Page 33 of Hooked
She wrapped her arm around mine and glided down the hall. “Did I interrupt something?” she murmured.
“What? No. Of course not.”
“Ah,” she said with a smirk. “So, yes, I did?”
“No, I—“ I desperately needed to change the subject. “Why did you tell Captain Huckley that I was engaged to Falstone?”
She gave me her best wide-eyed innocent look. “Because I’m a mindless, sentimental princess who doesn’t understand the intricacies of contracts and cares only for romance.”
I should have known. Marilee was quite adept at utilizing the false assumptions of others when it suited her needs. “And he accepted that?”
She shrugged. “It’s extraordinarily hard to argue with royalty when they refuse to see things your way.”
“Do you think he’s gone for good?”
She squeezed my arm. “I don’t know.”
“And if he shows up again, what shall I do?” My voice had faded to a whisper.
“Marry Falstone.”
I rolled my eyes. “Be serious.”
Her gaze was steady as she lifted one shoulder. “I’m not being unserious.”
I didn’t respond. Marriage in all its forms was not something I’d been willing to contemplate for many years. But seeing Marilee and Sir James had made me reconsider just a little. And then Falstone….
Well, marriage did not seem such a horrible prospect anymore, but that did not mean I truly wanted it.
When we stepped out onto the veranda, Emeline was leaning over the table that held the pastries.
“They look lovely, Emeline,” Marilee complimented. “Now stop fiddling and come sit down.”
Emeline curtsied in acquiescence and sat down without a word, scooting her chair closer to mine and taking my hand. I smiled down at her. She’d done that a few times the last couple days. It was clear that Captain Huckley’s appearance had frightened her. All the people in the world that she trusted were sitting around this table, and it would be a tremendous blow if she were to lose one of us. For her sake as well as Marilee’s, I did my utmost to tuck away all my roiling worry and confusion. I took several deep breaths, determined that I would sit here for the next while and set my troubles aside.
Beatrice took charge of the teapot as usual. “Will you be riding today, Princess?” she asked as she poured.
“Of course,” she answered, peeling off a piece of pastry. “I believe it’s time for me to visit the fairy realm again.” She slipped the bite of pastry into her mouth with a lift of her eyebrows.
I let myself smile. The fanciful bent of Marilee’s mind was one of her greatest assets. She was naturally positive and vibrant, so after being freed from her awful marriage by the merciful death of her husband, she’d found solace in imagining bits and pieces of the surrounding land as otherworldly. Sir James had taken to calling her his wheat fairy after finding her with wheat heads tucked into her hair. It was the first time she’d discovered the “fairy realm,” as she’d dubbed it. That particular part of the stream that ran between Sutton property and the Bridgefield lands was still one of Marilee’s favorites.
“Back to the fairy realm again?” I asked with a smirk. “Why not go in search of something new? A mermaid lagoon, perhaps? With a magic moon hanging overhead?” I teased.
“I might just do that,” Marilee said with all the appearance of seriousness. “You’ll come with me, won’t you?” she said, her eyes on me.
I tilted my head. “I am at your disposal as always, Highness. Though it hardly seems fair that I get to go galavanting with you in search of pixies and mermaids while everyone else must work.”
“Galavanting with me is work. It’s what all proper lady’s maids do.”
“So you expect me to be proper now? How will I ever manage?”
A burst of laughter escaped her lips. “I have faith in you.”
Beatrice tutted with an amused shake of her head while Emeline hid her grin behind her cup.
“Now,” Marilee continued, setting both her hands flat on the table. “As much as I would love to continue this ridiculous conversation, we do have serious things to discuss.” She turned her eyes to me.
I swallowed. I’d been enjoying the reprieve, pretending my problems didn’t exist.
