“He plans to bring Kayla to your ball. It’s part of his grand plan to win her over. I’d appreciate if he didn’t end up in trouble for bringing a woman who is not his relative.”
I laughed. This was the big secret Kayla was keeping?
Sam scowled. “It’s not funny, Mina. I figure you can edit the guest list or something, and you won’t even need to tell Jeff your identity, though obviously he and Kayla will recognize you once they are at the ball. But that would have been true, anyway.”
I tried to muffle my laughter. “Sam, the ball is open to every eligible commoner in Nemya. There isn’t a guest list. I mean, there will be a few special guests, but anyone can attend.”
“Yes, but each man is only allowed one female guest, and she is supposed to be a sister or cousin.”
“And who do you think will be checking that?” Another burst of laughter snuck through. “No one expects that rule to be followed. It didn’t make sense to fill a ballroom only with men, and since the men are supposed to be attending because they want to marry me,it would be silly to say they can bring their lovers, but no one cares. If anything, it will help me eliminate people from consideration. Jeff can bring Kayla without any risk of getting in trouble, I promise.”
“Oh.”
“I should mention something along those lines to Gemma and Cole, too.” No doubt Cole didn’t plan to attend the ball because he was not only betrothed, but besotted. But he and Gemma shouldn’t miss out on the fun if they wanted to go. I’d certainly prefer to see them over Kayla. I’d have to tell Hannah and Phillip, as well. “Do you think I can convince them before I’ve revealed my identity? I want them to have time to plan for the trip if they want to go.”
“I’ll talk to Cole. I’ll make it sound like it is common knowledge in the city.” His eyes narrowed. “So common, you laughed at me when I mentioned only bringing a relative.”
“Sorry,” I said with a grin. Looking up, I realized we had circled around the village and were now on the same side as the stream. The sun was sinking lower, and if I didn’t want to miss Alan, I needed to go soon. I slipped my arm free of Sam’s. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Where are you going?”
I turned around, walking backward as I spoke to him. “I’m not done with my walk.”
He followed. “Then I’ll stay with you.”
“I want to finish it alone.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
I shook my head. “You asked a favor of me; now I’m asking one of you. Go home, Sam.”
“But my favor didn’t require you to do anything, it seems.”
“And my favor doesn’t require you to do anything, either. Good night, Sam.”
He shook his head, but stopped following me. He’d have questions for me later, but I’d deal with his curiosity so long as I could get to the stream alone soon.
I was currently at the other end of the village from the Wrisons’ home. When I made my way over to the stream, I discovered that it ran level with the surrounding area. As I followed it north, the bank began to slope, the stream dropping lower, until I reached the steps I usually used.
No one was waiting there.
I sat on the boulder, watching for Alan. Even if he had come earlier, then left before me, I should have passed him walking next to the stream. But I didn’t think it was late enough that he would have come and gone already.
Still, I expected him soon.
If he was coming at all.
But when the darkness deepened past the point anyone would call twilight, I had to admit that Alan was not coming.
Fourteen
Alan
???
I made nailafter nail. The mindless, repetitive task was all I was good for right now. Two nights. Powell hadn’t gone to the tavern two nights in a row, making it impossible for me to visit Mina.
Ever since Cole came to the forge, my stepfather had been watching me more carefully. I shouldn’t have risked speaking up. The change in my behavior might have given me hope that Cole didn’t completely detest me as I had once thought, but I wasn’t sure that was worth missing my evenings with Mina.
