One Look

Chapter 42

I woke up the next morning to the disbelief that I would be staying in the palace for another few weeks. By the end of it Nathaniel will have chosen his bride. I had not spoken to him since our dance before the announcement. The rest of the ball went by in a swirl of dances, dresses, and mindless conversation. My breakfast had been served in my room as the palace was in a big rush amidst preparations for the arrival of the other ladies.

A knock on my door startled my ladies in waiting and I, as we had been sitting in silence for the past two hours as we ate our food and pondered our thoughts. Margaretta stood up and opened the door to quickly fall into a curtsy, before she stepped aside and Mary-Anne walked in. Elaine and I stood and curtsied upon the princess's entrance.

"Your highness", I greeted, and a bemused smile broke across Mary-Anne's face, she could never take any formality from me seriously.

"Excuse my interrupting your morning but I was wondering if you would care to join me and my brothers for a picnic?" Mary-Anne asked sweetly. A smile took over my face at the proposal, as I quickly stood up.

"I would love to", I said.

"Elaine and Margaretta, the invitation extends to you both too?" Mary-Anne looked at them both waiting for a response.

"Of course, your highness", Margaretta responded promptly.

"That would be wonderful", Elaine said quietly, which shocked me. Elaine never spoke timidly.

"Hurry along, I want to get there before my brothers eat all the food", Mary-Anne said quickly, and I coughed back a laugh at how quickly her patience disappeared. I glanced at my attire and although my pale blue day dress was plain, I decided it would have to do, as Mary-Anne did not look like she wanted to sit around and wait for me to change.

When we exited into the hallway, I jumped at the sight of a girl standing outside my door.

"Sorry ma'am", she apologised, her cheeks flushing pink.

"That is my new ladies' maid, Emma", Mary-Anne introduced. Emma's cheeks seemed to impossibly flush even more at the attention on her. I offered her a soft smile, but her gaze would not lift from the floor.

On our walk to the garden, we discussed the weather, and also the impending arrival of the other debutantes. I wished Mary-Anne had not invited Elaine or Margaretta, so we could have had a proper discussion about everything that had been going on but realised it would have been rude not to invite them on such a splendid day. When we arrived at the blanket that was spread out on the grass Oscar, Lucas and Patrick were already seated. Patrick was sat looking out at the garden in front of him, he was obviously lost in his thoughts. I gently sat beside him, and his eyes glanced at me before returning to the view.

"I guess you will not be returning home", he said quietly.

"I will be staying here. That is until Nathaniel chooses who to marry, and then I will be returning home to you".

"You really don't think he won't ask you?" Patrick asked, disbelief in his voice.

"Patrick be realistic. I am your sister. You know me better than anyone, we both know I could never be queen", I laughed gently. It was easier to laugh about these things than to actually ponder about what it could be like. I wanted to prepare myself for the worst so I wouldn't be disappointed when he does not ask me to marry him.

"I do not think you would make a terrible queen. Maybe not a great one but not a terrible one either", Patrick consoled me, a smile on his face.

"What are you two talking about?" Mary-Anne asked, as she sat beside me. She had been talking to my ladies in wating moments before, and for that I was glad. Mary-Anne had a fantastic way at putting others at ease, and when I glanced at Elaine and Margaretta now, they were both sitting on the other side of the blanket talking and laughing together.