“Company? What company?”
“Fanny’s friend, Miss Gretchen, says that King Edwin’s daughter, Camilla, arrived in Fenmore Falls yesterday.”
“A princess?” my voice squeaked.
This is not good. Without Gabriella here to be Prince Patrick’s Cinderella, would he marry this princess Camilla?
“Yes. Princess Camilla is the only child of King Edwin.”
“Have you seen her?”
“No, but many people speak of her beauty,” Rose said.
“Well, she’s a princess. She must be beautiful.”
“She has long yellow hair.” Rose touched her own hair.
Of course she does. I bet it’s soft like silk, too.
“She’s also very gracious. She oversees the orphanages in her kingdom and ensures that the children are properly educated.”
Lovely. She sounded perfect.
“It looks like we have some competition, don’t we?” I said.
Rose snickered. “Yes, we do.”
Days 10 Through 12
The upcoming ball was discussed excitedly at Sherwood Manor over the next few days. As the event approached, I worried I wouldn’t be able to convince the shy Krys to ask Katie to the dance. I wouldn’t be her fairy godmother if I didn’t make some magic happen—and soon. I had planned to hint that he should ask Katie to the dance, but ancient boys were about as quick to understand women’s hints as modern boys were. Therefore, I knew I needed to just tell Krys point-blank.
On Wednesday afternoon, I headed out to talk to him. He was walking toward the stables, and I called out his name.
The young man stopped in his path and looked at me. “Miss Brinlee?”
It wasn’t hard to see why Katie was infatuated with Krys. He was handsome, and though he was still young, the muscles in his arms bulged against his tight work shirt.
He ran his fingers through his wavy brown hair as he strode toward me. “Can I help you, Miss Brinlee?”
“Yes . . .” I paused. “I guess there’s no great way to say this, so I’m just going to say it.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“You need to ask Katie to the ball,” I blurted.
Krys’s face went beet red. I reveled in his obvious attraction to my dear friend.
“I can’t do that,” he mumbled.
“Why not?”
“She would never go to the ball with me. I’m a lowly stable boy.” He shifted his gaze to the ground.
“Do you not know of Katie’s interest in you?”
“You flatter me, Miss Brinlee.” He looked up through his eyelashes.
“I speak the truth, Krys.”
He ran his fingers through his hair again. “Do you really think she would go to the ball with me if I asked her?”
“It would be her dream come true.” I hope I didn’t scare him off, but time was running out. “I’m sorry to be so blunt with you.”
“Thank you, Miss Brinlee. I’ll think about what you said.”
He tipped his head and walked back to the stables.
That went better than I expected. Hopefully there would be a big smile on Katie’s face the next time I saw her. I wondered if I should act surprised or admit to my involvement.
After I retired to my bedroom late that Wednesday night, I heard a quiet knock on the door.
“Miss Brinlee?” Amanda said.
“Come in.”
She opened the door and stepped in. “A letter for you.”
A letter? Who would send me a letter? My heart leapt. Dennan! I reached for the folded paper. “Who delivered it?”
Amanda shrugged. “I don’t know. Henry answered the door. Well, good night, Miss Brinlee.” She left my bedroom.
My fingers trembled as I opened the letter. It read, I miss you . . . until tomorrow.
That was all. No signature or address. But my pounding heart knew who had written the note. Once I got over the shock of Dennan being so near—after all, he must’ve dropped off the note—I peered out my window in search of him. He was nowhere to be seen. I would have to wait.
Until tomorrow.
Chapter 19
Katie Woodencloak
Norway, 1888
So when the sermon was over, and the king’s daughter was to go out of the church, the prince had got a firkin of pitch poured out in the porch, that he might come and help her over it; but she didn’t care a bit—she just put her foot right down into the midst of the pitch, and jumped across it; but then one of her golden shoes stuck fast in it, and as she got on her horse, up came the prince running out of the church, and asked whence she came.
“I’m from Combland,” said Katie. But when the prince wanted to reach her the gold shoe, she said:
Bright before and dark behind,
Clouds come rolling on the wind;
That this prince may never see
Where my good steed goes with me.
Day 13
By late afternoon, clouds were dark and threatening rain. When I eagerly stepped outside that evening to meet Dennan, it began to sprinkle. But even if it decided to pour, nothing would have stopped me from seeing him.
“Where are you going?” William spoke from behind me.
He must have seen me leave the manor and followed me. What a weirdo.
“I wanted to come outside and smell the fresh rain,” I said calmly.
This guy had given me the creeps all week. He was always watching me and trying to catch me alone. I didn’t like the way he looked at me, just as he was doing now, studying every square inch of me.
“You wouldn’t be meeting someone tonight, would you?” he asked.
“No, I came outside for a walk and to take a break from the household chores.”
“Do you need an escort?”
“Thank you, William, but I wish to be alone.” I curtsied and walked away before he could investigate any further.
