"You saw him, didn't you?" Aurora asked, threading a needle. Claire sank onto the bench beside her sister with a loud hump. For a moment, no one said a word.
"Did you speak to him?" Claire rose from the chair and stalked to the window of the chamber. "He's even worse than I remember, Rory. He took me for a whore!"
Aurora set the needle aside gently and folded her hands in her lap.
"You didn't get the food, did you?"
Claire nodded her head against the wall.
"I'm so stupid! I'll go back now." She turned to leave.
Aurora stood up.
"Don't worry about it. I thought you might." Claire raised an eyebrow.
"What about dinner?"
"I took care of that, m'lady."
Both girls turned. Zachary stood there. They just stared at each other. Then he burst out laughing.
"What were you doing in the market, m'lady? I was ready to go and get you."
A smile tugged at her lips. "Don't laugh at me, silly."
He sat down on the bench beside Aurora. "You could have sent me. I'd do anything for you."
She turned back to the window and stared out at the gloomy sky.
"The king has returned from his hunt in Reinswood."
Her shoulders stiffened - she knew all too well. "And what does that have to do with either of us?" She asked.
Footsteps came up behind her.
"This." He handed her a letter.
She glanced at the seal. Her shoulders sagged. It was from Uncle Jarren. "Do you think..."
"Just read it, Claire. It won't hurt to hear what he has to say." Aurora cut in.
Claire tore the letter open and skimmed through the content.
'He must be mad!" She exclaimed.
"Give it here." Zachary snatched it from her. She sagged against the wall.
"It's not so bad." He said at last. Think of your sister, Claire. If she falls sick, there won't be anything you could do to help her."
Aurora moved closer to Zachary and peered into the letter. "He wants you to be betrothed to Arlan. But Arlan is only 12. He can marry me instead, he's a pretty boy."
Claire gritted her teeth. "He's trying to humiliate me."
Zachary took a step back.
"If you do it, you will be a lady someday, and Aurora can marry the man of her dreams. Think of your sister, Claire."
"And what about you?" She asked.
His eyes widened and he took another step back. His face coloured slightly.
"Rory is doing fine." Claire said in her defense.
"Am I?" Rory asked.
Claire ran a shaky hand through her hair.
"You don't know him like I do."
Her shoulder slumped. Aurora rubbed her shoulder.
"Don't do it if you don't want to."
Tears burned behind her eyes. Aurora was always so understanding.
"I'll do it." She searched Aurora's face for any sign of happiness or relief. Her round face remained somber.
"He has asked you girls to dinner the evening after tomorrow. I expect he would discuss the engagement and announce it on the night of the ball."
Both girls turned, hairs whispering like falling silk.
"What ball?"They asked in unison.
"The king's ball."
Aurora recovered from her shock first.
"I don't have a fancy dress."
Zachary rubbed his eyes. "I don't think a lady of ten is allowed to attend balls."
"I won't drink any wine, I promise."
Claire smiled. "Of course you won't, Rory." Turning to Zachary, she asked, "What's the other letter in your hand?"
He raised the letter up. "Your neighbor sent this." She unsealed it.
"A dinner invitation? Why the sudden interest in our affairs?"
Aurora giggled. Zachary grabbed Claire's arm and pulled her aside. "There's talk that you walked out on the king." She flushed beet red, glancing over her shoulder at Aurora to see if she heard.
"I should have known word would spread." She murmured.
"What were you thinking?"
She patted his lapel, pulling out a blade of grass hidden in the fabric.
"I wasn't thinking. He spoke to me like I was a..."
"You are no longer a noble lady, Claire. For the sake of all our lives, I beg you to understand that. You can't disrespect the king because..."
She snatched her hand and stomped away. The stairs were a beautiful sight. The rug that had once adorned the elegant stairway was now charred with soot. She picked up a wooden pail from the kitchen and headed outside. Footsteps rushed behind her.
"You weren't going alone, were you?" Aurora's giddy voice cut through her reverie. In the little girl's hand was a little pail.
"You are to carry half a pail, Rory. No more." Rory nodded. Zach ran up to them.
"I take it that you won't talk to me till your fury dies."
She just hardened her jaw. The path to the stream was a narrow one, but the girls had grown accustomed to it. She glanced over the hedge at the vast land their neighbors owned. "Our hems would be soiled by the time we cross the field to their doorstep." Claire said.
