Chapter 17 #2
As if brought back to life by some powerful spell, Morgaine sat upright on the spot. She battled to untangle her sinful frame from the sheets and nearly threw herself out of bed.
“What are you doing here? Get dressed,” she urged.
Elise was practically dragged toward the Tailor’s Room where all her dresses were stored. Morgaine, with a quick eye for anything remotely tempting, gathered a dress so scandalous that Elise instinctively recoiled from the choice.
“That dress is not finished. I haven’t even added the ruffles and piping at the seams,” Elise complained, but the witch was already shaking the thing open, ready to dress her as though she were nothing more than a decorative doll.
“We have to hurry, darling,” Morgaine insisted. “We need to keep ourselves on his good side for our plans. I know Bromheim men better than anyone. You’ll see.”
Without having much time to comb her hair or make certain the dress was properly arranged to preserve at least a suggestion of modesty, Elise was hurried toward the door to receive her visitor.
The moment the door cracked open, the duke was already preparing to take his leave. Elise’s heart raced like that of a hunted rabbit when the tall gentleman turned to her.
His eyes grew wide as the full figure of Elise came into his awareness.
“Good morning, Kurt,” she greeted, feeling his gaze discreetly wander over her while she fought desperately to keep the color in her cheeks from rising into a revealing red.
“Elise,” Kurt said with a slight bow, though the sharp swallow that followed revealed he was not nearly as composed as he wished to appear.
“I came to make certain you remain safe. As a representative of Metz and the Kingdom of Bromheim, I am deeply ashamed that a newcomer’s first visit to our lands should end in such an unfortunate affair.
I am pleased to inform you that the thief has been brought to trial. You may rest assured.”
Elise was momentarily distracted by the broadness of his shoulders and his slightly messy light brown hair when a raspy sound came from behind the door.
“How attentive.”
Kurt seemed to take notice of the croak, for he lifted his head and looked at Elise with visible confusion.
Elise pushed the door open another inch in an attempt to squeeze out the uninvited advisor.
Just then, she noticed some of the seams on her blouse had already begun to loosen.
Indeed, the dress was not in a fit state to be worn.
She had assembled it with rough stitches in the middle of the night and was now regretting not resisting Morgaine’s pressure more firmly.
She gave the door another firm shove, and a muffled shriek followed from behind it.
Elise quickly composed herself and cleared her throat, hoping the duke might mistake the cry for the remains of a morning voice.
“You must have come for your cape as well,” she said.
Kurt’s countenance, strong and full of the youthful vigor of manhood, softened immediately at Elise’s smile. “Of course,” he replied in a tone capable of undoing nearly any woman with functioning hearing.
Elise held her grin and, with the naturally caring gaze that had already proven dangerous enough on its own, managed to say, “Allow me to fetch it for you.”
“Invite him in!” Morgaine’s voice hissed from behind the door.
Elise gave the slightest shake of her head while maintaining her smile, but Morgaine had clearly decided subtlety had exhausted its usefulness. With one swift movement, the witch sprang from behind the door.
“Forgive her manners,” Morgaine laughed as Kurt startled. “Why don’t you come join us for breakfast?”
Morgaine might have considered herself a connoisseur of men, but what Elise witnessed seemed entirely the opposite of luring the duke in. Kurt suddenly stiffened and, likely remembering this was not the house of distressed damsels but of witches, politely retreated from the tempting invitation.
“I regret to decline the honor, madam,” he said. “But I am on my way to join the morning training. The war is beginning to make it impossible to avoid such duties.”
“And yet here you are making certain a Falaine girl remains free of trouble,” Morgaine whispered.
Even if Morgaine’s comment had been intended as teasing, the duke seemed genuinely troubled for a moment. Morgaine felt obliged to apologize, though her soft tone and complete lack of seriousness made it sound more as though she were amusing herself with the situation.
The witch decided it was best to set her point straight before she frightened the duke into fleeing altogether.
“Elise would love to take a position on the king’s magical staff. Tell me, handsome, is the vacancy still open?”
Kurt regained his composure and, returning to his seemingly natural state of helpfulness, replied, “It is, though from what I have heard, it will not remain so for long.”
Morgaine’s eyes lit with excitement, and while Elise briefly stepped inside to retrieve the cape the duke had been chivalrous enough to lend her, the witch leaned close and whispered something to him.
Elise could not make out a single word of it, but upon her return, the redness creeping into Kurt’s face told her more than enough.
Elise handed back the velvety cape, and as she did, her fingers brushed against Kurt’s. He lifted his gaze to hers, and his lips parted soundlessly before he offered his farewells and hastened his step away, as though remaining any longer might become dangerous to his discipline.
“Come back whenever you wish, love!” Morgaine called after him.
Kurt turned toward the ladies at the door, though his gaze lingered only on Elise.
She felt a tug at her heart at the thought that any involvement with him was likely forbidden from the start.
He was clearly close to the king and all the pageantry and obligations attached to such men.
Elise knew enough of that world to understand that men of rank stayed loyal to their station, firmly tied to their circles and rarely wandering beyond them, especially for a girl from the enemy side of the border.
“We make a good team,” Morgaine said. “With your demure manners and my charm, this arrangement is practically unfair to the rest of the applicants. Now that the deal is nearly settled, let me show you a little something that can keep us in communication once you are inside the castle.”
Elise turned to Morgaine. “Why not?”