Page 2 of What Dreams May Come
“What have you done?” I whispered.
As I said,not always tactful, for the already-fraught Katherina caught fire, leaped to the railing and whispered back, “Nothing you haven’t already done, Sister!” She projected so well, Nurse’s snoring abruptly stopped.
We froze.
Katherina and Isabella didn’t want to be caught in boys’ clothes. I didn’t want them to be caught in boys’ clothes because, as Katherina said, I had indeed done exactly that myself. What I’d failed to realize was that anyone in the family had discovered my folly, much less my seven-years-younger-than-me sister.
We waited, barely breathing, as Nurse muttered and groaned, and at last resumed her bed-frame-rattling snore.
We all breathed sighs of relief, and Isabella poked Katherina hard with her elbow. “Chiudi la bocca.Rosie might be able to help us!”
Nurse’s snoring paused again.
Again we froze. This time, when it resumed, I gestured to them to back up, grasped the plank that rested against the wall, placed it between our railings and, hitching up my nightgown and robe, climbed up and walked over.
“Fantastica!” Isabella breathed as she backed into the empty bedroom behind her. Empty because Mamma had decided when Princess Isabella stayed the night, these two highly responsible adolescent girls should have privacy, so she allowed them to stay in a bedchamber reserved for guests. Or should I say—formerly highly responsible adolescent girls?
Katherina and I followed her into the room lit by a single candle and shut the doors behind us.
“I can do that, too,” Katherina bragged, and then in a disgruntled tone, “but Rosie keeps the board on her side.”
“If I didn’t keep it close, Imogene would do flips across it and Mamma would kill us all.” I turned on my little sister. “As opposed to Mamma killing only you, Katherina, who accompanied the princess of Verona on an adventure into thenight streets!”
“I didn’t accompany her.” Katherina gritted her teeth, then admitted, “I led her. It was my idea.”
CHAPTER TWO
My premonition of disaster had been minuscule compared to this reality.
Prince Escalus Leonardi the Younger,podestàof Verona, had trusted his much beloved little sister to the care of my parents, and my own sister Katherina had guided her on a dangerous bacchanal that ended in some kind of calamity, the severity of which I had yet to determine. But no matter what, if a breath of this leaked out, the Montague family would be disgraced andperhaps exiled.
“Yes, but I jumped at the chance!” Isabella turned to me and defended her friend. “Really I did. I’ve never been part of such an exciting family. Your father teaches me how to use a sword. Your mother helps me learn how to listen to people. Your brother and sisters are funny and smart and brave. The palace is so quiet. Nonna Ursula is kind, but she always says what she thinks and sometimes I don’t want to know. Escalus is a good brother who wants me to be happy, but he’s staid and somber—”
No other word for it. I grunted as if I’d been punched in the gut.
“—Yes, I know. He talks to you, I’m so sorry, because when does he ever say something interesting?” Isabella took my hand and patted it. “Thank you for being good to him, Rosie, and not rolling your eyes when he speaks, for he worried about you while you recovered from your wounds.”
I was speechless at the thoughtlessness of youth...and at the same time, I wondered when, at the creaking old age of twenty, I’d grown so aware of duty and responsibilities. I suppose, because I’m the eldest, I was forced into that mold, but at the same time, to the despair of my parents, in the past I’d had my rebellious moments.
I had.
I had!
“Good to hear.” I barely moved my lips, which were still tender from this evening’s—what should I call it?—unbelievable, ridiculous, humbling horrible misstep involving Prince Staid and Somber.
Have I mentioned humiliating?
“That first night, I had so much fun!” Isabella squeezed my hand.
“That first night, you were such a sissy!” Katherina teased.
“Yes, but I got over it.” Isabella poked her with her elbow. “I swagger better than you do.”
“Do not.”
Isabella swaggered across theroom. “Do too.”
Shewasvery good.
