Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Why, because you mean to take his attention?”
“I have not the slightest interest and I mean it. In fact, it is better they all focus on him so I may pay attention to other gentlemen.”
“Truly?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, truly.”
“Then—”
“I am surprised, Hathor,” Mary said. She was dressed in yellow, standing alongside Lady Amity, who came forward in white to meet us. “I didn’t expect you to dress so simply.”
“Yes, well, as a natural beauty it occurred to me I did not need to put in much effort at all,” I replied with a smile. “Both your gowns are quite…grand. I’m sure Prince Wilhelm shall notice.”
“If you do not faint upon him again,” Amity added with a frown. “Do you not tire of such tricks to gain attention?”
At least they believed it was a ploy to gain attention rather than the truth of me having already known him.
“Are you upset that I did it first or that I did it at all?” I asked.
“Hathor,” Mary said with her head raised. “Do know that the rest of us will not simply roll over and allow you to have your way. We all know why we are here, and so we are free to compete for his attentions…fairly.”
I pulled out my handkerchief and lifted it before her. “I hereby surrender and leave him completely to your mercies, ladies.”
The doors opened just as I finished, and then he walked in dressed again in dark blue. Immediately, it was as though all the air in the room had been taken out. Each lady curtsied toward him. Even Clementina. His eyes glanced over the room before he landed on me. Not allowed to be rude, I grimaced and bowed my head, barely. One would have thought he would understand and go away. But instead, the criminal came toward us.
“Ladies, you all look so beautiful this evening,” he said to our group, with the most deceptive of smiles on his lips. I felt the urge to roll my eyes.
“Thank you, Your Highness, I thought it best to start the week off in grand fashion.” Mary’s voice had now become very soft and gentle.
“And your coat is quite marvelous, Your Highness,” Amity added, making sure she stood right beside Mary.
He nodded to her and then looked to me. “Lady Hathor, good evening.”
Hearing him utter my name turned my face sour. All I could do was force a smile and mutter back as if tortured, “It was a good evening, if only briefly…Your Highness.”
For some reason the man smirked!
“Was? Only briefly? Whatever has ruined your night, my lady?” he pressed, and I could tell he was toying with me. It was not as if I could speak the truth before everyone.
“Hunger.”
Before he could say more, my mother and father motioned for the butler to announce dinner and I was able to quickly make my escape. I headed toward the dining room, thinking I would be free of him there. After all, I had told my mother he’d insulted me and therefore I wished not to be near him, so I expected the table settings to be changed. However, there in the center was the card with my name, next to…
“Here I am,” he said, glancing at his card beside mine.
Normally the tables were set by rank. Since he was a prince, he would have had to sit higher than my father but that would not allow him to sit beside any ladies. So the next option would be the daughter of the host…me. But I had hoped that Mother would have switched me with Clementina, the daughter of a duke. Why she had not, I did not know, but now I was forced to be in his company during the entire meal.
“Shall you not be sitting, my lady?” He raised his dark eyebrow and nodded to the footman who was waiting to pull out the chair I was blocking. I exhaled through my nose and stepped aside, allowing my chair to be brought out. I sat down and chose to just stare straight ahead.
“You are aware that you only draw more attention by trying to ignore me, Lady Hathor?” he mused.
I could not take it any longer. Immediately, I turned to him. “Then how about you ignore me?”
“That would make me rude, for you are the daughter of our host, are you not?”
“Your Highness—”
“Please cause me August, it is a nickname all my—”
“I shall not.”
“Why?”
“Firstly, because it is against the rules of decorum for a man and a woman who are unrelated to be so familiar with each other.”
“You have heard one of my most private conversations, does that not make us familiar?”
“Absolutely not. Not ever.”
He chuckled and nodded. “And your second reason?”
“What?”
“You said ‘firstly,’ so that means there is a second reason, correct?”
I paused, for the second reason was that it made me remember Lady Vivienne Gallagher and how she called out to him in the park. Clearly she was one of his many women…associates. However, I did not wish to say that aloud…especially considering that the people beside us could still hear us though we whispered.