The Betrothed (The Betrothed #1)(41)

I snapped back to the present, trying to carry on a normal conversation.

“Coroa has some fine lands. I’m sure you’ll find something suitable.”

She unwrapped the gift and gasped in delight. “Hollis, I love it!” She hugged the dress to her chest.

“I left material in case we need to make it longer. You’re very tall.”

She laughed. “I know. And look at the sleeves.”

“I just thought you’d like to match everyone else when we finally get to do this dance, and I did so appreciate your help. Though Saul was my favorite dance partner of the day.”

“He hasn’t smiled that much in ages. That alone was a gift for all of us.”

Something about the wistful tone of her voice almost made me want to cry. I wondered if I’d ever understand all that they’d been through.

“Good,” I said, not sure what else there was to say. “Well, I’d better be off. Someone has a private meeting with Queen Valentina today, thanks to the insight of a certain new friend,” I said, eyeing her.

“The food?”

“I stuffed her full of Coroan treats. She loved it. Thank you.”

“Anytime, Hollis. Genuinely.”

She was still holding up her dress, pressing it against her to see how it would fit.

“Good day, Lady Scarlet.”

Her eyes changed. She must have abandoned hope of being called a lady ever again. I pulled the door shut behind me, making my way back to the queen’s rooms and thinking of how I’d laughed at Scarlet under my breath that first day in the Great Room. I felt so silly for not understanding then what I did now: we weren’t that different. Not her, not Valentina, not Nora. In the end, we made enemies with our heads, but we unmade them with our hearts.





Twenty




I SAT IN FRONT OF my vanity, playing with my hair. As per Valentina’s request, I’d dismissed my ladies for the evening, so, for the very first time, I was alone in my new rooms. I took a moment to close my eyes and appreciate the aloneness. The palace was never really silent, and I supposed that was one of the things I’d come to love about it. The fire was making crackles and sparks, and I could hear the distant click of footsteps above me. Outside the window, the city that came right up to the castle was far from settling. I heard horses on the streets, men calling out orders, and people laughing in the open evening air. If I focused, I could even hear oars slapping the waters of the river. Unlike the noise in the Great Room, these sounds were a welcome song.

My whole life, I’d found so much delight in dancing and tournaments and company that I never realized how lovely a moment of stillness was. I’d discovered it far too late.

I opened my eyes to the knock at the door and paused a second before realizing I had to tend to it myself. Valentina was smiling, wiggling a small leather purse.

“I hope you’re prepared to hand over your fortune, Lady Hollis. In my day I’d rob the gentlemen of court blind.” She walked past me without waiting for an invitation. While it irritated me to no end when my mother did that, it felt quite natural from Valentina, and I couldn’t help but feel it added to her charm.

“Not anymore?” I asked, taking a seat at the table in the greeting area.

She shook her head. “No. The men of court keep their distance now. The ladies, too.” She threw her little bag down and surveyed the room, peeking around the wall into the bed space before coming to sit. “You have beautiful rooms.”

“Well, they should be beautiful. These are the queen’s apartments.”

She looked around again, eyes wide. “Already?”

I nodded. “If I was to meet a queen, His Majesty wanted me to be dressed and jeweled and roomed to equal her,” I commented with a smile. “I suppose it’s only a matter of time before an official proposal.”

Her face was colored with surprise yet again. “He hasn’t given you a ring?”

“Not yet. He wanted to be cautious. But now it seems everyone knows his intent, so it should be happening soon.”

She seemed tickled by my situation as she reached over for my golden dice. “Your relationship with your king is most amusing. He seems to enjoy that you are . . . a free spirit, let’s say.”

I shrugged. “I wish everyone felt the same way, but I’m glad Jameson appreciates me. What is it that drew King Quinten to you? You didn’t really say much about it earlier.”

Her eyes were instantly distant. “I don’t talk about it much,” she admitted.

“Oh.” I squinted, confused. “I’m sorry if—”

“No, no. Not many people understand; it might be good if someone else finally did.” She sighed, toying with the dice but not looking up at me. “After Queen Vera died, most everyone at court assumed Quinten would remain single. He had a male heir, and as far as anyone could tell, he had no interest in remarrying. I think . . . I think it was possible he really loved her. Queen Vera, that is. I caught him smiling at her a few times when I was very young.

“I’d been planning to marry Lord Haytham. He liked me very much, and my parents approved of him wholeheartedly. And Quinten’s focus was entirely on making a match for his son. But it seemed reports of Hadrian’s fragile health spread farther than anyone thought they would. The few girls who were approached by the king were quite suddenly engaged. One of them, Sisika Aram, was a dear friend of mine, and I know for a fact her arrangements were made the very day her family was called to meet with Quinten.”