Under the Roses

Chapter 10

"Hey now, not so fast, Princess. What if I want a cup of tea?" My hand was already halfway to the scones before I remembered it wasn't proper tea-service behavior to launch the refreshments at people.

I turned to Louis, who looked tired and irritated at the same time, but my hopes of a vehement denial started to wither when he didn't respond right away. And with a sigh, Louis reluctantly said, "It's an opportunity to practice."

So I was stuck serving Sid. Luckily, he left once he finished his cup, but I could tell that that encounter had set Louis on edge. His jaw was set in a grim line, and if I hadn't known any better, I would have thought that he was planning a murder. Once Sid was inside, though, he turned his attention back to me.

"You need to make everything look natural." He frowned. "And don't mumble while you're serving. It can be distracting to the guests and makes you appear unprofessional."

I thought no one had heard me reciting the process to myself. Oh well. "May I try again, then?"

"Of course."

The carriage smoothly made its way through the evening to the manor of doom. I'd been watching the passing scenery for some time in an attempt to calm my nerves, which eventually proved to be pointless when Giles spoke up.

"Adelaine, I ask that you make use of this opportunity tonight." I shifted my position to face him. "Many of those attending will be a great asset if they choose to like you, and prince consort candidates will be present as well."

Just when I'd hoped he'd forgotten.

"So . . . do I just dance with them and accept every drink they hand me?" He nodded, closing his pocket watch.

"In the best case scenario, they will be expecting you and hoping to take advantage of the banquet as well."

"If I get poisoned, it'll be your fault," I warned. He smiled.

"I'm certain that won't happen. The guest list comprises of men and women held in high esteem, and they have no reason to try to kill you." Well that's comforting.

I stole a glance at Louis, who had mastered the art of blocking out everything. I guess he didn't trust my manners enough, so he'd accepted his invitation and came along for the banquet. At least I knew that if all else failed, I could stun the party with my amazing minuet-related abilities. For all my negativity towards Louis and his lessons, I really did appreciate it. Nothing came from taking it easy and expecting everything to fall into place, so if enduring the persistent corrections and nagging was the way to prepare myself for this, then so be it.

When the carriage rolled to a stop, I pulled my finger from between my teeth, where I'd been nervously chewing at the nail. No one had reprimanded me for it, and I had to get my heartbeat to a normal pace somehow. Alyn wasn't on duty tonight due to some meeting with the officials, which was kind of ridiculous considering their emphasis on safety, so if someone decided to throw a knife at me tonight, there was a fair chance that it wouldn't miss.

I tried to wipe off my sweat, but my palms slid right off the skirt of my dress. Even though it was probably simpler compared to the one I wore for the coronation ceremony, it still made me feel as if I had to pay money just for looking at it. The maids had politely pushed it towards me —which was about as close to insisting as they got— when I'd consulted them about the banquet, and they certainly had a good eye. Apparently, they had drawn a collective guess on my clothing taste from that one day I'd dressed myself, when I'd just about destroyed my entire room in a vain attempt to remember where everything was located.