Page 45 of If The Crown Fits
“Of course, Your Highness,” Cordelia said, closing the trunk. I was about to leave when she spoke up again. “I know she seems odd.” She hesitated for a moment. “But deep down... she’s not a bad person.”
“I know,” I said and left the room.
* * *
I didn’t get a chance to see her again that night, but I was told that a hunt had been arranged for us in the morning. If what I thought to be true was indeed true, maybe this would be my way of finding out.
I met her at the stables, dressed in hunting attire, her hair braided away from her face. It certainly had a way of bringing out those determined eyes.
“Good morning,” I said politely while my eyes scanned her guard with the scar on his face. He’d remained very close to her throughout our travels and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. It was as if she would tense up every time he came close to her.
“Good morning,” she said and then frowned at the stable boy who handed her a bow and quiver. She looked at them for a moment, as if she weren’t quite sure what to do.
“I thought you couldn’t shoot with a bow?”
She looked at me sheepishly. “I can’t. But you said you’d teach me.”
“I did say that, didn’t I? Well, I suppose a promise is a promise.”
She looked pleased as we mounted. We rode in the middle of our party of guards, all Evernean. I hadn’t seen any of my men this morning, though I was more than certain they were occupying themselves with sword duels in the gardens.
“Do you and your family do this often?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. But yesterday you spoke of the good times you had while hunting, and well...” Her cheeks flushed a little. “I thought you might enjoy this?” she said, looking hopeful, and I smiled in slight disbelief.
“You arranged a hunt for me?” I watched her jaw clench, her eyes looking back and forth between the guards. We weren’t exactly riding on top of each other’s horses, but I was fairly sure they could hear most of what we said despite the sounds of the forest that stretched behind Woodsbrook.
“Don’t look so surprised.” She lifted her chin. “I can be a very likeable person.”
“This coming from a woman who held a dagger to my throat,” I teased and she gawked at me for a moment.
“Hey, you tied me to a tree first!” Her accusation, though true, was made in a humorous tone.
“For which I am profoundly sorry.”
She shook her head, but there was a smile on her face and, truth be told, I was starting to grow quite fond of that smile. I bit the inside of my cheek, the truth dripping into my train of thought once again. I couldn’t lose focus on the task at hand.
“I can’t remember the last time I went hunting, though. These past few years I’ve been too occupied with other royal duties. I really miss hunting with my younger brother.”
My eyes drifted towards her face, seeing if she would take the bait. If not, I would look profoundly silly and suspicious.
“You have a brother?” She didn’t meet my stare, as if trying to regain a memory.
“Yes, I told you all about him in that letter I sent a few months ago. Don’t you remember?”
Her face fell, and upon realisation of this she tried to pull herself together. But it was too late.
“Yes, of course I remember. It was just so long ago.”
Just as I’d assumed she would, she had fallen into my trap and had given herself away. I didn’t have a brother and I most surely never sent her any letters. Eloisa and I had never communicated before my arrival in Everness, and now I knew we still hadn’t. The biggest problem was figuring out why.
The conversation died down after that, as we carefully listened to the sounds of the forest and hoped for an interruption of the harmonising birdsong by the sound of an animal grazing amid the undergrowth. But luck was not on our side, and after a few hours of riding, we hadn’t managed to catch anything. Not that I could really get my mind to focus on the forest or the hunt. I could only think of her next to me.
We turned back, making our way to the manor. “May I ask you something?” She gazed at me from under her lashes, a curious expression on her face.
“You may.” I grinned. I had to applaud her pretend interest in me.
Perhaps I should have felt betrayed. But curiosity had always been one of my biggest flaws and I knew I was knee-deep in trouble, because I was intrigued.
