Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
The next day, before anyone could arrive to demand Snow’s presence, Rosie dragged her sister out to the walking gardens behind the castle to show her the sketch of the cake she had made the night before.
Her time with the prince had done wonders for her morale, and in her good spirits, she’d stayed awake late, brimming with inspiration to sketch the most beautiful cake she could imagine.
“Oh, Rosie!” Snow’s eyes danced as she looked down at the sketch. “It’s lovely!”
Rosie couldn’t help beaming as well. She was rather proud of the plan.
It was simple enough, but after rummaging through the castle kitchens to her heart’s content the night before, she had found all the pans necessary to make the cake she knew her twin would desire.
Three tiers high, it would be covered in white sugar frosting, and each tier would be crowned by a circle of cherries.
She had added the cherries to her cake recipe as well, and when Frederick had wandered in, hoping for a midnight treat, she had shared her plan with him and won his hearty approval.
“If you approve, I’ll start making all the final preparations.
And if that ridiculous troll will just stay out of the–” Rosie began to say, but before she could finish, she heard someone say her name.
Both girls paused and turned toward the somewhat familiar voice coming from the other side of a hedge.
“In the stables?” a distinguished male voice was saying. Rosie was fairly sure it belonged to an old and nosy earl. “But what were they doing there?”
“According to one of the stablehands, she was trying to lure him into a compromising situation,” said a smooth feminine voice. Rosie didn’t recognize that one. “I’m not sure how she got him there, but she was pleading with him not to leave.”
“But the prince!” the man exclaimed. “Even a girl as green as Lady Rose must have known better.”
“Of course she knew better!” the woman scoffed. “Not content to let her sister have all the pomp and glory, she decided to try her hand at winning an even bigger prize!”
Rosie felt as though all the blood had drained from her face, but Snow was so furious.
“That’s it!” she hissed, fairly leaping up from the bench and looking wildly around them. Her beautiful porcelain skin was flushed, and her blue eyes had turned steely gray. “I’m going to teach these wretched courtiers once and for all–”
“There you are!”
They both turned to see Natalie hurrying toward them, her face grave. “I’ve been looking all over for you!”
“Give me one moment,” Snow said, still glaring in the direction of the hedge. “I’m going to deal with something.”
“If it’s about the rumor concerning Lady Rose, I’m afraid you don’t have time,” Natalie said with a grimace. “The queen has requested your presence for morning tea, and you’ll be late if you delay.”
“Oh, I forgot about that.” Snow pursed her lips, looking at Rosie. “Come. We’ll deal with this later.”
Natalie closed her eyes, looking pained. “I’m afraid,” she said reluctantly, “that the queen has requested your presence... alone this morning, Lady Snow.”
Rosie and Snow stared at her, but Rosie’s stomach began to sink. She had a feeling she knew where this was going.
“But we were both invited,” Snow said, her voice quivering slightly.
“I… I know.” Natalie looked at the ground. “But the queen specified that… Rosie is no longer welcome.”
Rosie worked hard to swallow the sudden lump in her throat as she turned to her sister. “Go,” she said, working up the best smile she could muster. “You can’t be late to see the queen.”
“But–” Snow began. Rosie, however, gently shoved her toward the castle.
“Please, love. You can’t expect to make the queen wait. It wouldn’t be good for either of us.”
Snow stared at her for a long moment before huffing and whirling around, then walking indignantly back toward the castle.
“I am sorry,” Natalie said, going to the bench they’d been sitting on and patting it. “Truly. I heard the rumor myself only this morning from my maid. And after a bit of work at the breakfast table, I traced it back to Lady Sandra.”
Rosie sighed and sat wearily beside her. “You can’t imagine the depth of my surprise.” Then she made herself look Natalie in the eye. “Is it really so bad?”
“I’m afraid it is.” Natalie flinched. “I know it’s all a lie, of course. I knew it the moment I heard it. But I’m afraid Lady Sandra’s story was rather expertly woven.”
Rosie stared at her. “But… why? Prince Jonathan invited me to the stables after he saved me from an embarrassment in the kitchen. An embarrassment her daughter caused!”
“That’s the trouble of it. My cousin is a good man.
And as he’s currently of a mind to be married, it would make sense for him to take eligible young ladies out for innocent ventures like rides on the castle grounds…
if he actually did such a thing. But he doesn’t spend time like that with other girls.
Not even the ones his parents are considering for his own marriage.
So… you see, it makes the rumor more believable as he was spending time with you.
” Natalie paused to tilt her head thoughtfully at Rosie.
“Although I will say, the fact that he has taken such an interest in you is quite a compliment.”
Rosie shrugged helplessly. “I thought perhaps he was simply being kind, seeing as we still didn’t really know anyone.
Honestly, we’ve not had many conversations.
He’s been quite thoughtful, of course, but all the attention he’s given has been the most general of kindnesses.
” As she spoke, though, she thought of the way he’d pressed her hands against his while showing her the use of the pommel and the reins the day before.
And upon this reflection, she realized that there had been nothing so very generic in these attentions. But really, that had only been once!
“He’s really not shown me that much attention,” she added, scowling, as much in annoyance with her own foolish hopes as with Lady Sandra. “I’ve had perhaps four or five private conversations with him since we arrived.”
But Natalie shook her head. “It may not seem like much, but as I told you, he doesn’t really give much attention to any female.
