Page 76 of Gwen and Art Are Not in Love

‘Fat chance,’ he said, ignoring the unkind framing. ‘I mean – look at her.’

Arthur did. She was slight and pretty, and her eyes were darting around in a way that indicated actual shyness rather than affected timidity for Gabriel’s sake. In another life, perhaps shewouldhave been perfect for him. In this one, Arthur had to concede, she might be too – albeit in a very different way.

He drank steadily until it was time for the music, ignoring the little voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Gwen and was telling him to slow down, and then watched as Gabriel very much did not ask Lady Clement of Lancaster to dance. There were two other ladies at the royal table with him, and plenty more vying for his attention even from the cheap seats; when Gabriel finally stood, all of them froze, and there was a silence so ridiculous that Arthur wanted to laugh.

He only realised he actuallyhadlaughed when all of his neighbours’ eyes turned to him. He didn’t have time to regret it – he was looking at Gabriel, who was finally looking back.

Arthur didn’t think he imagined the flush that crept into Gabriel’s cheeks, or the way his hand shook ever so slightly when he gestured for the music to resume. The prince awkwardly made his way over to Lord Stafford, deftly side-stepping his mother, who was clearly attempting to corral him towards the dancefloor.

Arthur put down his drink, then picked it up again and finished it. He loosened the collar of his shirt and looked around, half expecting Sidney to appear and stop him from doing whatever he might do next. When nobody intervened, he felt his mind had rather been made up for him.He approached Gabriel with a pleasant smile affixed to his face, as if they were simply old friends, and certainly not two people who had ever had their tongues in each other’s mouths.

‘Nice-looking girl, that Lady Clement,’ Arthur said to Gabriel, who was trying very hard to avoid his gaze. ‘Just your type.’

‘Arthur,’ Gabriel said quietly, barely moving his mouth. Lord Stafford was wearing a hideous lime velvet jerkin and frowning at them both. ‘This really isn’t the time.’

‘I’m just being friendly,’ said Arthur, picking up a fresh cup of wine from a passing tray and raising it. He knew he was being belligerent, but he was so full of directionless energy, it was hard to stop. ‘I’ve been wanting to speak to you, but you’ve been strangely difficult to track down.’

‘Gwen said you weren’t drinking,’ Gabriel said, looking pointedly at the cup. Arthur sighed and put it back down.

‘Come outside with me? I need to show you something.’

Gabriel looked horrified; he glanced at Lord Stafford, shook his head and walked away, as if Arthur were a complete stranger who needed taking care of.

Arthur couldn’t pretendthatdidn’t sting.

‘Lord Delacey,’ Lord Stafford said, with a painfully false smile on his face. ‘Is there anything I can help you with?’

‘I’mnot the one who needs help,’ Arthur said, wiping some wine from his chin. ‘I’mfine. You know – you’re the one who’s supposed to look after them all, aren’t you? That’s your job. Steward of the whatsit. He’s too afraid to tell you, but he’s got some bloody brilliant ideas about how to run this country, if you’d just be willing to listen.’

‘Right,’ said Lord Stafford, looking baffled. ‘Such as?’

‘Such as – Tintagel!’ Arthur said, not entirely sure he was getting the point across, but feeling that for Gabriel’s sake, it was very important that he tried. ‘Like … like putting all your gold into education instead of endless soldiers marching up and down the place, and – he’s going to move to Tintagel and make it a school for teachers, and … you shouldknowall this, if you were any good at your job.’

‘Tintagel Castle?’ Stafford said, still minutes behind.

‘Sort it out,’ Arthur said, pointing an accusatory finger at Stafford before going to seek more chaos.

Lady Clement of Lancaster happened to be standing alone, looking crestfallen.

When he asked her to dance she agreed easily enough, although she did glance over at an older woman who Arthur could only assume was her mother. Clement was a good dancer, light on her feet and clearly relieved thatsomebodyhad finally asked her. He saw her look to Gabriel a few times, checking to see if he was watching.

Arthur only looked once. Gabriel was standing with his goblet still clutched tightly in his hand, ostensibly talking to an elderly man, looking deeply concerned as he tracked them across the room. Arthur felt a pang of something dangerously close to guilt, so he resolved not to look again. The edges of the room began to blur, the dancers speeding up and becoming nothing more than vague shapes in his periphery, Clement’s pink face the only thing he could still see clearly – and then the music paused and another, equally excellent idea occurred to him. If Gabriel wouldn’t come to him, maybe he just needed a little encouragement.

He leaned in close to Clement’s ear and asked her if she wanted to step out into the courtyard for some air. He expected her to say no, but she was flustered and overheated from all the dancing, so she nodded and allowed herself to be escorted away across the hall and out.

‘Thank you,’ she said, smiling earnestly at him. ‘I’m supposed to be talking to the prince. My mother … Well, I don’t know why he wouldn’t just ask me to dance. He was looking. Hekeptlooking. He wasn’t dancing with anybody else. I don’t understand him.’

‘No,’ said Arthur grimly. ‘Me neither.’

‘We shouldn’t go far,’ said Clement. ‘I’m not supposed to be alone, and people might think …’ She trailed off, blushing. Arthur suddenly felt extremely tired.

‘Don’t worry. I’m engaged to be married. Although – you could kiss me, if you like,’ he offered half-heartedly. ‘Might … I don’t know. Make him jealous?’

‘Er – no, thank you,’ she said, patting him awkwardly on the arm. ‘Thanks anyway, though.’ She turned to go, and in that moment her face lit up. He followed her gaze and saw Gabriel, standing in the doorway with the light from the hall glowing behind him, casting his face in shadow.

‘Your highness,’ she said, with a half-curtsy. ‘Lord Delacey and I were just—’

‘I’d like to speak to Arthur alone, if you don’t mind,’ Gabriel said, his voice clipped. Arthur watched Clement visibly wilt in front of him, before ducking her head and hurrying back into the party. ‘What are you doing?’ he said, when they were alone.