Chapter 3
THREE
Pip bounces along beside me as we head back to the House Rothorne apartments for lunch.
I'm glad I took the opportunity to walk her when I did because she seems to have boundless energy today.
I know the servants will happily take her for a walk, and I suspect some of them enjoy it, but I want to spend time with my dog too.
I push open the double doors engraved with roses and step inside.
"M'lady," Jemima says, dipping into a curtsy.
I smile at my maid and unhook the clasp of my cloak. I hand it to her and unclip the lead from Pip's collar so I can give her that too.
"Lunch is being laid out in the dining room, miss," she says.
"Thank you." I hand over the lead. "Who is dining today?"
"Lord Bastian, Lady Isabella, and Lord Vermouten," she responds.
I nod, already dreading what mood my brother is going to be in. Bastian's displeasure about his upcoming wedding rivals mine, the main difference between us is that he's more likely to spout his unhappiness at everyone who will listen.
I make my way into the dining room, relieved to see he hasn't arrived yet. Bella and Thomas are already seated, but none of the food has been served. The servants are probably waiting for Bastian to appear.
Bella looks up and nods at me.
I return the gesture and take a seat. We've found ourselves in a sort of mutual understanding where I think we like one another, but I know that asking her if that's the case isn't going to go down very well.
"Have you seen your brother?" Bella asks.
"Not since dinner last night," I respond. And I can't say I was paying much attention then. I was too caught up in memories of my almost-kiss with Linc, and the fact Marcus caught us.
She sighs. "He better show up soon, I'm starving."
As if he hears her, he storms into the room, his face like thunder. He stands behind the chair at the head of the table, glaring at all three of us. "You're supposed to stand," he snaps.
"For Lord Fallmartin," I counter. "That's not you."
The corner of Bella's mouth lifts up into an amused smile at my response.
"One day, I will be Lord Fallmartin and then you won't talk back."
"Then it's a good thing I'll be a princess by then and outrank you," I respond.
Bella barely manages to avoid laughing, and Thomas cracks a smile while Bastian seethes.
"There are ways to make sure that you come back under House Rothorne's control," Bastian mutters, taking a seat.
"It's generally frowned upon to make threats towards a member of the royal family," Bella says.
"What do you know?" Bastian snaps. "You're married into a House so far beneath ours that it's not even worthy of the name."
An odd expression comes over Bella's face. "Lord Vermouten is ten times the man you'll ever be."
Bastian bangs his fist on the table, making me flinch. "Watch your tongue."
"That is my wife you're talking to, Lord Bastian," Thomas says, a surprising amount of steel in his voice. "And you're not to speak like that to her again."
"I will speak how I please." There's a darkness in Bastian's voice that I've never heard before.
It seems to put Pip on edge too as she growls from under the table, the rumble surprising me.
"If you don't get that mutt out of here, I'll remove you both," Bastian snaps.
"I'll save you the bother." I scrape my chair back. "Come on, Pip." She scampers out from under the table and hurries alongside me.
My heart is pounding as I leave the dining room, with Bastian glaring into my back.
Somehow, I think leaving this room isn't going to be enough. I need to get outside the Rothorne apartments.
Jemima appears, a surprised expression on her face. "Are you not having lunch, m'lady?"
"No. But I will take my cloak and Pip's lead back please."
She nods. "They're hanging by the door, I was going to send them for cleaning."
"Thank you." I sweep over to where she's indicated, finding them both. I clip Pip's lead in place and swing my cloak over my shoulders. Though I'm not really sure where I'm going to go. I can't just walk around the courtyard for a few hours, especially when I'm actually still hungry.
But the only place I know of where I can have food delivered is to Linc's private library room. Though I don't know how that's going to be possible without him there, and we're not meant to meet for another couple of hours.
Though considering I've just left the Rothorne apartments with no plan on where to go, and nowhere safe, I think it's going to have to do.