Page 73 of Crown of Hearts
When I first arrived, I was quickly intimidated by Lady Gwen and her close relationship with Cai. But the more time I’d spent at the palace, the more I saw the love they shared with each other was truly of the sibling kind.
Cai and I peeked around the door into one of the drawing rooms. Sure enough, Gwen and her friends were seated at a round table, playing cards being shuffled between them. I was relieved to find that Lady Meredette was nowhere to be seen.
Gwen’s jumped up at my presence. “Your Majesty.” Everyone stood up from the table and curtsied to Cai. “Queen Elara.” Gwen’s eyes lit up and she smiled at me. Her eager expression pleasantly surprised me. “I was actually looking for you, but Lady Anesta said she couldn’t find you anywhere.”
“My apologies, Gwen, I’m afraid I stole Elara away this morning,” Cai said before I had a chance to reply.
Some of the women eyed the way Cai’s hand was holding mine. I quickly stepped into the room.
“I’m at your disposal, Lady Gwen.”
“We’re playing a game of cards, and I was wondering if you would like to join us, Your Majesty.”
I was flattered. Growing up among men and boys, I didn’t always have the luxury of female friendships. It was nice to have my company wanted. On the other hand, it was absolutely terrifying. They would all expect me to act like a perfect queen, these young women of noble birth who had been raised in court their whole lives.
Suppressing my nerves, I looked back at Cai, who gave me a smile and mouthed “See you later”, before departing from the drawing room.
I took a seat at the table and one of the women started shuffling the cards again. I was embarrassed to admit that I didn’t really know any card games.
“What are you playing?”
“Queen of hearts.”
“I’ve never heard of that,” I confessed, biting the inside of my cheek.
“That’s because we made it up, Your Majesty,” Gwen said with a grin.
“Please call me Elara. I can’t have any of my friends calling me by my title.” It was bold of me to assume Gwen would even want to be my friend. But she seemed so kind and genuine and clever. She was the esteemed lady I could never be.
“I’d be honoured to.” We turned our attention back to the cards and I focused on sitting up straight.
“So, how does the game work?”
Gwen proceeded to explain the rules to me very patiently. The main idea was to avoid the queen of hearts card that was hidden among all the other cards. You could exchange cardswith other players and the one who held the queen of hearts at the end of the game lost. Everyone would play until there was only one person left. It took me a few rounds to fully grasp the rules but then it quickly became rather enjoyable.
“So, Lady Haisly, how is your courtship with Lord Flit going?” Gwen asked as she handed out a card to each of us. I turned it over. Seven of spades. There was a small breath of relief.
Lady Haisly blushed. “He sends me letters almost every day.” Some of the other ladies around the table “ooo’d” with girlish excitement. “Some of them are just kind words and sometimes he sends me verse.” Lady Haisly was clearly smitten.
Though I’d never been one to be seduced by poetry, I could understand her excitement. It must have been nice to have someone care so much. When you returned their affections, of course.
“Can we expect a proposal soon?” Lady Romy asked.
“He talks about the future all the time,” Haisly confirmed. “I’d like to think he’s planning to propose.” I was almost jealous of her giddiness. Of the fact that she could happily marry who she pleased. That she didn’t have a whole kingdom dependent on her marriage.
“You’re so lucky.” Gwen sighed. “I am never getting married.”
“Don’t be so negative,” Romy said. “You just haven’t met the right person.” She looked down at her cards with a slight frown.
“If one more person says that I’m going to throw a vase at them,” Gwen grumbled.
“At least you’re not alone. My parents would love to arrange a marriage for me and I’m running out of excuses,” Lady Romy complained.
“There’s always Lord Thatcher.” Haisly smirked and exchanged a card with Gwen.
“Last I heard, he was still interested in Lady Celia,” Romy responded.
“Let’s not talk about my brother in that manner, if you please.” Gwen groaned. “I don’t want to lose my appetite before dinner.”
