“How lovely to see you,” Anna said, before gesturing to Favian. “Kathleen, this is Favian Drake, a kinsman of my sister’s. Favian, may I present Lady Kathleen Hobart.” Favian swept a deep bow in Kathleen’s direction.
“Lady Kathleen, it is my honor to make your acquaintance.” Kathleen blushed, and looked at the floor.
“Master Drake,” she whispered.
Favian smiled, then turned to Anna. “Will you find your way back to Drake House?” he asked. Anna nodded. “Good. Then I’ll see you on the morrow. Enjoy your visit.” With a nod in Kathleen’s direction, he left the room. Anna smiled at her friend.
“I am sorry for the short notice,” she said. “I only learned of our visit to the city this morning, so I’m glad you were not otherwise occupied.”
“I would have foregone almost anything to see you,” Kathleen said with a shy smile, “unless it meant disobeying a royal command. Come with me.” Turning down a passage, she led Anna past the hall and into a small study. A large desk took up half the space, while shelves lined with ledgers were secured to the walls. Two chairs stood in a corner, a small table between them, and Kathleen led Anna over to them.
“How are you enjoying the city?” Anna asked.
“I miss being in the country,” Kathleen said, “but Father says I must be happy. There are just so many people, and although they treat me nicely, they are not my friends. They only do it to please Father.”
“I can be your friend, if you want,” Anna said.
“Oh, yes, please!” Kathleen glanced at Anna then looked away. “Only, I’ve already been telling everyone that you are my friend,” she said.
“And so I am,” Anna said with a laugh.
“Father has invited some people to our house tonight,” Kathleen said. “He says I’m not in society enough to be noticed, and he has invited a few people here so I can become better acquainted. I asked him if I could invite you, and he said yes. Please say you’ll come.”
“Of course I’ll come,” Anna said, then paused. “I’m here with Mistress Cathryn, and I really shouldn’t leave her for the evening.”
“You can bring her too,” Kathleen said.
“But I don’t have anything to wear!”
“You can borrow something of mine,” Kathleen said.
Anna looked at Kathleen consideringly. She was taller than Kathleen by a few inches, but otherwise they were of similar size. A strip of ribbon along the hem would give the required length.
“Very well,” Anna nodded. “But I still need to check with Cathryn first. I can send her a note, if you like. I believe she can be found at her father’s warehouse – can you send a page boy to deliver it?”
“Oh, yes,” Kathleen said. There was paper and ink on the desk, and Anna settled down to write while Kathleen rushed out to find someone to deliver the note. A few minutes later a young boy of around ten set out with the missive clutched in his fist, along with a promise of a shiny coin if he returned with a reply.
Anna and Kathleen passed the time talking about happenings in the city. The king had passed a curfew, ensuring that the lower classes were off the street by ten in the evening, while Prince Rupert had been embroiled in a rather unsavory affair involving a young woman. It had been hushed up, however, and Kathleen was unsure of the details. An hour passed and the young boy returned, the response from Cathryn grubby and wrinkled, but still readable. ‘I will be delighted to accompany you this evening,’ she had replied.
“Good, it is all settled,” Kathleen said. “It will be so nice to see a friendly face.”
Anna left soon after, followed by the page boy, who carried a lime-green gown wrapped in linen. Kathleen had also found a length of wide white ribbon that Anna would use to add to the hem. It was already mid-afternoon, and Anna walked at a quick pace, smiling when she heard the boy running to keep up behind her.
Chapter 13
Anna lifted her borrowed gown a few inches from the ground as she stepped into the carriage after Cathryn. The ribbon had added enough to make the gown an acceptable length, and Hannah had added a few little nips and tucks to ensure it fitted her curves. All in all, it was not too bad. Cathryn had not had the same problem. She had a few evening gowns that remained permanently at Drake House, for times such as these.
Hobart House was awash with light as they stepped into a hall filled with people a short while later. Anna looked around in surprise. She had expected twenty or thirty people in attendance, but there must have been at least a hundred.
