dragon archives 04 - dance with a dragon (24 page)

Anna felt the color drain from her face. “And … what do you think of him?”

“Of Prince Rupert?” Garrick shrugged. “He expects his commands to be followed implicitly, and does not tolerate disobedience.”

“Have you spoken to him?”

“No. I’m a lowly archer, in command of a unit of eighty men. He takes no notice of me.”

“So he doesn’t know about our betrothal?”

“No.” Garrick looked surprised.

“He must never know. You must not tell anyone.”

“Why not?”

“Because he may try and hurt you.”

“Hurt me? Anna, what are you talking about?” Anna glanced around, then wrapping her hand around his arm, dragged him away out of the courtyard and towards the river.

“Listen to me, Garrick. Prince Rupert is determined to make me suffer. If he knows that you have feelings for me, he may try to harm you.” Garrick was staring down at her in puzzlement.

“Why?” His eyes held hers as his expression changed to one of comprehension. “You’re the woman,” he said slowly. “The reason the king is unhappy with the prince.” She nodded in silence. “Good lord, Anna, how many more rumors am I to hear about you? What happened?”

“Rupert wanted me as his mistress, but Max warned the king to keep him away.”

Garrick growled. “Did he force you?”

“No. He would have, if Max had not spoken to the king.”

“What did the dragon say? Does the king know what he is?”

“The king knows what Aaron is.”

“Ah! I see. So Max went to the king and reminded him of Master Aaron’s true nature, and the king told Rupert to stay away.” Anna nodded. “So the dragon who left you five years ago is now the one saving your honor.” He gave a wry laugh. “I suppose he has his uses, then.”

Anna smiled. “From time to time,” she said.

“I’m glad he was here to protect you,” he said.

“Rupert is determined to have his revenge for the humiliation he suffered, so he must not know that you know me.”

“I’m not going to hide from the prince.”

“I’m not asking you to hide. Just … don’t announce that you know me from the rooftops.”

He nodded. “Very well. If it will make you feel more at ease. But if your name comes up, I will not deny you.”

“Thank you,” she said. She glanced back at the palace. “I need to get going. The queen will be wondering where I have gotten to.”

“Very well.” He paused. “You know I love you, don’t you?”

She nodded. “I know.”

Chapter 32

The first buds of spring were starting to swell when the day of the ball arrived. Seamstresses, shoemakers and milliners were continually coming and going from the queen’s apartments, arms laden with fabrics, cloaks, shoes and other accessories. The queen had ordered three new gowns made for herself, so that she could choose the one she most fancied on the day of the ball.

The ladies each had new gowns, too. Anna’s was of soft blue silk, trimmed in white. A narrow sash of red ribbon had been stitched across the bodice of the gown.

The great hall had been decorated with brightly colored banners displaying the king’s standard, with a few of Roderick’s colors interspersed. The royal table on the raised dais was decked out in red and white, and on the tables below, red napkins stood stark against the white linen.

As the afternoon light began to fade, Anna could hear the crowds of people starting to congregate on the lawns and within the halls. From the window of their chambers she could see people strolling through the gardens as laughter rang through the air. Strains of music reached her ears, and she hummed to herself as she smoothed down her gown. She had already helped the queen with her garments, and Betsy was helping her get ready for the evening ahead. In the corner of the ladies’ chamber the two bright canaries chirped tunelessly, their cheerful sounds making the room seem brighter as Elizabeth and Kathleen added the finishing touches to their outfits.

There was a knock, and a maid peered around the door. “His Highness is here,” she said. Betsy carefully tucked the last curl into Anna’s braid before she rose to her feet with the other two ladies. They would follow the king and queen when they made their entrance into the hall. In the parlor, Alfred was talking to his son John. This was to be Prince John’s first ball, and his father was giving him last-minute instructions.

“You must be sure to dance with lots of ladies,” he said. “You cannot be seen to favor one over another.” Prince John nodded solemnly. “And look people in the eye when you talk to them. Then they will know you are really attending to them.”

Matilda entered the room. “Whenever you are ready, my lord,” she said. She was wearing a gown of crimson and gold, the colors of the royal standard, and over her hair she wore a net of red ribbons, studded with tiny pearls. Alfred rose to his feet and gave her a scrutinizing look.

