The Season (Season Series #1)

Chapter 18: Libby the Gambler

It seemed that Lord James Amberly was sufficiently obedient to follow Andrew's orders. I'd only just barely made it back to Ella's suite in time for them to return, throwing myself onto the love seat and picking up the first book I could find. James cast a suspicious glance over the room upon seeing me so relaxed, but still said nothing. Whatever had transpired during their walk had turned Ella as giddy as a schoolgirl, secret smiles blooming on her face all day long.

It was only upon collecting her messages the next morning that the puzzle pieces fit into place. Buried among the usual correspondence was a very familiar looking envelope. Checking that I was alone in the sitting room while Emily and Rosanna were dressing Ella for breakfast with the royal family, I slid the masquerade invitation out of the unsealed envelope.

Lord James Quentin Amberly

requests your presence at the

Midsummer Night's Masquerade

I bit my lips to keep the squeak of delight from escaping them as I slid the invitation back into its envelope. I jumbled it back in with the other messages and forced a yawn as I returned to Ella's room in an effort to conceal my excitement. I set the letters down on the dressing table for her, taking a seat on the edge of her bed to wait for her reaction. Rosanna was fussing in the closet once again while Emily pinned Ella's hair, my cousin reaching for the messages with a tired sigh. She sifted through them, only for her hands to still as they came upon the heavy cream invitation envelope.

"That looks important," Emily remarked, always looking over Ella's shoulder. Ella slid the invitation out, her wide blue eyes running over it before she lifted a shaky hand to her mouth.

"Well that is certainly something, an invitation from the prince's closest friend! Surely you are rising in Andrew's favour once more!" Emily gushed, barely able to stifle the grin on her face as she resumed pinning Ella's hair.

"He sent me his invitation," was all Ella breathed, her eyes still riveted on the lilting calligraphy..

"Who did?" Rosanna asked, coming out of the closet with a charming pink day dress for breakfast.

"Lord Amberly, the prince's closest friend," Emily said, "Isn't it marvellous?"

"Oh Ella, well done! Next to getting the prince's own invitation, that is the most coveted envelope in the entire kingdom!" Rosanna gushed. I shifted uncomfortably at her words, still watching Ella. If Rosanna was speaking the truth, the invitation I now carried around wedged between my bodice and corset for safekeeping was apparently the most sought after in the entire realm...

"I don't care who gets the prince's invitation," Ella breathed, pressing the paper to her chest as she closed her eyes, "This is the one that I wanted,"

She was met with stunned silence as Emily and Rosanna exchanged a look.

"Ella...you can't mean you've stopped pursuing the prince," Emily said, pausing in her hair pinning to stare at my cousin in the mirror. When Ella's blue eyes opened, she was ready to face the questions in Emily's.

"Every time I have a moment alone with the prince, I'm always acutely aware of all the other debutantes vying for his time and hovering around us. But when I'm with James, it's as if I'm the only woman in the entire ballroom. I'd much prefer a man who makes me feel that way rather than one who jumps from debutante to debutante with hardly a second to spare," she said, shooting a look at both Rosanna and Emily as if daring them to defy her. I wanted to whoop in agreement and congratulate my cousin, but the silence hung tensely in the air.

"But...the prince..." Emily said weakly, the hairpins scattering on the floor as they fell from her fingers.

"I suppose Lord Amberly is the next most desirable bachelor in the country," Rosanna said fairly, but she and Emily were visibly morose that their debutante had given up her pursuit of the prince.