“I was expecting a more intimate evening,” she whispered to Cathryn. “Do you know any of these people?”
“A few.” Cathryn glanced around the room. “Even the prince is in attendance,” she said.
Anna looked up to see Prince Rupert standing amongst a small group of people, his expression bored as they laughed at some joke. She wondered if the king had ordered him to attend tonight – from what she knew of him, only coercion would bring him to an affair such as this. He wore a doublet of lavender and breeches of dark purple, the colors incongruous with what she had heard and seen of the well-built, short-haired man. In fact, Anna decided, his garments made him look quite ridiculous.
Turning away, Anna followed Cathryn into the sea of people, her eyes searching the room for Kathleen. They hadn’t gone more than a few feet when a short, older man waddled up to them.
“Cathryn, my dear! What are you doing here?”
Cathryn turned and smiled at the gentleman.
“Master Grant! This is Mistress Anna, a kinswoman of my husband’s. Lady Kathleen is a friend of hers.” The man turned a pleasant smile on Anna.
“Indeed? Mistress Anna, my pleasure.” He gave her hand a limp shake, then turned back to Cathryn. “Tell me, my dear, what news of your father?”
Anna turned away as Cathryn fell into conversation with the man, her eyes searching the crowds for Kathleen, until she finally spied her at the other end of the long hall. An elderly gentleman was leaning over her, his hand firmly wrapped around Kathleen’s arm while Kathleen stared at the floor. She reminded Anna of a small, quivering mouse, trapped by a cat teasing its prey before pouncing. Anna was wondering whether she should go and rescue her friend when Kathleen glanced in her direction. A smile of relief flooded her features as she saw Anna, and tugging her arm free, she made her escape.
“I’m so glad to see you,” she whispered as she drew near. “I was so anxious that something would keep you away at the last moment. Can you believe all these people?” She glanced back at the elderly man who was watching her beadily.
“Who is that man?” Anna asked.
“Lord Baxter,” Kathleen whispered. “Father says he has influence at court, so I need to make myself amenable.”
“You poor thing,” Anna said. “What about all these other people? Do you know them?”
“No,” Kathleen said, dropping her voice. “Only Mistress Bianca, who visits Father every day. But you are my only friend.”
“Well,” Anna said, hooking her arm through Kathleen’s, “let’s find a quiet spot where we can be more comfortable.” Benches and chairs lined the hall, and Anna led Kathleen towards a shadowed corner, but before they reached it, a voice called out Kathleen’s name. Anna turned to see Kathleen’s father beckoning her from across the room. Kathleen gave Anna a look that spoke volumes before turning and crossing the floor to where her father stood. At the sound of Lord Hobart’s voice, the prince, who was standing close by, glanced over his shoulder. He turned when his gaze fell on Anna, and in a moment he was making his way towards her.
“Mistress Anna,” he said.
“Your Highness,” she said, dropping a shallow curtsey, surprised he remembered her name.
“I thought you had left the city.”
“I did. And I leave again tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” He walked towards a spot near the wall where fewer people stood, glancing back with raised eyebrows when she did not follow. She sighed before joining him. “Wh
ere do you live?” he asked.
“I’m staying with friends in the country.”
“In the country? Where, exactly?”
“About thirty miles away.”
“Mistress Anna,” he said, a hint of irritation coloring his tone, “what is the name of the place where you are staying?”
“Drake Manor.”
“That’s better. Drake Manor, hmm? And do you come into Civitas often?”
“No, not often.”
“More’s the pity,” he said. He stared at her narrowly. “And are you enjoying living at Drake Manor, with your sister’s kinsmen?”
Anna’s eyebrows rose slightly. “I am, Your Highness. The Drakes are kind people, and we are not too far away. And we receive news from the city when people pass by. In fact, I’ve even heard …” She stopped, chagrined, and the prince pounced.
“Yes,” he said, “you’ve heard …?”
“Um,” Anna glanced at the floor, looking for inspiration, but found none. She looked back up at him. “I’ve heard you’ve been busy,” she said. At her words, Rupert’s eyebrows lifted, and Anna held her breath, waiting for an explosion of anger, but after a moment he gave a dry laugh.
