“It’s all right,” she assured her friend quickly. “I can handle the extra work.”
Together, they assembled in the main hall, along with a dozen other girls who’d stolen out to the ball.
One by one, Madame Irmina doled out their punishments. When at last she reached Cinderella, her mouth thinned into a tight, disappointed line. “When I set rules, I expect them to be followed. That goes especially for new hires such as yourself. Here I was starting to think there might be some hope for you.”
Cinderella felt heat rush to her cheeks.
The bells chimed for the serving maids to get to work, and Madame Irmina threw an apron and Amelia’s orange sash at her, then pushed a tray into Cinderella’s arms. “Once you finish serving breakfast, report here immediately for the rest of your extra tasks.”
“The dress is in my room,” whispered Cinderella to Louisa as she tied on the orange sash. “I’ll bring it to you after I’m finished with the breakfast service.”
“Follow me.” Madame Irmina grabbed her by the sleeve, dragging her toward the kitchen. She motioned at a large tray sitting on one of the shelves, heavy with jams, a porcelain teapot, teacups, pastries, and silverware, all meticulously arranged.
“Bring that into the royal hall,” said Irmina. “And for the love of God, don’t drop it!”
Cinderella was more than up to that task, at least. Years of balancing trays—one in each hand for her stepsisters, and one on her head for her stepmother—made short work of one platter.
She picked it up easily and wove into the line of servants carrying breakfast into the royal dining hall.
Keep your eyes down,she warned herself, but it was impossible to follow her own advice. The first thing she did when she entered the dining room was search for the prince.
Her eyes picked him out easily; he sat to his father’s right, his fingers clutching the thin handle of his teacup. Though he wasn’t drinking.
Seeing him, her stomach flipped. She couldn’t face him again, not so soon after the masquerade the night before. What would she tell him? How would she explain her running away—for the second time? Worse yet, how would he react upon learning that she was a servant in the palace? In front of his father...
Andthe Grand Duke.
Fighting the urge to duck behind a column, she fell slightly out of sync with the other servants processing into the hall. She hurried forward to catch up, and her mother’s beads clattered in her pocket. She’d forgotten to leave them in her room. No chance of doing that now; it was too late. Besides, she had other things to worry about.
Chin up,she reminded herself. Maybe he wouldn’t recognize her in her uniform. After all, he hadn’t the first time.
Just serve the food quickly, then leave.
The king sat at the head of the table. To his right was the prince, and to the left was the Grand Duke, tying a napkin around his neck in preparation for his meal.
“The Princess of Lourdes was most distraught,” the duke was saying. “Most distraught indeed. She was an honored guest of Aurelais, and imagine my mortification when I brought her to be introduced to the prince, only to find out it was his attendant!”
“Charles, what have you to say for yourself?” said King George sternly.
When the prince did not reply, Ferdinand threw his hands up in the air. “Sire, this is a national embarrassment. It’ll be the doom—”
“She was there,” interrupted Charles finally.
“She?”
“The maiden with the glass slipper?” Ferdinand raised an eyebrow. “Well, why didn’t you say so? Where is she now?”
Charles stared at his cup of tea.
“She got away again, didn’t she? A rather peculiar young lady, I said so before. I’ll say it again to remind you, Your Highness. A girl like that is unfit to be a princess—”
“I won’t have you slandering her,” cut in the prince. “You don’t know her.”
“No oneknows her, Your Highness,” returned the duke smugly.
So,Cinderella thought with a quiet breath,he isn’t angry. He’s still looking for me.
The king was quiet during the exchange. As Cinderella approached them with their breakfast, he reached over to the fruit bowl for an orange.
