Page 25 of A Cake of Cherries and Charm

“There you are!”

They both turned to see Natalie hurrying toward them, her face grave. “I’ve been looking all over for you!”

“Give me one moment,” Snow said, still glaring in the direction of the hedge. “I’m going to deal with something.”

“If it’s about the rumor concerning Lady Rose, I’m afraid you don’t have time,” Natalie said with a grimace. “The queen has requested your presence for morning tea, and you’ll be late if you delay.”

“Oh, I forgot about that.” Snow pursed her lips, looking at Rosie. “Come. We’ll deal with this later.”

Natalie closed her eyes, looking pained. “I’m afraid,” she said reluctantly, “that the queen has requested your presence... alone this morning, Lady Snow.”

Rosie and Snow stared at her, but Rosie’s stomach began to sink. She had a feeling she knew where this was going.

“But we were both invited,” Snow said, her voice quivering slightly.

“I… I know.” Natalie looked at the ground. “But the queen specified that… Rosie is no longer welcome.”

Rosie worked hard to swallow the sudden lump in her throat as she turned to her sister. “Go,” she said, working up the best smile she could muster. “You can’t be late to see the queen.”

“But–” Snow began. Rosie, however, gently shoved her toward the castle.

“Please, love. You can’t expect to make the queen wait. It wouldn’t be good for either of us.”

Snow stared at her for a long moment before huffing and whirling around, then walking indignantly back toward the castle.

“I am sorry,” Natalie said, going to the bench they’d been sitting on and patting it. “Truly. I heard the rumor myself only this morning from my maid. And after a bit of work at the breakfast table, I traced it back to Lady Sandra.”

Rosie sighed and sat wearily beside her. “You can’t imagine the depth of my surprise.” Then she made herself look Natalie in the eye. “Is it really so bad?”

“I’m afraid it is.” Natalie flinched. “I know it’s all a lie, of course. I knew it the moment I heard it. But I’m afraid Lady Sandra’s story was rather expertly woven.”

Rosie stared at her. “But… why? Prince Jonathan invited me to the stables after he saved me from an embarrassment in the kitchen. An embarrassment her daughter caused!”

“That’s the trouble of it. My cousin is a good man. And as he’s currently of a mind to be married, it would make sense for him to take eligible young ladies out for innocent ventures like rides on the castle grounds… if he actually did such a thing. But he doesn’t spend time like that with other girls. Not even the ones his parents are considering for his own marriage. So… you see, it makes the rumor more believable as he was spending time with you.” Natalie paused to tilt her head thoughtfully at Rosie. “Although I will say, the fact that he has taken such an interest in you is quite a compliment.”

Rosie shrugged helplessly. “I thought perhaps he was simply being kind, seeing as we still didn’t really know anyone. Honestly, we’ve not had many conversations. He’s been quite thoughtful, of course, but all the attention he’s given has been the most general of kindnesses.” As she spoke, though, she thought of the way he’d pressed her hands against his while showing her the use of the pommel and the reins the day before. And upon this reflection, she realized that there had been nothing so very generic in these attentions. But really, that had only been once!

“He’s really not shown me that much attention,” she added, scowling, as much in annoyance with her own foolish hopes as with Lady Sandra. “I’ve had perhaps four or five private conversations with him since we arrived.”

But Natalie shook her head. “It may not seem like much, but as I told you, he doesn’t really give much attention to any female. His father keeps him too busy. So for him to take time out of his schedule as he has and show you personal attention…” She shook her head. “Believe me, it’s been very noticeable.”

“But what does it mean?” Rosie pressed, trying to ignore the suddenly wild, rebellious flutterings of her heart.

“It could mean two things,” Natalie said, leaning back and lazily fingering the outline of a plump pink peony. “One, that he intends to pursue you.”

Rosie’s heart gave another strange little jump, but she mercilessly shoved it back down. Best not to even allow that kind of thinking to enter her head.

Or her foolish, traitorous heart. “And two?”

“Two, if Miss Marianne is chosen–and rumor has it that she’s the current favorite of the king and queen–as soon as she’s established, she’ll find a way to either get rid of you or make your life miserable.” Natalie shuddered. “That’s why she’s here, you know. The king and queen invited several eligible women here to spend more time with them so they could evaluate the strengths of such connections. Lady Mable, Miss Augustus Habernath, and Lady Charity are all candidates, but Miss Marianne has thus far outshone them all.”

“And whoever is chosen for Jon–Prince Jonathan,” Rosie corrected her slip quickly, “will immediately have more influence than Snow.”

Natalie nodded sympathetically. “You have some protection now as the sister of a future princess. But Jonathan’s wife will have far more sway as the future queen.”

Rosie looked earnestly at her friend–for Natalie truly had played the part of a real friend.

“What do I do?” she asked. “You know far more about politics and court fights. What’s my best course of action now?”