The Trouble With Princesses

by Tracy Anne Warren

  “What are the two of you talking about over there?” Emma called. “Something interesting, I hope.”

  Ariadne sent him a stare from under her lashes that clearly said, Yes, what is it we are discussing, oh great teacher?

  But the look he returned was easy and unconcerned.

  Replacing a last lid, his own plate replenished, he turned and strolled back to the table. “I was just agreeing to give Ariadne some instruction.”

  Only long practice enabled her to hide her shock. What on earth was he saying? Surely he wasn’t about to reveal their affair to Emma and Nick?

  But he resumed his seat at the table as if his remark was nothing out of the ordinary. Biting the inside of her lip, she slid into the chair across from him.

  “Instruction?” Emma asked. “And whatever might you be planning to teach our Ariadne?”

  “Yes,” Nick said, joining the conversation. “I find I’m most intrigued to hear as well.”

  Rupert’s gaze met Ariadne’s as he calmly chewed, then swallowed, a forkful of eggs and blood sausage. He wiped his mouth on his napkin, clearly in no hurry to answer.

  She frowned as subtly as she could and gave a nearly imperceptible shake of her head, warning him to remain silent.

  He smiled serenely back. “She told me she’s been dying to learn to drive a carriage, so I’ve decided to give her a few lessons.”

  Driving lessons? Was that supposed to be the big secret?

  If her foot could have reached, she would have kicked him underneath the table for putting her through so much unnecessary anxiety. But as far as stories went, she had to admit, he’d thought of a good one.

  Emma turned to her. “I didn’t realize you were interested in learning to drive. Why did you never mention it before?”

  And why, said Emma’s look, did you decide to mention it to Rupert, of all people?

  “Oh, it’s a recent development,” she said in a breezy tone. Picking up the scone on her plate, she broke it in two, delaying. “You remember when Mr. Elliston took me for a spin in his high perch phaeton. I had a magnificent time and have been toying ever since with the idea of learning to take up the ribbons myself.”

  Emma smiled. “Well, that does sound like something that would appeal to your sense of daring and adventure.”

  “Yes,” Ariadne agreed, warming to the theme. “I shall cut quite a dashing figure driving my own equipage, do you not agree?”

  “Indeed.” Emma turned toward her brother. “But how did you come to be involved in this undertaking, Rupert?”

  “Yes, Your Royal Highness, do tell Emma and Nick all the details,” Ariadne urged.

  Rupert pinned her with a look that promised retribution at some later date.

  Now who wanted to kick the other person underneath the table?

  He raised his cup to his mouth and took a long, deep swallow. “It’s quite simple. I chanced upon Ariadne at a party where she was discussing the idea with a few of her suitors. She was debating which gentleman to accept, despite her obvious lack of knowledge as to whether the gentlemen in question were nothing but a bunch of ham-fisted dolts.”

  Quietly, he replaced his cup on its saucer. “Ordinarily I would have left matters as they were, but I feared she would choose unwisely and land herself on the scandal pages. Rather than letting the situation get out of hand, which it was sure to do with Ariadne involved, I offered to provide her instruction. She quite wisely said yes.”

  Ariadne’s eyes narrowed. “Although it’s not too late to change my mind.”

  “But you won’t,” he said confidently. “You want this too badly.”

  Her pulse kicked into a faster rhythm.

  Fearing that she might give herself away, she looked down at her plate.

  “Well, I for one think it an excellent notion that you learn to drive, Ariadne,” Nick stated from his end of the table. “More women ought to have at least a rudimentary understanding of how to handle a carriage. Who knows when an emergency might arise and leave a lady in need of such an ability?”

  Ariadne looked up, surprised, and a bit chagrined, to have Nick’s support.

  “Really?” Emma piped. “You’ve never said so before. Does this mean, then, that you would teach me, should I wish to learn?”

  Nick smiled indulgently across at his wife. “Of course. It would be my distinct pleasure.”

