Page 78 of Love & Letter Charms
Indeed, the fine mist that drifted from the fountain was pleasantly cool against her flushed skin. She turned to face him properly, squaring her shoulders. Their chaperone had found a bench in the shade several yards away, her attention politely averted, though the pixies still fluttered overhead with the mistcloth.
“Your Highness,” Aurelise began formally, “I believe recent events have led to a certain … informality between us that is neither appropriate nor advisable.”
The prince’s expression shifted to one of polite attention, though she didn’t miss the way his lips twitched. “Indeed? Do elaborate.”
“The dare list,” she said in a low tone. “Which, I might add, was never meant to involve you in the first place. All these inappropriate adventures, these … clandestine meetings. They must cease immediately.”
“Must they?” He tilted his head, studying her with those deep blue eyes. “And here I thought we were making excellent progress.”
“That is precisely the problem. You should be making progress with the other ladies of the court. Ladies who actually wish to be chosen. Ladies who could fulfill the role of Crown Consort.”
“Ah.” He nodded sagely. “Ladies who wish to fulfill a role. How romantic.”
“If it is romance you seek, I’m certain any one of them would be happy to—” She paused, noticing the way his gaze kept drifting toward the lemon tree where Spark—and now Thimble—sat. “Your Highness, are you listening to me?”
“Every word,” he assured her, though she caught the telltale flicker of amusement that suggested another conversation entirely was happening beyond her perception.
He’s terribly handsome in this light, came Thimble’s dreamy mental voice in Aurelise’s mind.
Prince Ryden coughed, poorly disguising a laugh.
Oh, forgive me, Your Highness!Thimble squeaked.That one was supposed to be directed only at Lady Aurelise!
“Are you silently conspiring with my companions while I am endeavoring to converse with you?” Aurelise asked, trying to sound disapproving.
The prince’s smile curved higher. “I am doing nothing. They are the ones who seem to have important things to tell me. Suchas how pretty you look with the sunlight catching your hair and turning it to gold—as though I might have failed to notice.”
Aurelise’s mouth opened, then closed again. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and for a moment, her carefully rehearsed words scattered. “I—that is—” She drew a sharp breath, her gaze darting toward the attendant before returning to Prince Ryden. “You see? This is precisely what I mean. You cannot go about saying things like that to me when we both know you have no interest in me.”
“No interest?” His voice softened, the teasing edge tempered by something … else. He took a single, measured step closer. “Lady Lise, I think we both know that could not be further from the truth.”
She suppressed a groan. She should never have shared that name with him. On his lips, it sounded far too … intimate. Darned driftshade leaf.
“I—that is—” She took a purposeful step backward. “Your Highness, I believe it would be wiser if we … maintained a certain distance.”
“Of course,” he answered, though the glint in his eyes and the slow curve of his mouth suggested no such intention. “You wish for the two of us to be perfectly proper in every way.”
“Yes.”
He tugged one of his gloves off. “Because being perfectly proper makes you happy.”
She frowned, her eyes on his bare hand now. “I don’t see howhappinesshas anything to do with it. And what are you?—”
“Hmm.” He removed his other glove, studying the water as though it might contain answers. Then he leaned sideways in that elegantly lazy way of his and trailed one hand through the water.
“Your Highness, what are you?—”
He flicked a few droplets in her direction. They landed on her arm.
She stared, aghast. “Did you just?—”
“You appeared overheated by the weight of your good sense,” he said mildly.
“Your Highness!” She was half scandalized, half—something else entirely. “You did not just do that.”
He sent another playful scatter of droplets her way, this time landing squarely on her glove.
“You did,” she breathed, incredulous.