When I peeked over my shoulder, I was glad to see him going back to the manor.
I walked through the gardens, letting the rain caress my cheeks. Night had begun to descend, like a dark blanket falling around me. I thought I heard a horse in the distance, but I could see nothing but the outline of the trees against the dark blue sky.
Worry and doubt pressed heavily on my mind. What if Dennan had a change of heart and decided not to meet me? I didn’t even know where we were supposed to meet or what time.
I gasped as a hand covered my mouth and a powerful arm wrapped around my waist. “You must be cautious when traveling alone, miss.”
I was breathless with delight at the sound of Dennan’s voice. I turned to face my captor and stepped directly into his arms.
“You came,” I exclaimed.
“Of course I came.” He leaned forward and kissed my cheek. He wasn’t wearing his mask, and his whiskers brushed against my skin. “Why wouldn’t I?”
His strong hands moved to my face, and his fingers slipped into the softness of my hair. “I’ve come to steal another kiss from you.”
“How can you steal a kiss from me when I give them to you freely?”
He grinned, showing his dimple. “When I found you damaged by the kiss of that servant boy more than a week ago, did I not steal a kiss from you?”
“That kiss was willingly given, and you know it,” I said. “Besides, you have done nothing improper where I am concerned. That proves you are not a thief.”
I watched as Dennan licked his lips and stared at my mouth.
“How do you know I will not take liberties tonight?” he asked.
“You may be a rogue, but you are not a villain. You are a gentleman.”
“No gentleman’s kiss ever gratified any rogue.” And then his lips captured mine i
n a driven kiss.
I sighed as he gathered me into his arms. I felt my body go weak as he kissed me. If I’d managed to think anything right then, it would’ve been Seriously, this is amazing!
Abruptly, he ended the kiss. “I want to show you something.”
Slightly dazed, I allowed him to lead me toward his horse. Dennan mounted the beautiful beast and held out his hand for me. I put my foot on his in the stirrup and leaned on his thigh for support as I climbed up to sit behind him in the leather saddle. He winced in pain, and I remembered his injured leg.
“Sorry!”
“Hold on tight.”
I wrapped my arms tightly around him, and in the next moment the horse broke into a mad gallop through the rain. I leaned against Dennan’s back, breathing in the scent of him—the smell I would remember forever.
“Here.” He slowed his horse to a canter.
I looked to where he pointed on the rocky hillside through some thick bushes. “What am I supposed to be looking at?” I asked.
Dennan hopped off the horse and held his hands out for me. “I’ll show you.”
I placed my hands on his wide shoulders, and his hands went to my waist. When my feet hit the ground, I loved the way he let his hands linger for a moment. I looked up into his dark eyes. Our gazes locked, and my heart purred.
Wow, I’ve got it bad for this boy.
He broke the trance and turned to guide me toward the hillside. I shook off the spell and followed him across the grass. Soon, he pushed back some bushes to expose a cave.
Am I missing something? He wants to show me a cave?
“This is a cave.” I didn’t know what else to say.
“It’s a great place to disappear for a while.”
“Do you come here often?” I was trying to figure out why this cave was so special, as opposed to all the other dark, dreary caves.
I heard a rustling sound in the cave.
“What was that?” I stepped closer to Dennan, afraid a large animal would dash out of the cave at any second.
He put his arms around me and pulled me close. “Many animals live in this cave. It’s probably just a bat.”
“A bat?” I squealed.
Dennan laughed. “Be glad it’s only a bat. The true cave dwellers live far inside the cave, where the light never touches.”
I trembled at the thought of what might live in the cave
He tucked me closer into the comfort of his chest. “I missed you,” he said.
“You’ve been on my mind every day,” I admitted.
He kissed the top of my head.
“I feel so safe in your arms, as if no one could ever hurt me.” With him, everything seemed simpler. Life wasn’t complicated with evil stepmothers, servants’ lost wages, magic doors, or even the scary William. Life was just beautiful.
“Why would you think someone is going to hurt you?” Concern was evident in Dennan’s voice.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” I lied.
“What is it?” He leaned back to look at my face.
I inhaled deeply. “It’s the guy you saw me with the other night—Sir William.” I saw anger in Dennan’s eyes before I continued. “He’s been overly attentive lately.”
“And?” Dennan urged.
“He makes me uncomfortable. He follows me everywhere, and he watches me.”
“Has he made improper advancements towards you?” Dennan almost growled.
“No, not really. He’s only suggested it.”
“You must stay away from him, Brinlee.” Dennan grabbed my upper arms. “He truly may mean you harm.”
“There’s something else.”
“What?” Dennan’s eyes sparked with fury.
I looked over his shoulder, anywhere but at his face. “It’s not really someone else I’m afraid of. Well, I’m afraid of her, but not in the same way I’m afraid of William. It’s more like I’m afraid she’ll cast a spell on me and turn me into a toad. But that would be silly, because why would she turn me into a toad? What use is a toad?”
