A Crown in Ash (The Ostler's Boy Book 3)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Amy tied off my hair and left the braid over my shoulder like I had asked her to. "I'm confused," she said.

"What's there to be confused about?" I buzzed as if I didn't know.

"I thought you didn't like the Duke?" she wondered.

"I never said that?" I said.

"I guess not, Miss 'Liza, but we did discuss his status as an option, and you declared yourself above marrying in general."

"Above marrying!" I huffed. "I said no such thing! I said... uh?"

"You said you didn't want to be somebody's wife." Our reflections met eyes, and she bristled. "Or I could be misremembering. That must be it."

I groaned. "No... I did say that sort of." I slunk to the bed.

"But now we like the Duke?" she asked.

"Yes," I whined. "Now we like the Duke. And the Duke likes us. He declared himself, Amy."

"Then it's serious?" she asked.

"Obviously!"

"I'm just trying to be sure," she laughed. "I want to know how perfectly I should dress you for the Hunt."

"You should always dress me perfectly, just so that's clear," I ordered. "Just because someone may not be courting me does not mean I want to look like a potato!"

"A potato, miss?"

"Oh, Amy," I cried. I rolled over, pining. "You should have been there. He–" I stood up in a hurry to reenact everything I said. "He took me by the hand, and he whisked me into this dance, and all the eyes were upon us and his incredible, handsome face. And then he looked down into my eyes..." I came toward her, dramatizing it. "And he said... I'm here to court you... Or something like that anyway." I sat neatly.

"As long as you are happy," she said.

I paused. "...What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she buzzed. "His Grace sounds very charming."

"But...?"

"It's not my place to say, Miss 'Liza."

"Uh, now you have to," I said. "What? What is it? What do you know?"

"I don't know anything. I did not mean to imply I'd heard rumors or such. It's just...."

"Amy! Honestly!"

"It's just that you were once this excited for another man, and I would hate to see you get your hopes up only to be left brokenhearted." She sighed. "I wish I hadn't said anything. I'm sorry, don't let my skepticism ruin your glee. I'm sure the Duke means his declaration. We have no cause to think he doesn't."

"No," I breathed. "No, you're right. I should contain it a bit, yeah?"

"'Liza," she said.

"It's alright. You're right, as usual."