“That’s one way to describe it,” he said. He tilted his head. “Tell me, Mistress, do you always speak your mind so freely?”
“My apologies, Your Highness,” Anna said. “I often speak before I think. I should not have been so bold.”
“Actually,” he said, “it is refreshing to hear someone speak plainly.”
“In that case,” Anna said, “perhaps I should tell you that purple does not become you.” This time the prince’s eyebrows rose even higher, but then he laughed. It was a sound of genuine amusement, and for the first time she saw his features soften slightly from the hard planes that usually lined his face.
“I will tell my Lord Hindley.”
“Lord Hindley?”
“One of the lords of my chamber. He has been nagging me to wear something more becoming to my station, and I confess I gave in to get him off my back. The man has known me since I was in the cradle, and refuses to take no for an answer. I will tell him that the ladies concur with my position and I will make sure these damned clothes are burned.”
“Only one lady,” Anna said, glancing around the room. She was startled to see quite a few pairs of eyes trained on them. “The other ladies seem to appreciate what they see.”
The prince glanced around and his expression hardened. “They’re looking at you.”
“Only because you are talking to me,” she said. He nodded.
“True.” He gave her a slight nod. “Excuse me, Mistress.”
“Of course,” she said, but he was already striding away from her. The people who had been watching her averted their eyes and returned to their conversations. Cathryn glanced her way with a smile, motioning her over.
“This is Mistress Bradshaw,” she said, introducing the older woman she was talking to. “She is a friend of Margaret’s.” Anna smiled and nodded, listening as Mistress Bradshaw and Cathryn conversed a little longer. When the lady moved away, Cathryn turned to Anna with an expression of concern.
“You need to be careful,” Cathryn said softly. “The prince’s good favor is not always to be desired.”
“I know! But what must I do when he approaches me?”
“Just be on your guard,” Cathryn said. “That’s all I’m saying.”
Anna nodded. “I will,” she said.
She looked up to see Kathleen coming towards her. “I think I have been introduced to everyone in this crowd,” Kathleen said, “so perhaps we can have a few minutes of conversation.” She glanced over to where Rupert was standing. “I saw the prince talking to you,” she said. She leaned a little closer. “He hardly ever talks to people he doesn’t know. What were you saying?”
Anna caught Cathryn’s gaze before replying. “I told him that purple doesn’t become him,” she said.
Kathleen’s eyes widened. “No,” she whispered. “You wouldn’t have dared.”
“I did,” Anna said, amused. “And he vowed to burn his garments and return to his usual style.” She glanced at Cathryn again, and saw a slight tug at the corners of her mouth. Their eyes met, and Cathryn grinned, shaking her head.
“How could you speak to the prince like that?” Kathleen’s tone was awed.
Anna shrugged. “He may be a prince, but I suspect a dragon would find him as tasty a morsel as any other mortal.” Beside her, Cathryn coughed, but Anna could not hide a shameless grin. “Now let us forget the prince. Tell me, did you finish the story you were reading the night of the banquet?”
Chapter 14
With Cathryn’s business in Civitas completed, Favian was back the next day to fly them home again. The days quickly passed from late summer into early fall. Anna received a letter from Keira, letting them know that they had arrived safely back at Storbrook.
‘Everything is just the same,’ she wrote. ‘Garrick received the news that you were remaining at Drake Manor stoically, but he went out hunting the next day, and we didn’t see him for a week. The children are well. Missing you terribly, of course, and running Peggy off her toes. Aaron has started looking for a tutor for them – a dragon, not a human. Write soon. We long for news of you.’
Bronwyn and Will continued with their morning lessons, but instead of doing needlework with her grandmother, Bronwyn now spent the afternoons with her father, working on controlling her transformations and strengthening her wings. Anna spent most afternoons with Cathryn or Margaret, but when Cathryn pulled out her needlework, Anna excused herself. She had never had the patience to master the small, intricate stitches. Instead, she wandered around the gardens, collecting herbs and blossoms that Margaret used in her different brews and elixirs. She was out one afternoon, collecting green sage and thyme, when Bronwyn caught up with her.