“Brinlee!” Dennan’s shout interrupted my rambling.
“It’s Lady Catherine. She’s very mean and a devious, shady person. I think she’s up to something.”
Dennan frowned. “What is it that causes you suspicion?”
“Well, first of all, she leaves the house with William every day at noon, and when she returns, she goes to the tower on the fourth floor of the manor. Catherine is the only one who has a key to the tower. She’ll be up there for hours—I even saw a light on in the window late one night.”
“But why do you believe she is up to something devious?”
“The same night I saw the light in the tower window, William frightened me and told me to be wary of where I decided to meddle. He said the tower was none of my concern and to leave it alone.”
“You should take his advice. I don’t want you hurt.” Dennan tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
At that moment, I knew. I knew I loved this man who had such concern for my safety, who had come to me in this fabricated world. I knew I loved him and would never love anyone else this way.
I looked up into his eyes and gave into the urge to tenderly run my finger across the scar in his eyebrow. His eyes closed at the gentle touch.
“Did it hurt?” I asked.
“I didn’t even feel it until I noticed the blood.”
“What happened?”
“Someday I’ll tell you,” he answered.
I didn’t push him further, but I wondered what had left such a mark. Was it a result of his dangerous occupation, or just a scar from a mischievous childhood?
The sound of an approaching rider brought me to attention. My fists tightly gripped onto Dennan’s shirt.
“It’s all right, Brinlee.” He moved to my side. “I want you to meet someone.”
I didn’t know what to expect, but I would’ve never guessed the person on the horse would be a plump older woman.
“Did you get lost, Grandma?” Dennan walked over and helped her off her horse.
“No, I took the scenic route.” Her voice made me homesick for my own grandma. It was the sound of bedtime stories and bedtime songs. The sound of comfort and peace. The sound that made you recollect your entire childhood in one gentle sweep.
Dennan helped his grandmother off her horse and then placed her hand in the crook of his arm to lead her toward me. “Brinlee, I present to you my grandmother.”
“I’m pleased to meet you.” I curtsied.
I was becoming quite an expert in curtseying.
The woman winked at me and looked at her grandson. “She’s stunning, my boy.”
“Yes, she is,” Dennan said softly.
I blushed at the compliment.
“Hush or you’ll give her the wrong impression of who you really are,” she reprimanded with a twinkle in her eye.
“It’s the right impression I want to give.” Dennan smiled his dimple smile.
She swatted his arm. Even though she reminded me of my own grandma, the title was the only similarity. My grandmother was sixty years old, where Dennan’s looked at least eighty. She had long, beautiful gray hair, braided and hanging past her waist. I was impressed that she could wear her hair so long at her age. Most grandmothers I knew chopped off their hair and had a stylist fix it every Monday.
“I hope Dennan has been a gentleman and not like the unruly boy who presently stands next to me.”
I shook my head. “No, he has been very kind.”
“Grandma, why do you doubt me? You’ve taught me how to treat a lady, and I use that knowledge to charm every girl I see.”
He left his grandmother’s side and walked up to me. He brushed his knuckles against my cheek,
then whispered so only I could hear, “Especially if I find one alone in the woods—without her clothes.”
I couldn’t help but smile.
“Dennan, help me get the packages before the rain becomes something worse. I can feel it in my bones that tonight will be a long, wet night.” Dennan’s grandmother was standing next to her horse, opening the large leather bags attached to the back of her saddle.
Dennan caressed my cheek one more time and then followed his grandma to her horse. They returned carrying three packages.
“My dear,” she began, “Dennan tells me that you are in need of a gown for the ball.”
“Yes . . .” I drew out the word, unsure where this was going.
“I asked my grandmother to bring you a dress,” Dennan said excitedly. “She’s one of the best milliners in town.”
“A dress? For me?” I gaped at Dennan and then his grandma.
She held out a package. “It was one of my daughter’s dresses when she was about your age. It should fit perfectly.”
“You brought me a dress?” I asked in awe.
“Didn’t I promise to bring you a dress?” Dennan said gently.
“Yes, you did.”
“Well, open it then.”
I opened the package and pulled away the delicate paper that covered the contents. I couldn’t speak as I gazed at the most gorgeous red fabric I had ever seen. It was the color of burning embers, and the red of a velvet rose. I touched the gown to find the soft material was like nothing I’d felt before.
“It’s beautiful,” I breathed.
“I’m glad you like it,” the kind woman said.
“I love it.”
“There’s more.” Dennan presented a small package he had been hiding behind his back. I watched as his rough, tan fingers fumbled over the knot holding the paper together. He dropped the twine to the ground and gently unfolded the paper to reveal a mask, teardrop earrings, and a necklace of small red crystals with a large pearl pendant.
I'm Not Cinderella (The Princess Chronicles) Page 15
