Page 49 of The Heart of the King

None of those things sounded appealing to David, but Hazel’s eyes grew wider as Jasmine spoke.

Hazel shrugged. “I think that would be all right.”

It was the most words David had heard her say at once in days.

“You’ll have to be on your best behavior. All of the things Mrs. Sneedly is teaching you about how to eat at a fancy meal and how to greet kings and queens? All of that will be part of this.” This warning sounded slightly more ominous.

Hazel nodded. “Okay.”

Jasmine pushed her plate away, close enough to done eating that she was going to move on. “I think you should show us your curtsy. You’ll need it that night.”

Hazel hesitated then stood up and moved away from the table. She looked only at Jasmine as she curtsied.

Jasmine tilted her head. “It was all right. Let’s see if I can do better. I haven’t been doing this much longer than you have.” She went to stand next to Hazel and turned to David then performed a wobbly curtsy before standing back up. “How was that?”

But she wasn’t asking him. She looked at Hazel as she spoke.

Hazel shook her head. “You wobbled all over.” She tried again. “More like this.” Better, though not something David’s mother would have let her get away with if she were here.

His mother had maintained the highest standards, too high really. More than one staff member had been relieved of duty because of a sloppy bow or curtsy.

They each did a couple more before Jasmine put her hands on her hips and sighed. She looked at David this time. “How are we doing?”

He shrugged and tried to be casually nonchalant. “I’ve seen better.”

Jasmine clapped and bounced as she turned to Hazel. “That means he’s also seen worse.” She leaned closer to the girl and lowered her voice. “But he’s a boy. He can’t curtsy at all. We have to be better than he is.” This time, though she spoke to Hazel, Jasmine looked at him.

Was it some sort of challenge? Was he supposed to show themhiscurtsy? He cleared his throat and set his napkin on the table.

“Ladies.” He stood and buttoned his coat. “I believe you’re trying to do something like this.” He went with a big sweeping curtsy where his foot went all the way out to the side then behind him as he bent his other knee. One arm went out as though he held a full skirt and his head bowed, like something out of thatI Love Lucyepisode Gabe made him watch once. The one where she met Queen Elizabeth.

And he almost fell over.

Kind of on purpose.

Hazel giggled, and it was all worth it.

He cleared his throat and stood straight up, tugging on his coat. “Like that.”

Jasmine snorted. “Not like that. That is the most ridiculous curtsy I’ve ever seen. Don’t you think so, Zellie?”

Hazel nodded and giggled some more.

“Why don’t you show him again?” Jasmine urged.

This time Hazel’s curtsy was better than before.

They went back and forth for another fifteen or twenty minutes until all three of them were doing passable curtsies. David knew he could have done a near perfect one immediately, and suspected Jasmine could as well, but Hazel improved as they went.

Mrs. Sneedly walked in as David did his last curtsy. She gave him an odd look then turned to Hazel. “Miss Hazel, it’s time for your shower.”

It was like Hazel remembered she wasn’t supposed to like David or be happy when he was around. With her smile gone, Hazel went with Mrs. Sneedly.

When they were alone, David went to stand in front of Jasmine and put his hands on her waist, pulling her to him. “Did you hear that?” he whispered, a grin on his face.

“The giggles? The complete sentences in your presence? Yes, I heard them.” She rested her hands on his upper arms then moved them farther up until they were linked behind his neck. “I don’t think she actually dislikes you. I just think she thinks she’s not supposed to. Like her mother told her you were awful, but it never quite took hold, so she’s torn because you’ve been kind to her.”

“Getting me involved in the curtsy lessons was a stroke of genius.” He pulled her closer. “Absolute genius and kind of fun.”

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