Page 86 of Disenchanted
“Whoa!” she cried, stiffening.
“Your pardon, Miss Amy. I need to get you and your sister away from here.”
“You need to start calling me ‘Your Highness,’” she insisted groggily. “But we give you permisshun to carry us.”
Horatio’s lips twitched but he replied gravely, “Thank you.”
He exchanged a wry glance with me as Amy burrowed her head against his shoulder. Glad as I was to have Horatio take charge of my sister, I could not help asking anxiously, “How are we going to explain what happened to her? If anyone should imagine that she has fainted…”
I let the rest of the thought trail off, but Horatio understood me well enough. He grimaced.
“I already have enough difficulties to deal with because of swooning women. Fortunately, we need not go through the ballroom. I know a back way where no one need see your sister. Just follow me.”
He set off down the corridor opposite the one I had taken to reach the king’s treasure room. As I scurried after him, he came to an abrupt halt and glanced back at me.
“Ella. Your shoes?”
“Oh!” I breathed, grateful for the reminder. “You keep going. I will catch up.”
As I darted back toward the hall of armor, I reflected that this was the second time tonight I had nearly forgotten my drattedslippers. Fortunately, they were right where I had dropped them when I collided with Horatio.
As I bent to scoop them up, I thought I heard a door creak. I straightened abruptly, my heart quickening. The back of my neck prickled. I looked anxiously about me, but the hall seemed as silent and empty as it had ever been.
I hurried to put my slippers back on, wincing as I eased the left one over my sore heel. I hobbled along as best I could to catch up with Horatio. My sister was not exactly a lightweight. I marveled at how easily he could carry her and still maintain such a stride.
As I trailed after them, I reflected that, at least, Amy’s drunken escapade had diverted the commander’s attention from my own illicit activities. I was ashamed of the thought.
Horatio led the way up a narrow winding stair that brought us out into the bustling kitchen area of the palace. I was alarmed when everyone from the head cook to the pot boy stopped what they were doing to stare at us. Even though Horatio was only the commander of the Midtown garrison, he was clearly held in awe and respect by the palace denizens.
After he had a few quiet words with the head cook, the matronly woman offered up the use of her own private quarters. Horatio soon had us tucked away in a small sitting room, safe from prying eyes. As he deposited my sister on a cozy settee, he instructed a young page to go and fetch my stepmother.
I hovered just inside the door, feeling rather useless. Usually, I was the one having to rescue my family from the brink of disaster. It was an odd sensation to allow Horatio to take charge and assume that burden. I might have been able to enjoy it more except for my guilty conscience.
I thought Amy had fallen completely insensible. But as she nestled her head against the settee cushion, she murmured to Horatio, “You’re a lovely man, Commander.”
“Er… thank you.”
“And my sishter likes you pro-prodig— quite a lot.”
“Does she?”
“Yesh, but it won’t do. Sorry, but you can’t marry her ’cause you’re a foundling, prob’ly part ogre. Not good enough for our Ella.”
“I know that,” Horatio replied sadly.
I flinched, wishing that my sister would just shut up and pass out. Horatio caught sight of my expression. Misinterpreting the cause of my dismay, he drew close to me and murmured, “You must not be anxious about your sister. I have sent for your stepmother and ordered your carriage to be brought round to the kitchen yard. Everything is going to be all right, Ella.”
“Thanks to you, and I trust you will pay no heed to any of that nonsense Amy was spouting. She has no idea what she is saying when she is drunk.
“Not that my sister has ever been drunk before,” I added hastily. “I fear that all the royal attention that she received tonight went to her head, along with the wine. Pray, do not think badly of Amy. She can be impulsive at times, but she is not wicked. Ordinarily she is a very well-behaved girl.”
Horatio smiled. “I am sure that she is. I only wish…” His smile faded as he continued, “Why did you not tell me at once the real reason you were down in the forbidden hall was to search for your sister?”
“Well, I…” I faltered, all too conscious of the stolen orb hidden in my pocket.
“Did you not think that I would help you, that I would not understand?”
“Well, um, it was very wrong for either Amy or I to be in that part of the palace and you are the king’s sworn commander.”
