Page 55 of Her Royal Highness
Crossing the thick carpet on bare feet, I tug down the zipper.
Thirty minutes later, I stare at myself in the mirror, trying to reconcile the Millie who likes jeans and boots and rocks with the girl in the gorgeous dress in front of me.
Flora wasn’t kidding when she said she could scare something up. The dress is a deep forest green, so dark that it almost looks black, and it fits like it was made for me. The green makes my brown eyes look deeper, bringing out flecks of gold, and my tan is pretty against the rich fabric. I even like the little plaid bow affixed to the waist.
Turning slightly, I hold both sides of the skirt out, unable to keep from grinning at myself. Who knew I liked dresses this much?
There’s a knock at the door, and I turn toward it, dropping my skirt before someone catches me posing like I’m about to go onToddlers & Tiaras. “Come in!” I call.
It’s Flora, and if I thought my dress was nice, it’s nothing compared to hers.
She’s decked out in the full Baird tartan, which should look ridiculous, but on her, is almost absurdly beautiful. The purple, green, and black set off her creamy skin and her golden hair perfectly, the black velvet belt around her waist giving her an hourglass shape. There’s even a tiara of emeralds and diamonds nestled in her golden hair.
But it’s her smile as she looks at me that has my heart suddenly knocking against my ribs.
“Well, well, Quint,” she says. “You clean up even better than I’d hoped.”
Smoothing my hands down the front of the skirt, I shrug, awkward all of a sudden.
“I can’t believe you managed to find something that fits me this well,” I say now, turning back to the mirror, because if I’m looking at myself, I won’t be looking at her, and that seems like the best idea right now. “Who here is my size exactly?”
Flora is still standing in the doorway, her hand on the knob, and she lifts one shoulder in a shrug. “No one. I guessed and sent an email to Glynnis to have something sent up.”
I turn around again, mouth dropping open slightly. “You guessed?” That seems impossible. The dress fits too well andlooks too good on me. Flora and I may know each other well by now, but I didn’t think we were at the “know your measurements on sight” level of friendship.
“What can I say? I have an eye for these things,” Flora replies, but her eyes don’t quite meet mine. Then she gestures out into the hall. “Well? Shall we?”
CHAPTER26
People are gathering at the bottom of the stairs as we head down, and I see Sherbet, who waves cheerfully to us.
He’s talking to a blond girl in a blue dress, and I glance over at Flora, wondering if this is Tamsin.
But instead, Flora cries, “Oh, Baby Glynnis!”
The girl glares at both of us as we approach and steps away from Sherbet.
“It’s Nicola,” the girl says, and Flora waves that off.
“I know, but Baby Glynnis is so much more apt. Quint, Baby Glynnis. Baby Glynnis, Quint.”
“Nicola,” the girl says again through clenched teeth, and I reply, “Millie.”
She shakes my hand, and as she does, tilting her head down a little, I suddenly see the resemblance to the woman who accompanied the queen to Gregorstoun.
“Oh, you’reliterallyBaby Glynnis,” I say, and the girl’s hazel eyes shoot up toward the ceiling.
“Ni. Co. La,” she says. “But yes, Glynnis is my mother, which is why I’m stuck out here in the backwoods of Scotland instead of being at home.”
I wonder what kind of life she lives back “home” that a castle is the “backwoods,” but Flora leans in and says, “Baby Glynnis is usually in California with her dad, but I’d heard Glynnis brought her up for a bit.”
“Literally standing right here,” Nicola says. “Can hear everything you’re saying.”
“What are you doing on Skye?” Flora asks her, and Nicola jerks a thumb at Sherbet.
“Sherbet invited me, and since I was bored and Skye is far from my mother, I agreed.”
Sherbet, apparently hearing his name, waves Nicola back over to him, and as she walks away, Flora leans in close. “For a hot second two years ago, Nicola was the only girl Royal Wrecker,” she murmurs. “She and Seb were thick as thieves.”
