Page 24 of Façade

I’ve been more than patient, I rationalized with every purposeful step through the twisting corridors. We’d been married over a week, and yet her powers remained exclusively hers. While I prided myself in patience, unfortunately such a virtue had no place with the welfare of my kingdom at stake.

The impossible-to-quench part of me that resisted the path before me hoped I wouldn’t find her, but even in our short marriage I’d come to understand some of her habits to guess she’d either be outside or slinking suspiciously around the palace in search of whatever she was looking for, much as she had last night.

Rather than catching her spying, I instead found Evelyn in the gardens, not walking the grounds as a normal princess might…but up in a tree. My steps faltered some distance away and I gaped in disbelief, my brain failing to comprehend the glimpse of her skirts peeking through the leaves, certain my eyes were playing tricks on me.

I slowly ventured closer, trying to discern her form through the mask of branches harboring her. My lips twitched despite myself. Though I didn’t know my wife well, somehow I didn’t find myself surprised to discover she’d broken the usual proper portrait expected within the royal court andclimbed a tree, an unpredictability I found rather refreshing.

I debated sneaking up on her before remembering I needed her in as good a mood as possible if I hoped to cajole her into cooperating. I made my footsteps loud enough to warn her of my approach. The branches rustled, but she remained hidden, so I took a small detour to give her the chance to escape the confines of the tree. Sure enough, when I walked back around she was no longer nestled inside but standing below the leafy canopy with a bit too innocent an air, reminiscent of when I’d discovered her outside my study.

I slowed to examine her. She was dressed casually in the violet day dress she often wore despite the many dresses I’d since commissioned on her behalf, the only evidence of her mischief being the leaves sticking out from her simple updo, of which she seemed entirely unaware. Amusement tugged my mouth, an emotion that had no place in the scheme I had in mind.

Her cheeks pinked upon noticing me, a blush that drew my gaze to the scrape across her cheek that had been there since her arrival, which in this moment I felt strangely tempted to caress with my thumb. The thought of touching her only reminded me of our last interaction, when I’d been holding her rather comfortably in my arms as I offered her comfort.

The memory muddled my thoughts before I could force it away. Nothing could sway me from my chosen course, not even how alluring I’d secretly found my wife’s proximity. Such emotions would only dissuade me from acquiring the magic I so desperately needed.

“Good morning, Evelyn.” Even the unpleasant nature of our upcoming conversation couldn’t keep me from the polite pleasantries I was expected as her husband to extend. “Have you had a pleasant day?” She nodded but offered nothing more. “How have you spent it?” I prodded.Spying on me?I was tempted to quip, but I bit the inside of my lip to curb the impulse; antagonizing her wouldn’t help my cause.

“I’ve spent a pleasant morning walking the grounds.”

My gaze flickered up to the leaves sticking haphazardly from her hair. “I’m pleased you’ve enjoyed your time outside.”

Confusion furrowed her brow as she tilted her head to study me. “I’m admittedly surprised you feel inclined to speak to me after the…incident outside your study.”

I was surprised she felt inclined to bring that awkward encounter up; conversations with her could never claim to be predictable. “Is this a confession to last night’s mischief?”

She smirked. “It’s nothing of the sort, not when an element of mystery adds excitement to any marriage. However, my conscience dictates that I at least offer an apology.”

At the mention of her conscience,my own stirred inside me, providing another urgent but unwanted warning not to take the course I’d determined for this morning. Only with considerable effort did I succeed in suppressing it.

“I’m not sure even an apology is enough to excuse the fact that you snooped in a place that didn’t concern you,” I said wryly.

“But is one truly required with the curiosity that accompanied me into our marriage? The blame lies with you for failing to notice that particular aspect of my dowry in the fine print of our contract.” Her brow lifted in silent challenge.

I experienced a strange mixture of amusement and exasperation at this. Already this conversation had deviated from the script I’d subconsciously written in my mind based on years of experience interacting with other ladies of the court; her straying from it midst our spar of words was both welcome and frustratingly ill-timed.

Though I knew she spoke in jest, my own curiosity swelled at the still unexplained reason for what she could have possibly been searching for while snooping in my study. Claiming curiosity had been her sole motivator felt far too convenient, which made me doubt the validity of such an excuse. But if curiosity was her claim for her mischief, then perhaps it was the very excuse I myself could use for the unwanted conversation ahead.

“I’m grateful to be forewarned of the trait that will undoubtedly keep me on my toes throughout our union, especially as you’ve repeatedly demonstrated that it causes you to find yourself in places you shouldn’t be, beyond just my study.” My gaze flickered upwards towards the branches.

Her shoulders sank in defeat. “Drat.”

My lips quirked up against their will. “I look forward to your explanation for this latest mischief. Is climbing trees a common pastime of yours?”

She hesitated, as if debating the wisdom of such an admission, before lifting her chin to a defiant angle. “Consider it another quirk outlined in our marriage contract. My poor husband is quite unobservant to have failed to notice both before signing it.”

I took that as ayes, tree climbing was one of her habits, one I never expected from a princess, yet one I found myself intrigued by against my better judgement. Questions that begged to be answered burned my tongue, but I forced myself to hold them back. Getting to know her better would make the task before me all the more difficult, and it was already difficult enough.

She peered up at me shyly through her lashes. “How did you know…about the tree climbing?”

I debated telling her I’d seen her, but spying wasn’t something I wanted to lay claim to when I still held her own attempts at espionage against her. “Unfortunately for you, I’m not as unobservant as you give me credit for.” I reached out to pluck a leaf from her hair. “Is this the newest style of the court?”

Her alluring pink blush deepened and she frantically brushed at her hair, and though she succeeded in ridding herself of the leaves, it came at the cost of mussing her style that already hadn’t fared well from her time spent in the oak. Once more my lips twitched, aching to smile. Though she wasn’t a conventional beauty, I’d never found my wife prettier…a hint of an attraction I’d do well to push from my mind.

But the stubborn emotion refused to leave. It deepened to concern when she lifted her hand to massage her temples, a feeling far more difficult to wrangle. “Are you well?”

“It’s just a slight headache that has lingered since last night.”

I frowned. I’d initially suspected she’d feigned her headache as a means to escape the ball in order to investigate my study, but the pain in her eyes seemed genuine. Guilt prickled my heart at my doubt and the fact that I’d done little last evening to alleviate her discomfort. Marriage filled with ill intentions or not, I wanted to be a good husband to her.

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