Glitter (Glitter Duology #1)(39)
“Quick, Lord Aaron, a handkerchief. Perhaps we can hide Lady Nuala’s error,” I hiss, plenty loud enough for the trio to hear me.
A burgeoning smirk freezes on Lady Cyn’s face.
“Thank goodness my dress is red, Nuala,” I say patronizingly, dropping her title. “How humiliating for it to be known that you staggered so ungracefully. Not to mention ruining my gown. I know poise has always been a challenge for you.”
I blot the handkerchief across my skin, but it’s Lady Nuala’s face that’s flushing. There must be a clumsy moment in her past of which I am unaware.
“Allowances must be made for the stress of our Wednesdays. Besides, I do so respect your mother, the countess.” I could not for my life have come up with the name of Lady Nuala’s mother, but somehow my memory serves up her rank.
Lady Nuala stammers an apology, and when I turn to get Lord Aaron’s confirmation that the stain isn’t visible, I see her shoot an angry glare at Lady Cyn. “Come,” I say, tucking Lady Nuala’s arm into my elbow while gesturing for Lord Aaron to join our chain on Molli’s other side, “Let’s stroll for a bit, and no one will be any the wiser.”
I lead off, and our walking four abreast leaves Lady Cyn and Lady Giselle no choice but to follow us like sad hangers-on.
When Lady Cyn finally speaks, she has to pipe up from behind me. “I hear your circumstances have improved of late. Much good may it do you. The bedroom of Marie-Antoinette herself. Tell me,” she says, getting just close enough that I can hear her but no one outside our group can, “do you think the woman is spinning in her grave to have a commoner sleeping in her bed?”
My move to the Queen’s Rooms must have been a blow, but Lady Cyn won’t accept anything as permanent until the ink of our duly notarized signatures has dried on the marriage contract. So she’s waging a war to push me off a throne I’ve yet to sit on, and to set her own backside there instead.
She’s welcome to it.
I pause and turn halfway so I can look at her over my shoulder, holding her friend tightly in place at my side. “I like to think she’d be happy that her place is being filled by someone deserving,” I reply. “It could so easily have gone another way.”
I watch with satisfaction when two pink circles show on Lady Cyn’s cheeks, though her expression remains fixed.
It’s become a bit of a court-wide joke how obviously Lady Cyn is throwing herself at the King—aiming to get him to break his betrothal. But beyond their very public trysting—which she’s certain must be such an embarrassment to me—she’s no closer to the throne than she was the night the King and I were bound by blood.
“But since you mention it”—I continue walking and force Lady Cyn to keep up if she wants to hear—“Molli and I were just discussing my upcoming social. I’m hosting a tea party next week to warm my new quarters. Yours was the first name we thought of, of course.”
“Of course,” Lady Cyn echoes. Because who in the world would not want her at their party?
I can feel Molli’s arm—still linked with mine—trembling as she holds back laughter.
“Send me a com with the details. I’ll see if I can fit it in.”
Meaning she’ll clear her entire schedule if need be.
I spin and let go of the very uncomfortable Lady Nuala so I can face the group fully. “All three of you, of course.” I lean forward and whisper. “Truly, I won’t hold tonight’s unfortunate mistake against you. I’m not that sort.”
Lady Nuala dips another shallow curtsy and murmurs something I can’t quite understand. Both Lady Nuala and Lady Giselle were in that group of bullies who surrounded me when Lady Cyn warned me away from the King over a year ago. I don’t deny the satisfaction of revenging myself publicly for their cowardly private intimidation.
“You must tell me,” Lady Cyn says, and I hear hesitation in her voice, “what this…thing is that you’re doing here.” She gestures vaguely—faking disinterest—at the sparkles on my lips.
“Isn’t it glorious?” I say, preening shamelessly. “His Majesty has always been attracted to things that glitter.”
“I see. Well, don’t worry,” she says, her smile hard. “You’ll acquire real jewels soon, I’m sure. Wouldn’t want our Queen to appear as though she came from nowhere, would we?”
“I don’t know about that,” I say, scorning her weak verbal assault. “His Majesty was so enraptured by my mouth that he…said so specifically.”
A well-timed pause is sometimes the sharpest of weapons. Lady Cyn’s jaw literally drops, and I congratulate myself on shattering her careful self-control. I bring Molli and Lord Aaron back to my sides as I turn away from their group and make as if to continue our stroll.
After two steps I pause and look back over my shoulder, my companions accommodating me brilliantly, as though we’d planned the encounter to the smallest detail. I tip my head coquettishly. “I’ve had the lipstick specially made, so the Society people can have no objection. I suspect it will soon be all the rage. I’ll have some samples to share at my party—I’m certain you’ll want to be in on the latest fashion.”
“Of course,” Lady Cyn says, her lips thin.
“And we all want to please our King, don’t we?”