Page 66 of Waking Roslyn

Oddly enough, her vicious little sneer made me smile, especially when I saw that Miriam looked a bit startled by it.

“Em,” John said, getting her attention.

“Hm?” she said, looking up from where she was punishing the dough.

“Will you take care of her?” he asked, tilting his head toward me.

“Of course.”

My mouth pulled to the side as I looked at them, confused. “I don’t need looking after.”

“Just think of it as another good hiding spot.” He winked at me. “I have to get back to work.”

“Go on, we’ve got her,” Miriam said and waved him off.

And just like that, he was gone. I supposed I shouldn’t have been surprised. He had left in the middle of a task, after all.

“How is the training going?” Emeline asked as she formed the dough so that it once again looked like a loaf ready for baking.

“Well enough,” I said, and was grateful when Miriam started chattering about her own struggles with learning archery.

I passed a pleasant morning with them, but when they started preparations for the midday meal, I knew I was in the way. Plus, I should return to Bridgefield to eat with Lisette.

***

I had finished dressing for dinner and was just coming out of my room when a loud knock reverberated through the house. Someone was obviously pounding on the front door.

I hurried down the corridor until I reached the top of the steps and could look down into the entryway. The butler opened the door and I was surprised to see Princess Marilee step inside, followed closely by her guard, Falstone.

“Good evening,” she said in a sharp tone. “Is his lordship at home?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the butler replied with a dip of his head. “I will see if he is receiving. Would you like to wait in the sitting room?”

“No thank you, I am fine here.”

“Might I take your cloak?” he asked, gesturing to the cloak draped over the aqua-blue gown trimmed in violet lace that she wore underneath.

“No. I won’t be staying long.”

“Very good, Your Highness.” The butler bowed and went to find Lord Rockwell. Princess Marilee immediately started pacing and wringing her hands. Falstone stood against the closest wall, looking appropriately intimidating.

A sound behind me made me turn. Lisette was coming toward me, a hand raised to check that her hair was not coming undone and a concerned look on her face. I shook my head before she could ask any questions and gestured for her to join me against the wall and out of sight. She squeezed in close beside me and looked over my shoulder. “Is that Princess Marilee?” she asked in a whisper.

“Yes, and she has demanded an audience with Edmund.”

“Demanded? Oh dear…”

“Your Highness.” Edmund’s words floated up to us just before he came into sight.

Princess Marilee stopped pacing and pulled her shoulders back as he approached.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” His voice was a little tight, but not nearly so filled with tension and antagonism as it had been at the dinner party.

Marilee’s expression was half rage, half fear. “You and I, we know each other. And while I may not like you, I at least believed that you were more decent than your brother.”

Lisette’s hand suddenly gripped my arm. I was just as shocked as she was.

Edmund’s response was frigid. “My brother was a fine man, and—”