His father keeps him too busy. So for him to take time out of his schedule as he has and show you personal attention…
” She shook her head. “Believe me, it’s been very noticeable. ”
“But what does it mean?” Rosie pressed, trying to ignore the suddenly wild, rebellious flutterings of her heart.
“It could mean two things,” Natalie said, leaning back and lazily fingering the outline of a plump pink peony. “One, that he intends to pursue you.”
Rosie’s heart gave another strange little jump, but she mercilessly shoved it back down. Best not to even allow that kind of thinking to enter her head.
Or her foolish, traitorous heart. “And two?”
“Two, if Miss Marianne is chosen–and rumor has it that she’s the current favorite of the king and queen–as soon as she’s established, she’ll find a way to either get rid of you or make your life miserable.
” Natalie shuddered. “That’s why she’s here, you know.
The king and queen invited several eligible women here to spend more time with them so they could evaluate the strengths of such connections.
Lady Mable, Miss Augustus Habernath, and Lady Charity are all candidates, but Miss Marianne has thus far outshone them all. ”
“And whoever is chosen for Jon–Prince Jonathan,” Rosie corrected her slip quickly, “will immediately have more influence than Snow.”
Natalie nodded sympathetically. “You have some protection now as the sister of a future princess. But Jonathan’s wife will have far more sway as the future queen.”
Rosie looked earnestly at her friend–for Natalie truly had played the part of a real friend.
“What do I do?” she asked. “You know far more about politics and court fights. What’s my best course of action now?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.” Natalie chewed her lip.
“But do your best to– Well, as much as I’m loath to say it, don’t encourage my cousin’s attention, if at all possible.
He’s a man and doesn’t realize what kind of scandal is brewing right under his nose.
Nor has he likely considered the repercussions of the attention he’s given you. ”
As Natalie spoke, Rosie’s heart sank. She had so few friends at the palace as it was.
Prince Jonathan’s quiet protection had become a comfort.
While not as flamboyant or dashing as his younger brother, he was genuinely kind, and if those kindnesses weren’t always carried out with the greatest of sensitivities, they were at least well intended.
Having even less of that kindness in her life was going to leave it rather empty.
He’s getting married soon anyway, a mean little voice inside her head whispered. It’s not as though he’ll be able to pay attention to you then.
Natalie bid Rosie farewell after that, and Rosie was left alone.
Again.
So with nothing else to do, she took the now-rumpled parchment with the drawing of her cake on it and returned to her room. But to her surprise, when she arrived, her mother was waiting for her in her suite.
“Hello, Mother,” she said, closing and locking the door behind her, wishing the lock could keep out unhappiness as it would a stranger. Still, she did her best to smile as she turned to face her mother, who was sitting on a chair by the fire. “What are you doing today?”
Usually, her mother stayed locked in her own room as much as possible, leaving only to attend meals and events at which she was specifically requested.
So it was a surprise that she should be in Rosie’s room at such an hour.
But now, as she met Rosie’s eyes, Rosie realized that her mother’s face was pale, and her eyes were red.
Her yellow hair still had little silver in it, but she suddenly looked as though she’d aged years over the last few weeks.
“Come here,” her mother said, patting the side of her leg. Knowing what her mother wanted, Rosie hurried to her mother’s side and knelt beside her so her mother could take Rosie’s hands and hold them in her lap. It was a posture of love, one Rosie and Snow had learned early as children.
“I spoke with my maid this morning,” she began in a brittle voice. “And I was told that an… an unfortunate rumor is circulating.”
Rosie closed her eyes and groaned. “Natalie told me as well. But Mother, I promise there’s not an ounce of truth–”
“And I only wanted to remind you,” her mother continued, her voice growing suddenly stronger, “that before we left, Sonia made me promise that I would send you back to her should you find life undesirable here.”
As she spoke, Rosie recalled Sonia’s offer.
But if it’s too much, know that you always have a home with us. My husband spent time in the palace, and it… it’s not for the faint of heart.
“Sonia shared the offer with me as well,” Rosie said, dredging up a smile. “But Mother, you know I couldn’t leave you and Snow here all alone!”
“Oh, you needn’t worry about me.” Her mother touched Rosie’s face.
“I’m safer here than I’ve ever been. I have three good meals a day and will never need you to chop firewood again.
And Snow will have all the protection human hands can offer.
But you…” She swallowed hard. “You can go back to our old life! You can find a man of honor and be happy without all this–”
“Mother, are you trying to send me away?” Rosie cried, feeling suddenly on the verge of tears. Which was silly. Her mother would never desire her gone for the sake of getting rid of her. But after feeling rather unwanted all morning, her feelings were dangerously close to the surface.
“I’m trying to give you the escape that I wish I had!” her mother exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with tears and her face suddenly full of brilliant color. “I can’t leave this place, but you can!”
Rosie froze and blinked at her mother. Never in her life had her mother raised her voice at her like that before.
But then that vigor evaporated, and her mother seemed to fold back into herself, leaning against the chair back for support. When she spoke again, she sounded far older than her forty-six years.
“I can’t leave Snow to this… this prison for the world. But you, my love, can escape. You can go home. Today, should you wish it! We’re not that far from the village, after all.” She took Rosie’s face in her hands. “Go home, love. Fly free. I beg you.”