A loud knock on the door cut Annalisa off. Fraleigh looked over with mild annoyance at Headmistress Blackiston, who had a rare look of confusion on her face. Headmistress Blackiston quickly walked over to the door and opened it, revealing a man wearing a Hyton Blue coat—one of DukeHyton’s servants.
“Pardon me, Headmistress,” he said softly, “His Excellencyis here.”
“Father?” Annalisa gasped with a hopeful look inher eyes.
Headmistress Blackiston furrowed her brow and looked over her shoulderat Fraleigh.
“Go on, Lenora,” Fraleigh said calmly. “I certainly do not needyour supervision.”
Headmistress Blackiston nodded with a look of confusion in her black eyes and she quietly left with the servant. When the door closed, Fraleigh returned her attention to Annalisa and ordered herto continue.
“I also have perfect penmanship,” Annalisa said softly as she eyed theclosed door.
“Visual arts exude vitality,” Fraleigh said. “You will be asatisfactory bride.”
Annalisa let out a relieved breath. Fraleigh then turnedto Dinah.
“Your majesty,” Dinah said with more confidence in her voice than Annalisa had, “I am accomplished at the harp, the lyre, and the flute. Ialso sing.”
“Music brings much happiness,” Fraleigh said. “You will be asatisfactory bride.”
I held my breath. Derrick could play both the harp and the violin. I had told Derrick that instruments were too complex for me to handle, hoping I would come off as demurely humble while bolstering his own musical accomplishments. I had not considered that he might want a Duchess who could play multiple instruments as well as he could. He could change his mind and choose Dinah once he learned ofher talent.
Fraleigh turned her attention to Camille as my palms began tosweat again.
Camille smiled and kept her eyes to the floor. “Your majesty, I take joy in herbology. I cultivate roses and experiment with herbs in cookingand medicine.”
“Delightful,” Fraleigh crooned. “You will be asatisfactory bride.”
Camille was sweet as a daisy with rosy cheeks and an air of natural grace. She might have been one of the dullest girls at Ashmore, but she was at least genuine. I had worked for years to charm and deceive while Camille had formed lasting connections with just a few blinks of her long eyelashes. Maybe Derrick would notice Camille’s air-headed smile at the Presentation and decide that he would rather have a Duchess who was easy and wouldnever argue.
Fraleigh’s golden eyes flicked over to me. I had worried so much about my competition that I did not think of what my accomplishments even were. I enjoyed sewing and arithmetic, but servants did all the household sewing and arithmetic was solely for the man of the house to worry about. I quickly thought of something toimpress Fraleigh.
“Your majesty,” I said, “I am accomplished in the design of fine garments as well as the means of logic andpractical thinking.”
Fraleigh shot me a predatory look. “Those are notyour accomplishments.”
My heart stopped. Fraleigh stepped over until she was right in front of me. Her face was uncanny, like it was carved by magic and not from a natural life. I dared to flick my eyes to her golden collar long enough to read the wordsIpse Dixitengraved on thegleaming metal.
Fraleigh looked down at me for a moment before she spoke in a chilling voice. “I see you, Serafina Ravenwood. Your accomplishments are nothing you havelearned here.”
She pointed her long finger at my forehead with her sharp fingernail barely touching my skin. A chill shot from my head to my toes and I stopped myselffrom quivering.
“You have a strong wit.” She moved her finger down to my lips. “And aquick tongue.”
She removed her finger from my lips and placed her hands behindher back.
“You are manipulative and anexcellent liar.”
My blood froze. I waited for her to tell me that I, too, would be a satisfactory bride. Without another word, Fraleigh’s golden eyes were off me and she walked back to the front ofthe room.
My thoughts raced. I was not a satisfactory bride. She knew about my secret relationship with Derrick and that ruined my chastity. I was going to be the property ofDuke Hyton.
I shuddered as I pictured Duke Hyton’s wolfish eyes wandering down my body instead of my mother’s, but Fraleigh spoke again. “You all passed the purity examination. Now you may know the secrets ofSelection Night.”
I let a tiny sigh of relief escape my lips. The plan to marry Derrick wasstill on.
“That was it?” Dinah asked. “Y-your majesty,I mean.”
