A gasp went round the room. All eyes were on the queen’s face. What would the royal lady possibly say to that?
From the corner of her eye, Lucy spied Cass standing next to Aunt Mary rapidly fanning herself. Aunt Mary seemed to have a permanent wince burned onto her features, and Lady Moreland had her arms crossed over her chest and a satisfied smirk on her face. She knew she’d won.
Lucy picked up her skirts. Cass had been adamant. She must back out of the room as soon as the queen dismissed her. One never turned one’s back to a monarch, and Lucy’s retreat was about to be the most humiliating in history.
“I have one more question for you, Lady Lucy,” the queen said.
Lucy gulped. “Yes, Your Majesty?”
“Whydo you wish to marry the Duke of Claringdon?”
Lucy took a deep breath. “The truth is, Your Majesty, I regret that he is a duke. I want to marry him because he is the best man I’ve ever known. More loyal and loving and kind than anyone knows. I love him, Your Majesty, and I would do anything for him. Including coming here today and wearing this ridiculous gown with the equivalent of a bird in my hair and stays that may end my life, and simper and scrape and act proper for the chance to spend the rest of my life with him.”
That had done it. She’d rendered the poor princesses speechless. Their royal mouths had all dropped open simultaneously.
Lucy glanced about the chamber. Cass’s mother was practically rubbing her hands together with glee. And Cass had gone so pale, Lucy was certain she would faint—which might be just the distraction Lucy needed to back out of the room without as many people watching.Faint, Cass. Faint.
The queen narrowed her eyes on Lucy and drummed her fingers along the arms of her ornate chair. “I remember you, Lady Lucy. You told me you didn’t enjoy being forced into uncomfortable clothing for the sake of propriety and you kicked off your shoes after declaring that they pinched your feet hideously.”
Lucy closed her eyes. Oh, yes, that had been her, all right. She bowed her head. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Then you pulled the feathers out of your hair and asked your mother if the ‘blasted thing’ was over yet.”
Lucy pressed two fingertips to the throbbing pain in her skull. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
The queen leaned forward just a bit. “You are your parents’ only child, are you not?”
That was a surprising question. “Yes, Your Majesty. My brother Ralph died at the age of nine.”
The queen glanced around at the princesses. “Can you imagine, girls, not having any sisters?”
The princesses’ sympathetic murmurs filled the state room. With such a robust family, no indeed, they could not imagine any such thing.
The queen looked down her nose at Lucy once again. “I shall leave it to you to inform Claringdon that you’re to be his bride.”
Lucy’s heart stopped. If anyone was going to faint now, it just might be her. “Did I hear you correctly, Your Majesty? I thought you said—”
The queen nodded. “You’re of good family. I see no reason to object. Seems to me you’re both a bit unconventional and will be the perfect match for each other. Not to mention there is hardly enough true love in this world.”
The princesses collectively sighed.
The squeal Lucy heard next must have been her own but she didn’t stop to examine its origin. “Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you very much.” She began to back away. Oh, it was taking far too long. About halfway across the room, she turned, picked up her skirts, and ran full tilt.
Lady Moreland’s vehement protests echoed through the chamber. Lucy’s eyes briefly met Cass’s. Cass’s mouth was as wide as an O.
“Lucy, you’re running,” Cass called, an undercurrent of disapproval and warning in her voice.
“I know,” she called back.
“Why?” Cass’s voice was filled with nerves. Then, “Where are you going?”
Without breaking her stride, Lucy yanked off her feathered headdress and tossed it in the air. “I’m going to be bold!”
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
It took more than a bit of cajoling on Lucy’s part to convince Hughes to inform her of his master’s whereabouts that evening. Apparently, Derek had been at the club all afternoon and had only returned home briefly to change his clothing and leave again for a dinner party.
The prince regent’s dinner party.