“How are the lessons going?” Anna asked. Bronwyn smiled shyly.
“Fine,” she said. She met Anna’s gaze. “I can control my transformations now. Do you want to see?”
“Well…” Anna said, but Bronwyn was already tugging the laces of her kirtle free. “Should I turn around?” Anna asked.
“If you want,” Bronwyn said, with a mischievous smile. “I’ve had to transform so many times with Father and Grandfather that it doesn’t matter if you see me too. But you must cover your eyes when I change, because of the light.” She was shrugging her shoulders to loosen the chemise, and Anna quickly turned around. A bright flash filled the air, and Anna turned back, lifting her gaze to look at the dragon towering over her. She sparkled in the sunshine, her coppery-rose color catching the light. Anna stumbled backwards, then stopped when she saw the dragon looking at her intently.
“I won’t hurt you,” Bronwyn said, her voice surprisingly small for a creature so large. Anna drew in a deep breath.
“I know,” Anna said. She closed her eyes for a moment, then took a step towards her. “You are so beautiful,” she said. The dragon smiled, and lifted huge wings into the air. She was not as large as either Favian or Will, and lacked the broad frame typical of the other dragons Anna had seen. Instead, her lines were longer, more graceful and feminine. Her shorter horns curved more over her head, and her tail, though still armed with sharp spikes, was not as thick and heavy.
“Come for a ride with me,” Bronwyn said.
Anna looked at her with surprise and took a step backwards. “No, no, I couldn’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because …” Anna searched for a suitable answer. “Because I don’t like flying. And besides, your father might not like it.”
“Oh,” she said, “he already knows I’m asking you.”
“But you’re just a girl!”
The dragon laughed, a few sparks escaping her mouth until she lowered her head to Anna’s eye level. “I’m not a girl, Aunty Anna. I’m a dragon. Look at me. Do I look like other girls my age?”
“No, but –”
“Please, Anna,” she said, widening her huge yellow eyes beseechingly, in a very human-like manner.
“Well…” Anna started, and Bronwyn, sensing her wavering will, smiled.
“I’m not as good as lifting someone onto my back as Father, but keep very still and I’ll try.”
Anna closed her eyes and held her breath as Bronwyn’s tail snaked around her, closing around her waist. “Not so tight,” she gasped, and the tail fell away.
“I’m sorry,” Bronwyn said.
“It’s all right. Try again.”
Once more, Bronwyn wrapped her tail around Anna, inch by inch, until it was coiled securely around her middle. “Are you all right?” Bronwyn asked. Anna nodded. Carefully she lifted her tail into the air and Anna felt her feet leave the ground. Bronwyn wasn’t as steady as her father, and the ground rocked and swayed below Anna, but then she was being dropped down onto Bronwyn’s broad back, where she landed with a thump. “Sorry,” Bronwyn said again, and Anna gave her a weak wave.
“I’m fine,” she said.
“Next time will be better,” Bronwyn assured her. She stretched out rose-bronze wings, and launched herself into the air. The ground grew distant as the dragon pushed her way higher, turning in a huge circle. Anna wrapped her arms around the long neck, and looked down at the ground flashing below them. Although Anna lived with dragons, there were only a few times she had actually ridden a dragon. She had done so once with Max, when he had taken her to a snow-covered peak near Storbrook. It was the first time she became aware of Max as someone – or something – other than the man who annoyed and irritated her, and it had left her confused. The other time had been in the dark, when Favian fetched her from the rocky island where Jack was keeping Keira and her prisoner. All she remembered of that ride was shame and regret.
Bronwyn did not fly evenly as Favian did, but swooped and swerved with childish enthusiasm. She turned when she saw the river snaking through the woods below, following the silver ribbon as it rushed its way between the mountains and the forest. Anna gasped when Bronwyn’s belly skimmed the tops of the trees, snapping huge branches like kindling, but Bronwyn just laughed. “It tickles,” she said.
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