The Wronged Princess - Book I (11 page)

Familiar surroundings with doses of deep even breaths settled over him
. 
He’d heard tales of mid-wives mentioning similar techniques for child-bearing. He bit back
the bark of hysteria
, too absurd for words
. 
There
must
be lump on his head—pressing in, creating considerable damage if he recalled talk of not only child-bearing, but mid-wives
. 
At nineteen, he should
have no inkling as to
what a mid-wife was.

Sitting slowly, he tested the back of his head and shifted his gaze about the chamber
.
He started
with the heavy armoire,
then moved
to the comfortable sitting area, the dressing table
—t
he table that held all his grooming tools, shaving apparatus.

A manly chamber
. 

A chamber he would never
swoon
in.

A chamber that exuded viral masculinity…save for the portrait of his parents of a much younger time, mind
. 
Residing proudly over the bed
. 
His
bed.

Prince momentarily rested his gaze on that painting
. 
On the magnificence of the artist’s skill in capturing
M
amán
’s soft knowing smile slighted to his father
,
Papá’s
obvious oblivion, even then
. 
Surrounded in a field of vivid purples, orange and yellow perennials
, the
knowing quirk in her eye seemed to land on Prince
. 

He should rethink the painting over the bed.

Disgusted, he finally ventured one eye toward Arnald
,
noting the smirk remarkably similar to
M
amán’s
. 
Arms folded across his chest, gave
Arnald
the haughty-down-the-nose stare usually reserved for nobility
. 
Arnald was
not
nobility and he was out of line
. 
Well, he supposed that was not only unfair, but untrue, as his mother’s dead and only sibling’s child.

“Would you care to explain?” Arnald asked.

Prince’s temper snapped
. 
“Go ahead, bellow to your heart’s content
. 
You know you want to, but at least bar the door a forehand.
”
His temper faded just as quickly as it had appeared
. 
T
he abhorrence of what happened settled over him,
leaving
him queasy
. 
He groaned
. 
“How unfavorable would you say?”

Arnald shook his head, managing to restrain the laughter
once more
. 
He’d better
. 
One did not laugh at the
prince
. 
It could prove fatal for one’s health.

“The future king just fainted
. 
How unfavorable would
you
say?”

Chapter
7

Thomasine stepped forward to offer a comely welcome to her new houseguests with all the grace a queen summoned after her
strong winsome
son dropped like a pile of rocks on the ground, before God and country
. 
Of course, she’d hidden her inclination to do the same
. 
Truth be told, s
he applauded his brilliant escape.

Rather than stalking away which was her next tempting option, she rested her gaze on the two young women before her
. 
Each appeared, not exactly
un
attractive with their shiny hair and creamy complexions, but rather sullen and coddled
. 
Their mother, Hilda, on the other hand, though at the moment, awed, would no doubt gain her
voice
quickly
enough
. 

Finally, her gaze settled on the servant girl
. 
Long
dark
dull locks
of
hair
hung down her back, the top of her head covered by a many-times-mended-over kerchief in a drab faded brown
. 
Her apron had
certainly
seen better days
. 
Thomasine narrowed her eyes
. 
Was it her imagination or had something in her pocket just moved
?
Non,
impossible
.
With a self-conscious move the child
sl
id
her chapped hand
in that same pocket
, clearly ashamed
. 

Big brown eyes looked lost in a face dotted with…was that ash on her pale cheeks
?
Once cleaned up, the chit would no doubt be quite breathtaking
. 
Thomasine wished she could reassure the child
. 
Her son could not have made a finer choice, she decided
. 
If
this
stratagem did not somehow manage to go awry,
she and Faust
ine
might attain
hope of guiding her only son’s efforts toward maturity
. 
The gruesome thought was enough to send a shiver skittering down her spine.

Resisting an urge to close her eyes, she silently allowed Faustine’s not so reassuring words to float over her
. 
“Trust, my dear, trust.
”
She supposed she had no choice at this juncture.

With a practiced cordiality, she clucked
. 
“You must be weary from your travels
. 
A long ride,
non
?
”
No one answered, but she had not expected them to.

