The Season (Season Series #1)

Chapter 19.2: An Engagement

I ran to catch up with Ella and the girls before the queen's walk in the gardens. I was of half a mind not to, but the dazzling sunshine was too much of a temptation to pass up. Or at least that's what I told myself so I wouldn't think I was running to escape the blue dress in Audra's workshop. She had gone on and on about the arrangements for the masquerade next week and the whole time I felt a knot twisting tighter and tighter in my stomach.

So I ran.

I'd made up some excuse about Ella being furious if I missed the queen's walk and Audra seemed to believe it, hugging me and assuring me she'd have the dress and disguise well hidden until I needed them. I didn't even think to ask her if Andrew had thought of some way for me to sneak out of the suite while Emily and Rosanna were there. In fact, my brain was thoroughly addled and I hoped some fresh air and sunshine would set it to thinking properly once again.

I slowed my steps as I approached where the debutantes had gathered, careful to calm my racing heart and panting breath before I rounded the corner in the hedge. They'd assembled on the same lawn where I'd interrupted Andrew's croquet game to ask him for a favour. With a shake of my head, I forced that memory down, inhaling to lock away all thoughts of what had transpired earlier that morning. I forced my face to relax into as much of a smile as I could muster before I rounded the hedgerow.

But it was of no use. As soon as I'd passed through the gate onto the croquet lawn, I stopped dead in my tracks. Instead of it being a gaggle of debutantes, the young men of the court were milling around with them. I spotted a head of dark, princely hair across from me, but I couldn't bring myself to look at him. Georgina noticed me hovering, stunned, and swooped over to fetch me.

"There's to be an announcement!" she whispered, linking her arm with mine to draw me towards the gaggle of courtiers. The knots in my stomach returned when I noticed that servants were weaving through the courtiers, passing out flutes of champagne.

"I thought we were going for a walk," I whispered back, as she handed me a glass. Surely it was far too early in the day for alcohol!

"We are! But it seems the announcement cannot wait," Georgina said, positively bubbling with excitement, "I wonder what the queen will say!"

I took a large gulp of champagne, willing my eyes to stare straight ahead. I was acutely aware of Andrew's presence across the lawn, but thankfully Georgina insisted on pulling me through the crowd in the opposite direction, towards where Alexandra and Rosaline, Emmie's two other ladies in waiting, were standing.

"Ashley hasn't left the prince's side!" Rosaline was whispering to Alexandra, the two of them giving me stiff nods in greeting.

"And Sarah hasn't been too far off either," Georgina said, leaning in to whisper with them. Despite my best efforts to keep them pointed at my toes, I couldn't fight my eyes from lifting of their own accord. They found where Andrew was standing with Ashley, just as Rosaline had said, and the knot in my stomach twisted violently. Ashley was batting her eyelashes up at him, a perfect smile on her perfect face. Andrew was grinning down at her, laughing about something as they spoke.

I downed the rest of my champagne as I slammed my eyelids shut.

"You're supposed to save that," Rosaline noted with distaste as I handed my flute to a passing servant, exchanging it for another. I'd only been drunk once before and it was when Edward had announced that he was marrying Vile Edith. Xavier had smuggled a bottle of my father's port out of his study and we'd shared it - he to mourn the brother he'd lost to the claws of an evil hag and me to bemoan the fact that my first sister-in-law was utterly dreadful.

I was about to lift the next glass to my lips when there was a tinkling sound and the group parted to make space for the queen in the center. She was dressed in a stunning silvery yellow dress, her crown nestled among her dark curls as she drew our attention, beaming at all of us in turn. It was a new expression on her, her usually stern face relaxed and jovial as she addressed us.

"I have asked you all here today to celebrate the Season's very first engagement!" she said. The smattering of polite applause was drowned out by the frantic, excited whispers of the debutantes and their ladies in waiting. I was openly staring at how Ashley was gazing up adoringly at Andrew, the prince's eyes on his mother.

"It is with great pleasure that I announce to you all that Martin Pendleton has asked Harriet Smith for her hand in marriage," the queen said, lifting her glass to where the surly Martin was sulking in a corner with homely Harriet Smith. But for the first time since I'd been at court, Martin and Harriet looked nothing like the grouchy, perpetually sneering courtiers I'd become familiar with. Instead, both of their faces had been utterly transformed by the smiles they were now wearing. Martin looked almost pleasant as he smiled down at his fiancee, while Harriet was blushing bashfully as we toasted her.

But my eyes weren't on Martin and Harriet for long. They'd found their way back to where Ashley was leaning up to whisper something in Andrew's ear. He leaned down to hear her, a half-smile on his face as her lips very nearly brushed his ear. When his eyes crinkled at whatever she'd said and he turned to look down at her, her face still dreadfully close to his, I couldn't handle it any longer. I turned away, tossing back yet another flute of champagne with shaking hands.

"Easy there," Georgina whispered, watching me lower my second empty glass. The queen had set off through the winding paths of the rose garden, walking at a snail's pace as the other ladies fell in behind her for our morning walk.

"Let's walk, shall we?" I said to Georgina, grabbing her by the arm and steering her to fall in behind Emmie and Mary Marquette.

"Why the big hurry?" Georgina asked, nearly spilling her champagne as I jostled her ahead of Mary's ladies-in-waiting. I shot a look around to be sure that I'd put as many debutantes between myself and the prince before I released Georgina's arm.

"I'm just hoping for a decent view of the gardens is all," I said. Georgina looked around to where I'd glanced back at Andrew and Ashley, frowning.

"He's looking at you, you know," she said, turning back around to face forwards as we meandered through the gardens.

I said nothing, instead choosing to clench my jaw as I wished for another glass of champagne.