The Golden Princess (#4 in the GOLDEN series) ✔

•E I G H T E E N•

An elderly brunette—Céleste recognized her as the head seamstress—towered over the fabrics as if guarding them.

"Your request was short notice, Miss Geitz. I will find more in the coming days."

Charlotte paraded back and forth, shrugging her fingers through the top of her messy blonde bun. "Fine. Go. Bring me whatever else you have as soon as possible." She motioned at the door, and the seamstress shimmied out, not a hint of emotion on her neutral face.

Julia, seated at the vanity, focused on a row of necklaces with jewels larger than apples. "There is not much here, either. You would think your ladies and those below your station would have come up with better options for a future Princess!"

Céleste's eyebrows flew towards the ceiling.

She has requisitioned jewelry from other ladies?

As if hearing her thoughts, Charlotte whirled around, her sky-blue eyes widening at the sight of Céleste standing near the doorway, shoulders drooped, feet inward.

"There you are!" She hurried over, snatched Céleste's hand, and tugged her over to the dresses. A faint whiff of vanilla escaped her exposed neck as she stopped in front of a pastel purple gown lined with white. "My choices," she said, scowling. "Because apparently such colors are appropriate for a royal bride." She leaned sideways, near Céleste's ear, and lowered her voice. "How was your breakfast?"

"Breakfast?" Céleste would have balked at Charlotte's awareness of her comings and goings, but this was Charlotte, the Queen of rumors. Of course she'd gotten wind of Adelaide's request. "It was fine."

"Fine?" Charlotte fingered the purple fabric as she tipped closer. "She said nothing of worth? Nothing pertinent that you would wish to share with me? I shared with you, yesterday. It would only be fair." She sent a quick glance towards Julia, who seemed preoccupied with a ruby encrusted necklace that was so long it reached her navel. "You are the first of the noblewomen to meet with her after the... uh... tales of her departure."

Biting her lip, Céleste set her gaze on another gown to the left—a creamy number with stars weaved into the bodice.

What could she say without revealing too much and prompting Charlotte to start new rumors? The future Princess would devour such information; a distraught Adelaide, more concerned about having her name cleared than being sorry her husband was divorcing her? A soon-to-be rejected monarch's wife who wanted another crown? How would Charlotte spin such things to her favor, and how much would she involve Céleste in it?

Sébastien would not want her aware, nor would he want me at the heart of such foul gossip.

"She apologized for her role in the schemes, and we ate. That is all." Céleste gestured at the gowns. "Are any of these to your liking?"

Charlotte grumbled as she crossed her arms. "Nothing is to my liking." She spun to Céleste and glared at her. "And your withholding of essential intelligence is not to my liking either. You are lying to me, I can smell it."

Before Céleste could muster up another lie, and save her skin before she burst into tears, Julia sauntered over and nudged Charlotte.

"We need more accessories." She nodded at Céleste with a smile. "Hello, dear. Glad you could join us."

After squinting a moment too long at Céleste, Charlotte turned to Julia. "Yes, well, Father has not deemed it necessary to cough up more money so that I might buy something new. And your pieces were unconvincing." She lifted her nose. "Is there anywhere else in the castle we have not looked, anyone we have not asked?"