He gave me a wounded look. “You injure me, Miss Amarante! I must say your chances of becoming crown princess are not very high.”
“No, I didn’t mean—I mean—” I sputtered and stopped, realizing that he was teasing. My cheeks colored. “What I mean is,” I said, choosing my words carefully, “attending the Season is my punishment. I really have no desire to be crown princess, or marry anyone.”
“Let me guess. Your stepmother thinks surrounding yourself with well-mannered peers will improve you? Even better if a nice young chap decides to ask for your hand in marriage?”
“How did you know?” I said, surprised. He had stolen the words right out of Lydia’s mouth.
“Your stepmother and my father are quite similar,” Prince Ash said, chuckling. “But I’m afraid he has given up by now.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “What kind of havoc did you wreak?”
“Most recently? I accidentally set a hedge on fire. The head gardener was furious. But don’t tell anyone,” he said, chuckling. “What about you?”
“I put dirt in Julianna’s tea,” I said. I looked over the prince’s shoulder and spotted Julianna’s bright magenta dress. Incidentally, she was glaring at me. I ducked back down and pointed her out to him.
“I’m sure she deserved it,” he said, letting me go for a spin. “I once put dirt in the Aquatian ambassador’s tea, but I mixed it in so well he didn’t notice. Afterward, he said he liked the earthy flavor.”
The orchestra ended their song. Prince Ash and I stepped back. I gave the customary curtsy and he a bow. He was smiling when he straightened. He smiled a lot.
“Thank you for the dance, Miss Amarante. I hope we will see more of each other.”
“I reckon we will.”
“I’m crossing you off the list as well,” Prince Ash said. “My brother has the sense of humor of a dead fish. You’re far too fun for him.”
With another bow, he was off, no doubt to find another debutante to cross off.
I was back at the refreshments table when the next song began. My mouth was dry from talking and Lydia seemed pleased enough to leave me alone for a few minutes, so I took some punch and sat on one of the benches along the walls where other guests were resting their feet. Relishing the respite, I leaned back and watched the ballroom.
My peace was disrupted at the appearance of Julianna. I raised an eyebrow.
“Well?” I said.
Julianna scowled heavily. “Don’t think you’re safe because you danced with a prince. If I can’t punish you, Narcissa will,” she said. “She hasn’t forgotten that you tripped over her cat.”
With that, she went off. I sat back with a grin. To think I spent so many sleepless nights dreading this ball.
Narcissa’s ruby gown swirled past. She was dancing with Crown Prince Bennett, though to my amusement, he didn’t seem to be enjoying himself. Behind them, Duchess Wilhelmina was chatting with the queen. I took a sip of punch. Someone approached them with a silver platter with two jewel-encrusted goblets. The duchess offered one to the queen and took the other. Her Majesty smiled and brought the goblet to her lips. Scarlet red smoke billowed out from her cup.
I started, nearly spilling my punch.
But the smoke had disappeared. The queen was still smiling. Had I hallucinated?
Eventually, Lydia found me squinting at the dais, and scolded me for gaping like an ape. The ball went on with no more visions of red smoke. Cedric managed to ask Genevieve for a waltz after escaping Julianna’s claws for the third time that night. I danced with some of Lydia’s friends’ sons, who danced more awkwardly than they looked.
By the end of the night, all thoughts of the queen’s goblet were gone. My feet were sore and I wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep.
The carriage ride back was blissful for my aching limbs, but not quite so for my ears. My stepmother prattled on about young men and feathered fans and Lady Hortensia’s horrid gown. I was so exhausted that I only grunted when she asked me about my dance with Prince Ash. Seeing that she might as well interrogate a dead turtle, Lydia allowed me and Genevieve to stumble to our rooms without another comment.