“Very dutiful, my dear.” Matilda flashed a smile and dropped a curtsey. Alfred turned to his son. “Lead the way, Your Highness,” he said with a smile.

They paused outside the hall a short while later as the chamberlain announced the arrival of the royal entourage. There was a scraping of chairs and benches as the crowds rose to their feet, and the long call of a clarion sounding a single note. The noise died away, and Matilda and Alfred entered the hall with John at their heels. Anna and the other ladies waited a few moments before they, too, entered the large room. Alfred and Matilda were already on the dais, and Anna glanced up to see Rupert smiling at John before nodding with a slight frown at his brother. She looked away and followed Elizabeth and Blanche to their table placed just below the dais, darting a glance around the room as she walked. Garrick was sitting at a table near the back, staring at her intently, and she quickly looked away as she took her seat, Kathleen beside her.

“Master Max Brant is here,” Kathleen whispered at the end of the third course. “He’s sitting with Mistress Jane.” Anna smiled at the footman taking her plate. “He was watching you a moment ago.”

Anna looked at her. “I don’t know why.” She leaned closer. “Perhaps he will dance with you tonight.”

Kathleen turned a startled glance on her. “What? No! He wouldn’t … I couldn’t …”

“Nonsense. He will probably dance with every other lady in the room, so there is no reason why he should not dance with you.”

“But … I wouldn’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Just smile, and follow the steps.”

The next course arrived, and the ladies were silent as they ate. Once or twice Kathleen glanced up, then hurriedly looked down again. “He’s looking this way again,” she whispered as the plates were cleared away. “What do you think he’s looking at?”

“Who?”

“Master Brant, of course!”

Anna shrugged. “Perhaps he just wants to see who is here.”

The music struck up as the last course was removed, and footmen appeared to disassemble the tables and remove them from the room, opening the hall for dancing. Anna moved to the wall, watching as Alfred and Matilda stepped down from the dais. Her hand rested in his, and he led her into the center of the hall. “My lady,” he said with a bow. Rupert took her other hand, and soon a large circle was forming as they danced their way around the room. Anna was watching the dancers when a touch on her elbow pulled her attention away. She turned to see Garrick smiling down at her.

“My lady,” he said.

She returned the smile, and taking his outstretched hand, allowed him to lead her into the circle of dancers. Someone she didn’t recognize held out his hand to the other side of her, and she lightly placed her hand in his as the music of a popular carol was struck up.

“This reminds me of home,” Garrick said as they moved around to the simple rhythm. She saw Max join the circle of dancers with Jane at his side.

“Storbrook never had this many people,” she replied. She let go of his hand to execute a twirl. “What do you think of Civitas?” she asked as his hand wrapped around hers once more. Across the room she saw Rupert dancing, Blanche on one side, Mary Pritchard on the other. He was watching her, his expression blank.

“Civitas? Too crowded. Too noisy. And too smelly.”

Anna laughed. “Is that all?”

Blanche whispered something in the prince’s ear. His gaze settled on Garrick for a moment, then moved back to her.

“I prefer the countryside,” Garrick said. “But I think you know that.” Anna nodded as Rupert dropped out of the circle and left the room through a side door. Anna’s glance fell on Max for a moment, and she saw he, too, was watching Rupert, his expression severe. The music ended, and Anna turned to Garrick.

“You must dance with some other ladies, as well.” She nodded in Kathleen’s direction. “Lady Kathleen is very shy, but she is a good friend. Ask her to dance with you.”

“I will be back,” he promised, then turned towards Kathleen. The music struck up again, and another man was at Anna’s side, begging her to join him. She smiled and nodded, letting him take her by the hand.

The music for the simple carols changed to line dances, where couples danced side by side in line, or facing one another. She danced the first of these with Prince John, accepting his hand with the ceremony befitting a prince of the land. The young prince watched his feet for the entire dance, intent on executing the steps properly, and she smiled at his earnestness. She danced with the officers, smiling at Garrick when he scowled at her partners; and when Garrick pushed his way back to her side, she danced with him again. Kathleen, too, did not lack for dance partners, although Anna noticed that Kathleen tended to look anywhere but at the face of the man holding her hand. She saw Max approach Kathleen during the evening, and she took his proffered hand in flustered confusion, allowing him to lead her into the dance.