  Emma clapped her hands together. “Oh, what a grand idea. And all thanks to Arie.” She sent a beaming smile Ariadne’s way.

  She could do nothing but smile back.

  How on earth had this all become so complicated? She supposed now she really would have to take driving lessons from Rupert. Although the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. It would be lovely to have her own carriage and to be able to handle the ribbons with as much skill and confidence as any man. Perhaps she would even buy herself a high perch phaeton, just as she’d claimed.

  “So when is your first lesson?” Emma asked, looking from Ariadne to Rupert.

  Rupert finished the last of his meal, then laid his fork and knife neatly across his plate. “This afternoon. I see no point in delaying.”

  Ariadne fidgeted. Was it really driving lessons they would be undertaking or the start of the other lessons he’d promised to give her? Now that they’d told Nick and Emma she was having driving lessons, though, they would have to leave the house.

  So driving lessons it was.

  For today anyway.

  As for tonight . . .

  A delicious little shiver chased through her.

  “You’ve barely touched your plate,” Rupert remarked, nodding toward her untouched meal. “Eat. It won’t do for you to take to the roads hungry.”

  She opened her mouth to tell him that she would eat or not as she chose. She didn’t like taking orders from anyone, particularly Rupert. But she had willingly agreed to this clandestine affair of theirs, so she guessed she would have to get used to his dictatorial ways.

  For a while anyway.

  “I suppose I will need my strength,” she said, picking up her fork. “If for no other reason than to deal with you.”

  She waited for a scowl to crease his golden brows.

  Instead, he laughed. “More coffee,” he called to a waiting footman. “I can tell I am going to need my strength too.”

  • • •

  “Arie,” Emma said nearly half an hour later when it was just the two of them left at the table. “I just wanted to say how pleased I am that you and Rupert are getting along better. You’ve always been so much at odds. I never imagined a day when the two of you would be voluntarily participating in an activity together.”

  Ariadne kept her face impassive. If only Emma knew the real activity in which she and her brother were planning to participate.

  Should I tell her after all?

  But much as she hated keeping secrets from Emma, she knew this was one thing she could not possibly share with her.

  She forced a wry smile and rolled her eyes with exaggerated derision. “Well, I wouldn’t get too excited about my truce with Rupert. I suspect it will be of a temporary duration at best.”

  Emma shook her head. “No, I suppose a permanent truce would be asking too much, wouldn’t it? I am just glad the two of you are finding a way to be more than politely civil. Who knows, maybe you’ll surprise yourselves and end up friends.”

  Friends? With Rupert? Now that would be something.

  But friendship with Rupert was no more likely than the chance that their affair would last longer than a few fleeting weeks.

  Once she’d satisfied her sexual curiosity and he felt reasonably assured she wouldn’t do anything too extreme to disgrace herself or his family, they would go their separate ways. Naturally, Rupert would need to return to Rosewald to resume his official duties, while she would leave for Scotland to spend time with Mercedes and Daniel before the winter closed in. Whether she and Rupert parted as friends, who could predict?

  But unt
il then, she had the rest of the Season in which to explore and enjoy.

  And, oh, do I plan to enjoy.

  She blinked, only then realizing that she’d fallen silent and that Emma was gazing at her with a speculative expression on her face.

  “Is there anything else I should know about this new . . . peace accord—for want of a better term—between you and Rupert?” Emma asked.

  Oh, bother it all. If she weren’t more careful, Emma would figure out what was going on without Ariadne saying a single word. Emma was an intelligent woman and if she became suspicious, well, she would make it her mission to learn the truth.

  Ariadne gave a nonchalant shrug. “What else could there be? Other than the fact that he will likely irritate me to the point of violence within five minutes of our first driving lesson. I shall have to take care to leave my dress pins and penknife at home.”

  A laugh rippled from Emma’s lips. “No, please do not wound him—at least not much. You know how men fuss when they are unwell.”

