delicious Viscount Drummond. Too bad Lady Smythe-Smithe found him first.”
“Indeed,” was all Pip said, but the princess turned alert eyes.
“Do you think she is his mistress?” the princess asked.
Pip came within a hair's breadth of cursing at a member of the royal family. Because, of course, that was exactly what Pamela was. Pip had known it for weeks now. Her stomach ached with it.
“I wouldn't know, Your Highness,” Lizzie demurred grimly.
The princess just grinned. “Would you like me to have her...discommoded?” she asked, leaning close to Pip. “A word to my guard and she can be taken up for a spy.”
Pip battled an unholy urge to say yes. After all, it would solve more than one problem. But Pip didn’t need Beau finding out that she had lodged a treason charge against his mistress.
“If I could take that under advisement, Your Highness.”
Charlotte chuckled. “Well, let me know. I am quite certain that I wouldn't wish that harpy getting her claws into the manIlove.”
Pip sighed. It was hardly a secret that she had been trotting after Beau since the day she had been released from leading strings. She wondered right now how many people were watching her watch him to see how she reacted to his behavior, even though she had deliberately done her best to cut him off from her own heart.
But why would she react, really? He was only lifting La Smythe-Smithe's wrist to deposit a lingering kiss on the tender inside.
Dolt.
“I am quite certain I can think of something that might get his attention,” Princess Charlotte offered, obviously amused. “Or I could simply call for her husband…”
