Chapter Twelve
They went home soon after the last dance was over. The streets were packed out, and it was a struggle even to travel three streets over to where their townhouse was. Nick had taken her back to her mama and papa, who looked tired and happy, and she’d ridden back home with them.
“How was it, darling?” Her mama looked so eager. “Did you enjoy your evening?”
She wasn’t going to tell her mama about the conversation that she and Nick had. “I did, Mama.” She nodded, trying not to blush. “The dancing was quite a bit more fun than I thought. No one even stepped on my toes.”
Though now that she was sitting, her feet did hurt abominably. And she could feel the holes in the thin soles of her slippers because her stockings were wet from the snow on the palace steps.
And she was exhausted, powerfully tired. Which made sense considering the sun was rising, and she’d spent all night dancing and making nice with strange men.
“Nick—” she started and immediately felt herself blush brightly. “I mean, Duke Graves, he’s quite a fine dancer.”
“I’ll speak to the boy tomorrow.” Her papa looked pleased and concerned at the same time. “He’s already on my calendar, as is your conference with the king.”
“I do wonder what that’s about,” her mama said, furrowing her brow. “What could his Majesty want with our Nellie?”
“He said it wasn’t anything bad,” Nell said hurriedly. “It’s probably about Papa and his work with the city.”
But if it was just that, there was no need for her, or for Nick. Unless the king had learned of her involvement in the medication’s delivery somehow.
“Something for tomorrow,” her papa said. “I am going to sleep for a few hours and then we’ll have an audience and then Nellie’s young man wants proper permission to court her.”
Her Mama looked startled. “Nellie?”
She nodded slowly. “He asked me, Mama. I said yes even though he’ll likely get bored with me before too long.”
“I doubt that, darling,” her mama said as the carriage lurched to a stop in front of their door. “Now, for a few hours of rest and then we have to pop back over to the palace.
Nell was divested of her gown, her slippers had large holes and were destined for the trash, and her hair was removed from the pins that had restrained it before she was released to go and find her bed.
Sleep came fast, swallowing her without remorse.
* * *
When she woke, it was to Mary’s apologetic face and the sun directly in her eyes. “Pardon, Miss, it’s time to ready you for your visit to the king.”
Newly out young ladies were not permitted anything darker than a pastel, so Nell was laced into a peach gown and handed a coat in a dark gray before she was allowed to descend the stairs where her parents were waiting with Duke and Duchess Graves in the foyer.
They couldn’t all fit in the same carriage, so they took both conveyances back up to the palace, which was strangely quiet. Or maybe that wasn’t strange given that all the nobility was probably still asleep after last night.
But there was a page at the door, and he led the five of them to the small audience hall where the king was waiting.
“As I said, there is nothing bad awaiting you here.” The king rose as they all paid their respects. “Miss Warrick, I have been made aware that you were instrumental in assisting your father with the city during the war.”
“Papa did everything, Majesty; I just kept his accounts.”
“And you are still running his duties now.” The King cocked an eyebrow at her. “Peter has little birds everywhere, Miss Warrick.”
“I just want to help the city, majesty.” Nell took a deep breath and held it, willing the tears down.
“And so you shall continue.” The king said, gesturing a servant forward with a box and opening it.
“I grant you the same award that I gave your father, and you will sit under him in council and act as his secretary and second pair of eyes. The medication will now be paid for by the Crown, but you will continue to distribute it.”
He gestured her forward and lifted a gem-laden metal ribbon from the box. “Order of the Silver Flame,” he said, pinning the ribbon to her bodice. “Your father bears the Golden Flame, but he was on the front lines as you were not.”
“It is an honor to serve the city, Majesty.” Nell nodded, looking down at the ribbon on her chest. “I did not do it for a reward, or for recognition.”
“Well, do I know it.” The king sat back down. “I had to have you followed to verify your involvement at all.”
Nell giggled. She didn’t mean to, but the image of one of the palace servants following her to the places that she had to go in order to get the medicine for the people had probably horrified them.
“He’s still complaining about the mud in his bootlaces.” The king shook his head. “My spymaster needs to be made of sterner stuff. But that will be for another day.”
“Is there anything else I can do for you, Majesty?”
“That is a question you should never ask your monarch, Miss Warrick.” The king smiled at her. “I can always find something for a person of your caliber to do. For now, I dismiss you back to your concerns, but we will speak again soon.”
They all made their obeisance and left the audience hall. Nick and his mother rattled off in their carriage, and Nell tried to figure out what it meant that she now bore the same ribbon that her father did, albeit to a lesser degree.
Nell went upstairs to change into a simpler dress, to lay the ribbon into its box and then to go and find something to eat. Their cook was splendid, and she fixed Nell with a sandwich and some crunchy vegetables.
She heard the door, knew that Nick was here to see her father and stayed exactly where she was. She wanted to see him, but would wait for him after he was done with her Papa.