  “Indeed, even royal ones. Or maybe I should say, especially a royal one.”

  They both chuckled again, in complete agreement.

  Ariadne breathed a sigh of relief.

  Chapter Ten

  Later that afternoon, Rupert stood on the pavement outside Lyndhurst House and watched Ariadne descend the front steps. She looked lovely in an afternoon dress of striped yellow and white muslin, a wide-brimmed bonnet on her soft, shining hair that appeared more red than gold in the sunlight. Rather than slippers, she’d worn a pair of sensible half boots of supple brown leather and on her hands a pair of thin driving gloves in an outrageously bold shade of cerise.

  She drew to a halt, her eyes fixing on the waiting curricle. “Oh, is that what we’re taking?”

  “Yes,” he said, walking forward to assist her up into the vehicle. “What did you imagine we would be driving?”

  “Well, there was talk of a high perch phaeton this morning at breakfast.”

  He shook his head with wry amusement as he got her settled in the seat. “That was your talk, not mine. Only a fool would let a beginner try to learn on a high perch phaeton. The first time you drew up short, we’d both be tossed over the horses’ heads and break our necks.”

  She was unusually quiet as he leapt into the curricle and took a seat beside her. Gathering the reins in his hands, he checked for traffic, then set the horses in motion.

  “So, are you really going to teach me to drive?” she asked after a long moment, “or did you just tell Emma and Nick that so you could get us conveniently alone?”

  “Both, actually. As I said this morning, we need a plausible reason to be in each other’s company more often.”

  “And I told you I don’t see why. You could come to my room at night and we can continue on as we’ve always done the rest of the time.”

  “Trust me,” he said, not surprised by her stubbornness. “This will be the better arrangement.” He maneuvered past a heavy, slow-moving coach and four. “Do you not want to learn to drive? Somehow I thought it might appeal to you, particularly given the freedom it would afford you.”

  She shot him a glance from under her eyelashes. “I hadn’t really given serious consideration to the idea before, but yes, you’re right. It does have a distinct appeal, I must confess.”

  Her blush-pink lips curved upward as if she were savoring the notion, her jewel-bright eyes sparkling. She let out a sultry little laugh, a sound that went straight to his groin.

  His hands tightened on the reins and he shifted on the seat. He forced himself to keep his eyes on the road rather than giving in to the impulse to stare at her.

  There would be time later for that and more.

  A great deal more.

  But first he had driving lessons to give.

  “When do we begin, then?” she asked. “Can we start now? Here, pass me the reins.”

  He gave a short laugh. “Are you mad? I would like to live through the rest of the afternoon, if you don’t mind.”

  “I wouldn’t be that bad.”

  “No, you would be worse.”

  She crossed her arms. “If you think my driving will be so very dreadful, then why are you bothering to teach me at all?”

  “I believe we’ve already established the reason. But you mistake the matter. I don’t think you’ll be dreadful, not once you have a bit of instruction. Until then, however, I’m not about to set you loose on a street full of unsuspecting passersby.”

  “Fine,” she bit out. “You don’t have to be so cross about it, you know.”

  His brows rose. “Who is being cross?”

  “You are. But then what else should I have expected? Perhaps I ought to have you take us back to Lyndhurst House. I knew if I was with you for any appreciable amount of time, we were bound to start a row.”

  “Is that what we’re doing? I can’t say I mind arguing with you these days. Not when it leads to such interesting consequences.”

  When she remained silent, he turned his head to look at her, trying to decide if she was really angry or not. “Do you truly want me to turn around? It seems a shame, seeing we’re nearly to Green Park. I thought it would be a nice quiet place where you can practice without fear of encountering a great many other vehicles. Assuming you still want to learn to drive, that is.”

  She lowered her arms to her sides and said, “I do. But only if you curb that nasty tongue of yours.”

  “As you wish. But be careful, Ariadne. You might find you like it if my tongue is a bit nasty every now and again.”

