The Debutante (Season Series #2)

Chapter 48: Three Debutantes, One Crown

I woke with a start as Brenna opened the curtains. My head felt just as heavy as my tear-soaked eyelids as I rolled away from the light, unwilling to face what this dawn would bring. I'd spent what little time I'd had in bed debating between whether I should run or stay. In the end, I fell asleep undecided, but my last thought was that I owed it to Andrew to stay if that was what he had asked of me.

Even if I had no intention of utilizing whatever prestige that being named as one of his top three would grant me, it was the one last gift he wanted to give to me and I wouldn't throw it away. As tempting as it was to run and not have to endure the ceremony, he had been right last night when he said that I would only be hunted down and hauled back by my parents. I wasn't at the age of maturity yet and as much as Xavier would take me under his wing, I couldn't tear him a half a world away from Georgina to escape my own fate.

"Time for us to start getting you ready," Brenna said, a smile tugging the corners of her mouth up. I forced one onto my face as well, for I had to play along as if I had no idea who Andrew was really picking. A set of scullery maids had brought me up a bath and Elspeth tugged off my nightdress, humming contentedly to herself. When Brenna left us alone to go set out my dress, I realized that I'd never thanked Elspeth for all she'd done yesterday.

"Elspeth..." I started, sloshing the water around the copper bath basin as I swivelled towards her, "You have no idea how thankful I am for everything you did yesterday. If there is ever any way I can repay you..."

"I know," the quiet maid smiled, "And you don't have to do anything for me, I'd do it all over again if I had to."

I didn't have the heart to tell her that everything she'd done had been in vain as she smiled down at me, resuming her quiet humming.

"I thought perhaps you might like to wear that sapphire necklace of yours today," Brenna called over to us, laying out a spectacular royal blue gown from the collection the queen had commissioned for me. It was regal and refined and would have been perfect if I'd actually been the one Andrew would stand before today.

"Of course," I managed, my throat squeezing shut. The thought of wearing last Season's necklace on a day like today had my stomach coiling into a painful knot.

I felt an ache where a familiar warmth had once been when I thought of Andrew, the feel of his fingers as he'd left me at my door, just as unwilling to let go as I was. The tears I'd cried after the door had closed between us. The empty hallway I'd faced when I tore that door open, not ready to say goodbye yet. The cold bed I'd crawled into, drowning in my own tears when the hallway turned out to be empty. Try as I might to forget them, my lips were still tingling from all the kisses we'd shared last night and I had to keep reminding myself to stop craving them, that they were the last I would ever know from him.

I stayed silent through the morning, as Brenna and Elspeth flitted around the room, fussing over me. I was thankful for Brenna, since left to my own devices I'd have probably turned out unbathed and unadorned in a plain linen housedress. As it was, there was little they could do about the state of my eyes, both maids tactfully neglected to comment on my appearance. Instead, Elspeth took some extra time applying powders and cosmetics to my face in an attempt to hide the fatigued purple smudges under my sad blue eyes.

Eventually Brenna stood me up to tie me into my corset. I didn't give her as much trouble as I usually did as she laced it up, which earned a worried look, but she chattered on with Elspeth, filling the silence I refused to break. They fixed my hair and fastened my jewels and adjusted my skirts. Elspeth coaxed me to drink a cup of tea, which did wonders for my pounding head, but just the smell of the toast sent my stomach churning. I couldn't help but think of all those pies I'd turned away last night.