Amusemen
t touched her as they looked
round clearly in awe
. 
Hilda nodded which sent her triple chin into a horrifying jiggle
. 
It seemed she could find nothing coherent to say
. 
Thomasine had seen this before, of course
. 
Royalty could be so unnerving to the Lessors.

“Beatrix, please conduct our guests to their quarters so they may freshen for supper,” the queen murmured
. 
In a regal sweep she addressed Hilda
. 
Thank the heavens Royalty had their practiced finesse
. 
As i
t would take that and more
to pull off this mad plot
they’d devised
. 
“We dine at eight, my dear
. 
We shall gather in the family parlor for a pre-dinner sherry a forehand
. 
A servant will avail themselves to you for your direction,” Thomasine informed her
. 
She inclined her head, as refinement and culture demanded
. 
As expected the four women in turn bestowed deep, respectful curtsies
. 

Thomasine spared no haste making her way to the meeting chamber she and Faustine had designated for their outrageous
machinations
. 
Diabolical yet subtle, she would be lucky if Prince did not launch a campaign for her demise when he stepped up to the throne
. 
She let out a sigh
. 
Ah, well, a mother had to duty to her child
. 
She pressed her lips together
. 
Especially an only child.

A miniscule of seconds edged by before the outbreak of sparkles appeared, thus bringing Faustine into full view
. 

“What think you
?
Impossible?
”
Thomasine asked, brows furrowed.

“It’s possible,” Faustine responded, tapping her chin in a thoughtful contemplation
. 
Her tiny wand slipped to the floor, rolled precariously toward the door.

“Odd how that one young lady’s eyes blink so rapidly, is it not?
”
Thomasine reflected
. 
Promptly dismissing the thought, she added, “Well, never mind,
’t
is
time to see our plan through
. 
Too late for naught else, I fear.”

“
Oui.
”

“You best hang on to that silly contraption, Faustine
. 
We can ill afford it to fall in the wrong hands.”

“Pray, quit calling me that,” Faustine scowled.

“Whyever, for,
ma chére
?
’
Tis your name,
non
?
”
Thomasine said absently, darting for the door
. 
“We shall speak later
. 
Adieu
.”

Chapter
8

Cinderella watched in breathless torment as Prince’s masculine form was hauled over his manservant’s shoulder and whisked away
. 
Her fixed-stare followed the retreating figures up a flight of stone steps through the elaborate entrance of the castle.

One blink brought her attention to the monstrosity of the structure in the brilliant light of the late afternoon
. 
Much dif
ferent than crashing the Royal B
all in the throws of a dark night
. 

A lovely night
, she sighed
. 
A finer night
she’d
know
n
she
’d never see
in this
lifetime
.

Rich
green ivy grew in bunches hugging
the stones on both sides of the entrance
. 
Windows in mortared stacks of four reached to an endless sky and rounded columns
to tower
above a flat roof
. 
Cinderella swallowed past the obstruction blocking her throat.

Perhaps it would not be such a trial to see Esmeralda married to Prince
. 
But the vision of his slumped form over the servant’s shoulder tugged at her heart
. 
She was the one who should be there when he opened his eyes
. 
The one to kiss away
his hurt
,
shower
him
with
love
, affection,
children
. 

She pressed her l
ips
together
. 
Non
. 
There was no
way she could allow Esmeralda to marry her true love
. 
But how to prevent it
?
She
dropped
her head in despair
only to see
what
everyone else saw, her mended clothes
. 
Stepmamá
had everyone believing her a servant.

“
Mademoiselle
?” A shy voice broke through her careening thoughts
. 

“
Oui
?”

“This way,
mademoiselle
.”

Cinderella peered about
. 
No one seemed to hear the timid mai
d but she
. 
A young miss with a
flouncing white mob cap
and starched white apron
. 
Her elf-like features,
whimsical
eyes and pert nose sparked mischievous adventure
. 
A sense of déjà vu touched her
. 
Fairy Godmother?

Impossible
. 

Cinderella shook her head. T
he
opportunity to escape her ill-gotten family was not one she was prepared to miss
. 
Stepmamá
could hardly call her out before the queen.

So
Cinderella
followed her
. 
They made haste in quick short steps that lead
straight
away from
Stepmamá
, Pricilla and Esmeralda
. 
This, in and of itself, was a dream come true...but…