Page 56 of Songs and Spun Gold
A door banged closed from the direction of the road. Sighing, Gunther looked over his shoulder. “I should go.”
“I should, too.” She didn’t have anywhere to be, but drawing out this interview wouldn’t do either of them any favors.
Gunther gently grasped her hand and lifted it, then bowed over it and lightly kissed her knuckles. He looked up at her without a hint of sparkle in his brown eyes. “Farewell, fair Katrin,” he whispered. “I am pleased to have seen you once more.”
“Goodbye, Gunther,” she managed as he released her hand. “Forget me, all right?”
He walked over to the side door, gripped the handle, and paused before opening it. With a sad smile, he replied, “Never.”
Then he pulled the door open and walked through, flipping the tail of his cloak so it didn’t catch.
Katy watched him go, fighting the tears welling up in her eyes. She knew it was ridiculous; it was only the second time they’d met.
So why did she feel like her best friend had just walked out of her life…again?
At least this time he’d said goodbye.
She rubbed at an ache in her temple and scolded herself as she wiped her eyes on Otto’s cloak. They were two different people. Even if there were similarities, Gunther wasnotthe young noble who had abandoned her. He—he just wasn’t.
Not wanting to run into him again, she opted to exit the alley by the road instead of the theater. When she saw the guard heading down the steps, she pulled back into the alley. She had no intention of bumping into the odious prince. Since she wasn’t in a hurry, she would give him and his guardian a head start.
A small, irrational part of her pulled in the opposite direction; that way lay the park to which Gunther had taken her before. She brushed it aside; the gated park had screamed “private property.”
After a few minutes, she peeked around the corner. There was no sign of the guard in the stream of people meandering by, so she eased herself into the flow and began working her way back to her temporary prison.
CHAPTER 14
Axel
Prince Axel! You look so handsome today!” Lady Ilse gushed as she held a silk-gloved hand out for the prince to take.
Smiling politely, he accepted the offered hand and bowed his head over it, foregoing the optional application of his lips to her knuckles. “My lady. Your hair glitters like the stars, and your dress outdoes the sun.”
It did. He didn’t understand why the glaring orange color had come into fashion, nor why the ladies insisted on covering their garish dresses with small glass gems that reflected the light and attempted to blind him.
“You’re too kind, Your Highness,” she giggled, fluttering her eyelashes at him. “I’m looking forward to your birthday next week.”
“As am I,” he replied lightly. “At the ripe old age of twenty-three, I shall be nearing my dotage, but I intend to take it with all the grace I possess.”
She placed a daring hand on his upper arm. “And still without a wife!” Drawing the hand back, she flipped open the fan in her other hand and covered the lower half of her face. “You do recall I’m eighteen now?”
“If you recall, he was at your birthday party last month,” a sour voice cut in. “I doubt he’s forgotten.”
“Tobias! Welcome to my mother’s little party,” Axel greeted.A bit of genuine pleasure widened his smile as he turned to slap his friend on the back. “It is always a delight. Your contributions to the conversation are like a ray of sunshine.”
Tobias raised a single eyebrow as he held his drink out to the side to offset the impact of Axel’s hand and prevent a spill. “If you say so.”
“Lord Tobias.” Lady Ilse’s smile turned a little brittle. “How…perfectly wonderful of you to join us.”
“Isn’t it?” Axel grinned, pretending not to notice her annoyance. “He would make a wonderful catch, you know. It is truly amazing that charm such as his has not already brought him the lady of his dreams.”
Taking a slow sip of his drink, Tobias took a half step toward the prince. “It’s only because you hog the limelight. Lady Ilse finds me acceptable in your absence.”
She gasped at this statement, but Axel knew it was put on. He’d witnessed her attempting to throw herself on his friend plenty of times…when Axel was occupied elsewhere. Not that she was the only one who behaved that way.
“Alas, she shall have to content herself with you while in my presence, I am afraid,” Axel sighed, pressing a hand to his chest. “For have you not heard, my lady, that I am likely to be spoken for on the morrow?”
Lady Ilse jolted a little. “What?” She laughed, but the tinkling sound she usually used was closer to the clanging of pots this time. “I didn’t realize someonesuitablehad caught your eye.”
