Page 62 of Legacy of Glass
As it was, she had been fighting the urge to use it on Julius ever since he had appeared in his party finery. She longed to know what was truly behind the friendly smile on his lips. But she had to wait for a surreptitious moment, and none had yet arrived.
“Olivia!” Hattie’s glad cry gave her a second’s warning before both cousins launched themselves at her, full of giggles and happy exclamations.
Her aunt smiled over their heads, clearly also happy to be present, although she showed more reserve than her enthusiastic daughters.
“Now, now, girls,” she chided. “Your cousin is a princess, and you must treat her with more deference at court.”
Nell and Hattie immediately let Olivia go, although they continued to giggle as they dropped into deep curtsies.
“I’m not a princess yet,” she said to her aunt. “I am, however, very glad to see you.”
“Thank you for inviting us, niece,” Aunt Helen said in reply. “The girls have been in raptures ever since the invitation was delivered.”
“I hope they have a lovely time.” Olivia smiled at her cousins affectionately. “I’ve asked some friends of mine to make sure you’re well looked after.”
As if on cue, Ashton appeared, dragging Kasper in tow. The two young men bowed to Nell and Hattie, sending the two girls into a fresh round of giggles.
“If you’ll allow us to escort you to the refreshment table, my sister is most eager for an introduction,” Ashton said with his particular, engaging charm.
Both Nell and Hattie flushed red and glanced at their mother for permission. She waved them off with an indulgent smile, and the girls accepted the arms offered them.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Olivia turned to her aunt, intending to reassure her as to the young men’s identities. But her aunt was watching the two retreating couples with a knowing eye.
“That’s the first time one of our neighbors has given a single one of us the time of day,” she murmured. “Our status truly has changed.”
Olivia winced. Her aunt clearly recognized Kasper, at least, without her assistance. But she just as clearly still knew nothing of Olivia’s history with Marigold.
Queen Elsinore swept over to them, embracing both Julius and Olivia before exchanging polite greetings with Olivia’s aunt. When she finally bore Aunt Helen off to meet some of the court’s matrons, Olivia let out a breath of relief.
“Maybe we’ve been a little too welcoming to your family,” Julius said with a wry note. “Weren’t they invited to keep you company?”
“Just having them present makes me happy,” Olivia said. “And I’m relieved to see them starting to make their own acquaintances here. Besides, we have company of our own.” She nodded toward Cade and Zane who were approaching them, both bearing a glass in each hand.
Cade handed one of his glasses to Julius, leaving Olivia to accept one from Zane.
“Don’t tell me you’re already overcome with inane conversation, Lord Zane,” she said with a smile. “We’ve only just arrived.”
“Youhave only just arrived,” he said with a sardonic smile. “I’ve been here for more than half an hour.”
Cade rolled his eyes. “And spent that whole time talking to two of Father’s allies. If I hadn’t pulled you away, you would be talking business for the next two hours. You are allowed to be young occasionally, Zane.”
“I thought you were being young for both of us,” Zane said lazily.
Cade protested strenuously, and the brothers’ banter distracted Julius. Their group had drifted into a corner, and Olivia finally saw her chance. Slipping her hand into her bag, she closed her fingers around the mirror’s handle.
She pulled it out and turned it toward her own face, as if she was taking a moment to check her appearance. But she didn’t stop there, subtly angling it further until she caught a flash of greenery and bright flowers and then someone else’s face. But it wasn’t Julius’s features reflected in the mirror.
Zane’s expression was amused, and his eyes looked straight back at her through the reflection. Olivia’s eyes snapped to his real face and, sure enough, he was watching her, a single brow slightly raised.
Olivia flushed and pushed the mirror back into her bag. She should never have brought it. There was no subtle way to use it at the soiree, and she was only going to look foolish trying.
“Is my hair straight?” she whispered to Zane, trying to cover for her odd moment.
The amusement that she found so difficult to read still lurked on his face, but he reassured her with perfect solemnity of her neat appearance. Leaning close, he murmured, “I believe young ladies usually take such actions in the ladies’ dressing room provided for the purpose.” He indicated a plain door on one side of the receiving room.
Olivia mumbled almost inaudible thanks and threw herself into the general conversation, resolving not to risk taking the mirror out again. She had wanted to use it so she could learn how to read and understand people as the roving merchant, Avery, did. But now that she was at the palace, perhaps she needed to rely more on her own intuition and less on the mirror.
Chapter21
