A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd

Author:Christina Dodd [Dodd, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 24

From behind me I heard a deep groan.

Tommaso stared in confusion. “Lady Rosaline, what?”

“I was merely . . . clearing my throat.” I stood and spread my skirts to hide any sign Lysander had disarrayed the shrubbery. “Do as I instructed you with Princess Isabella. Take Prince Escalus to the great hall and serve him refreshments. I’ll bring the princess to him—”

“He comes now!” Tommaso gestured up the path.

No. My siblings were fighting, probably with Isabella, my mother was angry at me, Lysander hid in our shrubbery . . . and the prince was here? I didn’t have to look up to know the boxes full of disaster had fallen on my sinful head. “Go and tell Lord Romeo and Lady Juliet at once. I’ll try to delay the prince.”

Tommaso bowed and stood there, all awkward legs and arms, as if the weight of the responsibility had robbed him of sense.

“They’re at the swing. Go!” I urged. “Quickly!”

He ran.

I listened. The hubbub of childish shouting had calmed. I hoped my mother had worked her magic and I prayed that no one had fatally offended Princess Isabella. Or, more important, given her a shove that knocked her to the ground and dirtied her elegant gown. Stepping out on the path, I prepared to walk to meet Prince Escalus.

He was already there, striding purposefully as if he rued his decision to send his sister into our keeping.

My job: keep the chaos of her visit a secret long enough for my parents to receive the news of his arrival and deal accordingly.

I smiled widely and curtsied deeply. “My prince, what a pleasure to welcome you to our humble abode!”

He stopped. He viewed me without favor and, dare I say it, with suspicion. “I’ve come to escort my sister home.”

“My prince, she’s playing with the other children.” I gestured toward the swing.

“You left her alone with your sisters and brother?” Clearly, he was offended and worried.

Which made me a little cranky and as happened sometimes, I spoke without thinking. “They’re not beasts, you know.”

“No, but Isabella’s unused to being surrounded by rambunctious children of so many and varied ages. I thought I could trust you to remain nearby as a safeguard for her finer feelings.”

“I assure you, she has no feelings finer than any of my family.” That probably wasn’t true, the younger kids could be savages, but he had my blood up. I forcibly reminded myself I should appease him . . . and stall him. “That said, Lord Romeo and Lady Juliet are now with my siblings and your sister.”

“Why are you not with them?”

Because my father and I had discussed the current disaster, and my mother had caught us and dragged us across flickering blue coals of shame. “After our morning, I was content to allow my parents to mediate the children.”

“Mediate? They required mediation?”

I got snappish again. “Yes, and some believe my skills are subpar.” I allowed myself a short breath, and before he spoke again, I added, “But all is well now.

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