Princess of Glass - Jessica Day George [4]
“What?”
“That’s right,” King Karl laughed. “Think about it: George will leave for Analousia shortly after you arrive in Breton, and then you’ll be at the mercy of his sisters and cousins. You’ll come back here for the holidays with your family; your mother put her foot down over that. But after the New Year I might have you visit Spania, or La Belge, we’ve just sent them a courier. There are a number of lovely ladies at those courts as well, and you, my boy, are of an age when you should be thinking of a royal alliance.”
Christian felt as though his world were dropping out from under him. In the space of a few hours he had gone from feeling smothered by his parents to being thrown to the wolves, so to speak. He would be alone in a strange country, expected to talk and flirt and possibly even marry some silly princess.
And if he failed, another war might break out.
This wasn’t remotely what he had thought his father wanted to talk about. Christian slapped the side of the telescope and watched it spin on its tripod. He was being offered an adventure, but was it one he wanted to embark on? There would be no battles to fight on horseback and with rifle in hand, only fancy dress parties and balls.
King Karl’s gaze softened and he put one hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Son, we need you to do this. You know your mother and I have always tried to keep you safe,” his voice roughened and he barked a laugh. “All right, we’ve fussed like a hen with a new chick. But it’s because you’re our only son and we love you. Sending one’s heir off to a foreign land is never an easy thing, but your sisters are too young. Your mother and I, well, we paced the floor all night arguing about what to do. And we think that this is the right thing.” Karl looked down for a moment. “If you cannot bring yourself to go, we’ll make other arrangements.” The king grimaced.
It was reassuring to know that this wasn’t an easy decision for his parents. For a brief, wild moment Christian had been wondering if they wanted to be rid of him after all.
But at last he was being offered a chance to travel! Even if it wasn’t where or how he had dreamed, it was better than nothing.
“I’ll go,” Christian said.
His father gave him a rough, quick hug. “Good lad.”
Ball
Poppy regretted her decision to go to the ball as soon as they entered the Thwaites’ mansion. The dancing had already started and music poured down the stairs, making Marianne clutch at Poppy’s arm in excitement. The Thwaites were standing at the top of the stairs to receive their guests, and they were delighted to see Poppy, the mysterious foreign princess.
“Oh, Your Highness,” Lady Thwaite gushed. “We’re honored to have you join us! I’m sure your dance card will be filled before you have time to sit down.”
Wishing that she could sink into the floor as the guests gathered in the foyer turned to gawk at her, Poppy just nodded and smiled. Then Marianne burst out with the news that Poppy didn’t dance, and they spent ten minutes explaining that she was not ill, and she really did want to attend the ball, and thanking their gracious hosts, until Poppy felt like she was baring her teeth in self-defense rather than smiling.
It started all over again when they stepped into the ballroom. A footman bustled over to hand the ladies their dance cards, and was confused when Lady Margaret took one, Marianne took one, but Poppy did not. They found some seats along one wall near some friends of the Seadowns’ and young men started coming over to sign their cards. Again Poppy had to decline any dances, holding up her left hand to show that she had no dance card dangling from her gloved wrist.
“But surely you’ll make an exception for me,” said one duke’s son, lowering his eyelids in a flirtatious manner.
“Is there something in your eye?” Poppy tried to assume a solicitous expression.
“Er, no.” The duke’s son backed away, and Poppy fought back a pang of guilt.
It was all very well, she thought to herself, to say that choosing not to dance at a ball will be no great matter, but things look different once