"Lady Hanswick is a nice woman. She won't care much about our clothing."
Claire stopped walking, forcing the others to stop as well.
"Not every smile is a well-meant one, Rory. If it was, father would still be alive and we'd not have to trudge half a mile just to fetch our own water."
Lightning struck loudly above and Aurora ran to Zach. Zachary smoothed her hair the way an older brother would.
If only he were well-off, Claire thought to herself.
Suddenly, horses breezed by, the riders well-dressed and arrogant. They kicked up dirt as they rode along the main road.
Behind the envoy was a carriage with embroidery curtains.
"Who is that?" Aurora asked.
Claire cradled her bucket. "I don't know who they are, but they are heading to the Hanswick's house." Aurora paled - she hated crowds more than anything.
Claire grabbed her hand and dragged her through the woods.
They reached the water soon enough.
Zachary carried the pails for them as they returned.
"It's been a while since I've had to dress up fancy." Aurora said as Claire clasped her cloak with a brooch.
Zachary poked his head at the door. Both girls had finished dressing.
Aurora ran forward and hugged him. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.
Claire watched them.
Zachary had always been there for them.
"When they serve you all the expensive foods in their menu, don't eat like you're hungry."
Aurora glared up at him.
"I know how to eat!"
He raised both hands in mock retreat.
Horse hooves adorned the path to the grand mansion.
Aurora was pale and silent, clutching her hands within her cloak. "Do we even have to go?" She asked at last
Claire sighed loudly. "We can turn back. The rain might even catch up to us."
Aurora gulped and said no more.
Around them, the trees and shrubs were dancing in a wild frenzy. The blades of well-trimmed grass tilted to the left in obeisance to the wind. Petals and leaves covered the ground, heralding the coming autumn. The flower hedges surrounding the stone-paved path were trimmed perfectly such that no stalk was out of place.
The door loomed closer with each step. There were footmen and servants at the entryway, surrounding the evacuated carriage.
"It's a beautiful carriage." Aurora said, her voice shaking.
Claire wiped her shaky palms in the fur of her cloak. "Smile." She muttered to herself. The porter opened the door for them.
The warmth struck them first. A large hearth was blazing in the center of the room.
Claire stared at the flames for a brief second, watching as it devoured the wood fed to it. The room smelled faintly of smoke and mint tea.
On the walls were pictures of werewolves, probably the Hanswick ancestors.
"Girls!" A robust woman in thick, rustling skirts rushed towards them. "I'm glad you made it. You must be Claire, the ever-blooming rose." The woman said, taking Claire's hand in hers. She and Aurora exchanged brief glances. The woman turned to Aurora.
"And you. You're almost as pretty as your sister." Aurora's mouth tightened slightly.
"No need to waste your time. The hall is just this way."
Claire's stomach churned. She just couldn't help the bad feeling she had.
Lady Hanswick was very enthusiastic, chattering about this and that. But it didn't excuse her reason for playing the role of her butler.
And Claire finally understood.
He was sitting on a high-backed dining chair, talking to Lord Hanswick. As the women entered the room, the men rose in acknowledgement.
"Your Grace, this is Lady Stenly." The plump woman announced. Claire looked at anything but him. The curtains had been drawn in preference of the soft glow the candlelight provided. The air breathed of melted wax, perfume, and mulled wine. She didn't notice when he moved, only that he was standing before her. She sucked in a shaky breath.
He towered in front of her, appearing every bit the dark and handsome lord she was used to reading in her romance novels, but never actually meeting.
"Lady Stenly, a pleasure to cross your path again."
She loosened her hold on the folds of her cloak and forced herself to smile.
"Forgive me, Your Grace, but I am no Lady."
His eyes widened in genuine surprise.
Lady Hanswick coughed silently.
"I would be able to tell a noble born from the women that roam the streets, I should think."
She bit back a retort. Aurora stepped closer. His eyes darted to the little girl standing behind her.
Aurora pinched Claire's hand and they both sketched the King a curtsey.
Claire's movements were stiff - anything but graceful.
"Tell me, Miss Stenly. Why are you not a Lady?"
Lord Hanswick gestured for his wife to join him at the table.
"Because you took it from me."