Princess Charming

Chapter 14: Charmaine

The possible-Elliot arrived just as the castle bells tolled ten. It was actually eleven, but a conversation with the royal time keeper had fixed that. When midnight came, her target would be blissfully unaware that it was time to escape and she would finally see what secret he was keeping.

Before Charmaine could approach him, Lord Lebroski stepped forwards and led him off to the side of the room. They spoke for a few minutes, their heads close together. Charmaine watched them with interest; did Lebroski know Elliot's true identity, or was he just interrogating the guest who had detracted attention from his own children?

Whatever they were saying didn't look friendly. After a moment more, Elliot pulled back abruptly, looking pale. He turned and began to walk back towards the door.

Panicking, Charmaine nodded in the direction of a serving boy close to the door. He rushed forwards, offering Elliot a glass of drink. Elliot tried to brush past the boy, but a shake of Charmaine's head had the boy steering Elliot around so that he was facing the dais.

A smile fixed on her face, Charmaine descended towards her former best friend.

"Leaving already?" she asked as she reached him.

"Please excuse me, Princess. I'm not feeling well all of a sudden. I wouldn't want to risk making you ill." He was twitchy; glancing over her shoulder as he spoke, keeping an eye on the rest of the room, which was, of course, monitoring their conversation with keen interest.

"But it's the final ball," Charmaine protested, pouting slightly. "Leave now and we may never meet again."

"Maybe that would be for the best, Princess." Another glance over her shoulder.

"What?" As she spoke, Charmaine spun, her gaze on the rest of the room. Everyone went quickly back to what they had been doing before Elliot's arrival. Everyone, that is, except Lord Lebroski, who was still watching Elliot with keen interest.

Charmaine snapped her fingers towards a guard at the side of the room. "Lord Lebroski is spoiling the tone of the night's entertainment," she told him quietly when he approached. "Please see that he is removed."

"Charmaine-" Elliot began, but Charmaine ignored him and dismissed the guard with a wave of her hand. "Come with me," she insisted, taking Elliot by the hand and leading him out of the ballroom and onto the veranda.

"Charmaine, I can't stay here! I need to leave!" Elliot sounded frantic. Afraid.

"Nonsense!" Charmaine replied, trying to keep her tone lighter than she felt. He couldn't go now. All her planning would be ruined.

And she couldn't lose Elliot again. She wouldn't. She refused to.

"Please," she added more softly when she saw the conflict behind his eyes. "Stay for just a little while. Walk around the garden with me, then you will be free to go on your way."

"But-"

"I'm not worried about you making me sick - I could do with some bed rest after the last week, any way. And I'm not afraid of inconsequential noblemen like Lord Lebroski."

Elliot shuddered at her words. "Charmaine, please, you don't understand."

"Then help me understand!" she snapped, sounding more frustrated than she'd intended. She forced herself to stop and take a deep breath. "Please stop talking in riddles and just explain!"

"I can't!" He looked so torn, so desperate. His eyes kept glancing back towards the ballroom.

"He'll be gone by now. Whatever you're worried about - whatever you don't want him seeing or hearing - he can't anymore. You can do anything - tell me anything - and he won't know."