“I need some fresh air,” Garrick said sometime towards midnight. “I will be back soon.” She nodded, and watched as he pushed his way through the crowds. She turned back to the dance floor to see Max making his way towards her.

“It will appear very strange if you are the only lady I don’t dance with,” he said teasingly, “so will you do me the honor?”

“Maybe I prefer to not be considered one of your adoring admirers,” she said with an upraised eyebrow, but she placed her hand in his all the same. She shivered as his fingers curled around hers, and he glanced at her in amusement.

“Perhaps I should be taking you to a secluded corner to warm you up,” he said, tightening his fingers when she tried to pull her hand from his grasp. “Don’t worry,” he whispered, “I have no plans to seduce you.” He looked at her with a grin. “At least not tonight when all the other women will watch with raging jealousy.”

She laughed. “You are so arrogant,” she said.

“I know,” he said. “You’ve told me so before.”

The orchestra struck up a new piece, sounding the first few notes of a circle dance, danced in two rings. The men stood in the center facing outwards, while the women formed an outer ring, facing the men. Part way through the dance, each man would step to his right, moving to a new dance partner. Max led her into the formation, and turned to face her as the music swelled. Both her hands were in his as she stepped towards him, while he stepped back in time with the melody. His gaze held hers, and she could see the yellow specks deep in his gray eyes, sparkling when the glow of the candles fell across his countenance. He pulled her a little closer as they moved in silent unison, and her gown swished across his legs. The flame in his eyes flared slightly, and she felt a matching burn growing in the pit of her stomach. Her lips fell open, and he glanced down at them for a moment, before bringing his gaze back to hers. He moved his hands to her hips and she drew in a deep breath. He was lifting her, turning her in a circle, before slowly lowering her back to the floor. Her body slid against his, and the breath caught in her throat as she stared at him. Her toes touched the ground, but he did not move his hands from her hips. Instead, he slid them around her waist and pulled her into the middle of the circle, out of the ring of dancers. She did not notice the other men stepping sideways, closing the space she and Max had created. At that moment, nothing existed besides herself and Max. His long fingers were splayed over her back, and she could feel the trails of heat they made as she gazed at him. His legs were pressed against her skirts and she could feel their muscular strength against her legs. His face was bent down, and just a few inches separated his mouth from hers. She lifted her hands and wrapped her fingers around his arms, and for a moment, she could see the fire blazing in his eyes, right to his very soul. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, and her hands slid up to his shoulders.

The sound of her name being called came from far away, and it was only when Max opened his eyes and drew away from her that she heard it.

“It’s Garrick,” he said. He gave her a rueful smile, and she drew in a shuddering breath as a wave of shame washed over her. She turned and saw Garrick striding angrily across the room towards the circle of dancers, his fists clenched at his sides as he pushed through the crowd. She drew in another deep breath and walked towards him. She felt Max follow her, but ignored him. Max may have behaved indecorously, but that was not surprising – he flirted shamelessly with all the women. It was her own behavior, her response to him, that was inexcusable.

But as she drew closer to Garrick, it wasn’t her he was looking at. His attention was focused on the man behind her.

“I need to talk to you,” he said angrily. “Outside.”

“Garrick,” she said. He glanced at her in silence, then looked back at Max.

“Now.” Garrick turned and left the room and she watched him leave, her heart sinking. She could feel Max looking at her, but she turned her back to him and walked away.

Garrick did not return to the room, and neither did Max. She was sure Max would do nothing to hurt Garrick, but if it came to a fight, there was no denying who the stronger combatant would be. Matilda took her leave of the remaining company shortly before one o’clock, Elizabeth and Kathleen following her from the room. Kathleen glanced at Anna, but Anna did not follow them. She could not bear to listen to their idle chatter when she was so distraught. Her self-revulsion knew no bounds as she mentally cursed herself. She had behaved no better than a harlot.