  Her gaze flew to his, her green eyes wide as she digested the implications of his remark.

  He grinned back, suddenly realizing that he was going to enjoy this affair of theirs even more than their sparring.

  A few minutes later they arrived at the park. He drove to one of the less-used lanes, then brought the team to an easy stop. The meadow stretched around them, the grass rippling slightly in the light breeze.

  “Here we are,” he announced. “Time to begin. Let me show you how to take the reins.”

  “Oh, I can take then now, can I?” she said mockingly.

  “Only because you’re in no danger of killing anyone here.”

  She made a face.

  “Don’t pout. It’s very unbecoming, even if it does put me in mind to kiss you.”

  Her brows arched. “Does it?”

  “Indeed. But only because of the way your lips look and not because of what is coming out of them.”

  “You’re treading on very thin ice today, Your Royal Highness,” she warned teasingly. “Very thin.”

  But rather than rise to her bait, he laughed.

  After a moment, she laughed too. “So, how do I hold the reins?”

  • • •

  Half an hour later, Ariadne slowed the powerful team of horses from a gentle trot to a controlled walk, her arms aching slightly from the unaccustomed strain as she guided the carriage along the park lane.

  “Splendid, Ariadne,” Rupert said encouragingly. “Really splendid. If I didn’t know this was your first time driving, I wouldn’t have believed it. You’re clearly a natural.”

  She smiled, but kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead, not confident enough yet to look away, despite Rupert’s approval. She had to admit that in the past she’d never thought driving looked terribly difficult, but now she realized just how mistaken she’d been. There were an astonishing number of factors involved, every one of which needed to work in harmony in order for the carriage to be driven safely forward.

  Most important of all, however, was her ability to communicate well with the horses. The animals were keenly aware of her every movement and gesture, able to sense even the slightest uncertainty or hesitation in her actions. The team had been wonderful, though, tolerating the worst of her novice errors with a benevolent patience that many other creatures would not have displayed.

  It had taken a few attempts before everything had fallen into place. One minute she�
��d been struggling to remember the myriad tips and instructions Rupert had given her, the next she’d been maneuvering the carriage smoothly around a turn, everything suddenly making perfect sense.

  She directed the team carefully to the left side of the lane, then brought the carriage to a halt. Only then did she give herself permission to celebrate, a wide smile on her face as she turned to Rupert.

  “Well done,” he told her again. “Excellent.”

  She beamed, suddenly becoming aware of the way her heart was thundering in her chest. “Thank you, Your Highness. That was quite . . . exhilarating.”

  “Did you enjoy yourself?” he asked, raising an inquiring brow.

  “Yes,” she answered, surprising even herself. “Or at least I did once I figured out how to keep from driving us off the path. You were right not to let me drive in traffic. I would have murdered us all.”

  He met her gaze. “If you would be so good, please say that again.”

  “That I would have murdered us all?” she asked, confused.

  “No, the part about me being right. I cannot recall ever hearing those words come out of your mouth before.”

  She shot him a look. “And you likely won’t ever again, so enjoy the moment, Your Highness.”

  Rupert tossed his head back and let loose a deep, throaty laugh, his eyes a vibrant blue in the sunlight.

  She relaxed, marveling that she felt so at ease in his company. Strange, when they’d never gotten along in the past. Yet to her great surprise, she now knew it to be the truth. She was comfortable with him in a way she could be with only a handful of people. And soon she would be even closer, allowing him the liberty of both her virtue and her trust.

  How had that happened?

  Was Emma right? Was it possible she and Rupert might actually end up friends?

  “If you are sufficiently recovered,” she said, her words brusque with unexpected emotion, “where shall we go next? Or are we returning home?”

  “No, not unless it is your desire to return to Lyndhurst House.” He gave her an inquiring look. “I had rather thought we might venture out into Town instead. There is a place I thought we would visit.”

  “Oh? What place is that?”