Clever Lies for an Unexpected Rendezvous
I tapped my knee to the rhythm of the carriage wheels. Sleep tried to whisk me away into its endless bliss, but Lord Barret’s prattle would draw me out.
“Certainly I told her that the perfect manor would be ours even if I had to present a dragon’s head to the duke.”
Elbow propped on the window, I leaned my chin into my hand. “Dragons don’t exist, my lord.”
Undesired Introductions to Ignorant Lords
“How dare you foist some ill-fated lord upon me!”
Timothy glanced at Eleanor from the corner of his eye, the maid shrinking under his weathered gaze. “I guess I should define the term discreet.”
I stood up, regaining my brother’s attention. “Father wouldn’t have done this.”
Uncrossing his legs, he scooted closer to the dining table. “No, but Mother would. In fact, she sent the inquiry to Sir and Lady Velaneer before they departed.”
Seeking Knowledge of Past Veterans
Carson peeked around the bend, finding an empty hall. Stepping carefully along the creaky wood, he traced his fingers along the tomes that lined the tall shelves. Skirting a ladder, he read the titles. Histories, shipping ledgers, wars. Geographies, sciences, literature. A wealth of knowledge hidden in the attics of the manor.
His progress stopped. Carson grasped the worn binding of a hagiography dated to the 8th century. Removing the large book, he shuffled down the hall until he reached a desk near the back of the room. Dust billowed when the tome landed.
Finding Comeliness in a Foreign World
Curled on the window seat, my cheek chilled against the fogged glass. The sun rose gradually, but the mountains and woods blocked its rays. Not like our old home.
Gardeners scurried across the pavement, clipping hedges and pruning rose bushes. Mother marched through the courtyard, arms flying as an extension of her commands. Father walked with more grace and reservation, allowing her to manage the most minute of details.
“You’ll wrinkle your skirt.” Timothy’s pulchritude was accentuated by the four-piece suit Mother insisted he wear. Dirty blond locks greased back and purple scarf tied tight, he looked like a miniature of Father.
Kicking my legs off the seat, I smoothed my violet skirt. “What’s it matter? A nobleman will come with his wife, they’ll say welcome to the territory, marvel at how well behaved we are, and then disappear.”
Extreme Egos in High Society
Drumming my fingers, I endured Duchess Opal’s solipsism. Every word landed lighter than a feather, meaning sapped from her lush lips. Her makeup sparkled in the glow of the chandelier, but her eyes had no such gleam. The vision of opulence dressed in layers of expensive fabrics and precious jewels.
Yet none of it compared to her extreme sense of self-worth.
“You seem bored. Perhaps I should regale you with the tale of my first hunt. Men love hunting, but I find it quite frivolous. Nevertheless, I went with my father to catch a fox, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s quite exhilarating.”
I hummed acknowledgement, watching the door for a miracle.