A Royal Kiss and Tell

“It wasn’t quite as bad as that, but even so.”

“I want to hear every word,” Felicity said eagerly, and settled in a cloud of blue on the settee beside Caroline. “Was it as wonderful as Honeycutt’s Gazette made it seem?”

“Every bit and even more,” Caroline said sincerely. It was hard to relate just how beautiful and amazing the wedding had been in words or song or painting or gossip gazettes.

“Tell us, tell us!” Priscilla insisted as she waved at the footman to begin the tea service.

Caroline was careful not to leave out a single detail. She told them how vast the palace, and how Eliza now had two ladies in waiting to tend to her. How the king and queen had bestowed jewels on her as they’d welcomed her into their royal family. How desperately in love Prince Sebastian was with her. Caroline made sure that every conceivable reason to envy Eliza was laid before the ladies and was rather pleased with her effort in the end.

“I still can’t believe Eliza Tricklebank should find herself married to a prince,” Priscilla said, her voice full of wonder. “Eliza Tricklebank of all people.”

“Why not Eliza Tricklebank?” Caroline protested. “She is the best person I know.”

“Because it wasn’t you, Caroline. If you ask me, you are far more suited to such a match than she.”

Well, that was obviously true. But Eliza deserved it far more than Caroline ever would. She smiled and shrugged lightly. “Fate has a way of putting us in the right place.”

“Doesn’t it,” Katherine said slyly. “Speaking of the great hands of fate...what of Prince Leopold? Did you catch his eye?”

Priscilla and Felicity tittered.

“Oh, I’m certain I did,” Caroline said nonchalantly, feeling a slight flush in her cheeks, remembering how intent his eyes had been on her at Leadenhall. She’d actually felt a spark of excitement standing there in the midst of all that meat. “Frankly, I found him rather tedious.”

“Really!” Katherine put down her teacup. “I fully expected you’d come back with tales of his slavish devotion to you.”

“Why ever would you think that?”

“Well...because you said so, darling,” Priscilla said gently. “Remember? You said he was quite taken with you and you fretted that you’d have to fend him off when there were so many other gentlemen with whom to acquaint yourself while in Helenamar.”

The flush in Caroline’s cheeks was heating her skin. Sometimes, she was too confident. She did indeed recall saying something very much like that one evening after one too many glasses of wine. “I never said I’d have to fend him off,” she scoffed.

“You did,” Felicity said. “You even demonstrated pushing him away,” she said, and pretended to push something away at chest height. “You clearly thought he’d be a bother.”

Caroline wished for something to fan herself. Perhaps she could claim to have a touch of the fever yet. But it was pointless—she did have a tendency to boast. Beck said she was filled with her own sense of grandeur. And it was true that before she’d sailed to Alucia, she’d been extraordinarily confident that the prince would be attracted to her. But he wasn’t the least attracted to her and now she couldn’t help but wonder if she was losing her charm. She was six and twenty, creeping toward the age of spinsterhood, and that handsome prince was more attracted to her maid than her.

“What happened?” Katherine asked with far too much joy to suit Caroline.

“I thought him tedious, that’s all. And besides, his formal engagement to a Weslorian heiress will be announced by the end of summer. It’s been arranged.”

All three ladies stopped tittering and stared at her. “Really?” Felicity asked, incredulous. “Arranged? But...but I’ve heard he’s been in London sowing his oats.”

“Of course he is sowing his oats,” Priscilla scoffed. “Everyone is working to gain an introduction. And he’s far from home—he can do what he likes.”

“But...he and Mr. Frame called on a brothel just this week!” Felicity whispered loudly. “I heard that he took the woman with him.”

Caroline jerked her gaze to Felicity. “I beg your pardon, he did what?”

“Took her,” Felicity said. “He left the establishment with the...woman.”

“Took her where?” Katherine asked.

“You know,” Felicity said, her face turning red. “To his...castle, or what have you.”

Caroline felt a sour twist in her belly. She thought him a rake, but that was despicable. “Are you certain, Felicity? You don’t suppose you misheard?”

“Yes, I’m certain! Mr. Frame’s sister is a dear friend of mine, and she told me. She had quite a row with her brother about it, which threatens to ruin all of Christmas.”

“We are months away from Christmas,” Katherine pointed out.

“That’s how bad their row was.”

Katherine looked at Caroline.

Caroline wouldn’t give her the least bit of disappointment. “Well, I’m not terribly surprised. He’s a prince, and it goes without saying that he’ll soon be engaged, no matter his conduct. But if it were me, I’d not want my daughter anywhere near him.”