The Season (Season Series #1)

Chapter 12: Midnight in the Library

"I know of no such thing, Lady Marquette, and even though we were childhood friends, I would thank you to remember yourself when addressing me," he snapped, something cold colouring his voice as he admonished her, "Now please, return to the ball and cease this foolish spectacle,"

"Andrew, you can't..." she started, only for him to cock his head, the motion enough for her words to stop. They stared at each other for a few seconds, Andrew's displeasure never wavering before Mary started to tremble.

"Please, I only-" she began again. This time Andrew closed his eyes in annoyance, looking away from her. I sank even lower in my seat, sending up a quick prayer that he wouldn't spot me hunkered down in the desk chair.

"I-I'm sorry," Mary said finally, unable to contain her sniffling.

"Please, Mary, go back to the ball and remember that you are but one of seven debutantes," Andrew said, his tone gentler but his words harsh nonetheless. Mary was still shaking as she dashed from the room, a great, gulping sob echoed from the hallway before Andrew swung the door shut behind her.

"What a mess," he muttered, closing his eyes to lean back against the door.

"I wholeheartedly agree, although that was certainly rather snotty of you," I said, crossing my arms. His eyes flew open as he reeled away from the door in a distinctly ungraceful move.

"Elizabeth?" he managed, "How long have you-"

"Long enough to witness how much of a cad you were to her," I said. His eyebrows shot skyward as his eyes hardened.

"That's quite a thing to say to a prince," he said.

"And it very much needed to be said!" I fired back, standing despite my stocking toes, "While I do appreciate you putting an end to Mary's simpering antics, I hardly see how commanding her to return to the ball with a tear stained face and a broken heart is any way to treat a lady!"

Andrew opened his mouth to respond, then closed it, a confounded expression on his face as he looked back towards the door.

"Well I hardly think it's proper for a lady to chastise a prince," he fired back weakly. I rolled my eyes.

"Then I suppose you haven't heard," I muttered, sitting myself back down to read.

"Heard what?" he demanded, crossing his arms.

"That I'm not much of a lady," I replied, turning a page in the book to resume my reading. The silence stretched on between us, Andrew still standing with his arms crossed in the middle of the room while I pretended to read. I was stuck on the same sentence, unable to concentrate knowing that he was still watching me.

"Is there any particular reason that you're reading a book in the dark while a grand gathering is taking place a few rooms away?" Andrew asked finally, striding over to take a seat across from me. I regarded him warily across the table, as he stretched out in the chair, watching me in return.

"I was asked not to attend," I replied, again dropping my gaze down to the book.

"Which would explain why you didn't uphold your end of our bargain," he said. I looked back up at him, only to fight the grin that tugged at my face when I found him tentatively smiling at me.

"You said you wanted answers," I shrugged, my nonchalance ruined by the smile I couldn't stifle, "Ask me anything, your Highness,"

"How did you manage to sneak a message into my father's foreign correspondence?" he asked, knitting his hands behind his head as he leaned back to survey me. I leaned back in turn, proud that he was impressed.