The Glittering Court (23 page)

It was hard to keep my panic down until Cedric and I caught a quick moment alone later in the day, just before some suitors were coming for afternoon tea.

“His partner has a portrait!” I hissed. “No doubt supplied by my grandmother when she hired him to come to Adoria.”

Cedric's face was grim. “And Mister Garrett's ‘tip' was most certainly from the Doyles.”

“Viola. Warren still seems so . . . I don't know. Hapless. She suggested that I might become ‘motivated' to pay more attention to him.”

“And thus the motivation is possible exposure and capture— assuming you don't get married first.”

I briefly closed my eyes. “And no doubt she's hoping I'll panic and use Warren for the marriage that will save me.”

“No.” Cedric stepped toward me and held my hands, a dangerous gesture when anyone in the house might walk right into this parlor. “I told you before, you won't be forced to do that. We'll get things settled with Nicholas Adelton and get them settled quickly. But while we do . . .”

I eyed him carefully. Tenderness filled his face, but I could tell there was something he was hesitant to tell me. “Yes?” I prompted.

“We're going to need to make sure the Doyles don't take any more action. We need to pacify them.” He sighed. “I'm sorry, Adelaide. But you're going to have to make it look like you want him.”

Chapter 18

“The Icori didn't know Hadisen had so many gold deposits. But why would they? They're savages. They don't mine. They don't have the technology for it. It's a wonder they ever got across the sea. So we got a deal on it in the treaty.”

Warren looked at me expectantly, and I mustered what I hoped was an impressed smile. “Was it really for sale, exactly?” I asked. “I mean, it was where they lived.”

He frowned. “I don't understand what you're asking.”

“It wasn't like it was a commodity they had lying around. It was their home. When they made the treaty, where were they supposed to go?”

“We didn't take all their lands,” he said. “They had plenty left.”

I'd seen the maps in my studies. “Plenty” was an overly optimistic way to describe it.

“And,” he continued, “they can always move over to the western tribes' territory.”

“Won't that cause friction with those tribes?” I asked.

“Not our problem. We're the conquerors.”

I opened my mouth to protest and then thought better of it. It had been this way for the last week, during which I'd had three visits with Warren—two public and one private. He wasn't exactly offensive, but there were a number of times I'd had to bite my tongue, lest I counter his opinions.
Be charming,
Cedric had advised me.
Give him no reason to suspect anything.

“How wonderful,” I said, switching to something less controversial. “To have all that gold.”

Warren nodded eagerly. “Yes. It's practically just lying around, waiting for anyone to take. We've got too few men to help get it out, but I think once we put the call out, and I arrive with a more established presence, settlers are going to flock to it.” He regarded me meaningfully. “I'm leaving in two weeks.”

I knew that. He reminded me of it every time we were together. Putting him off this long had saved me from a wedding before his departure, but I knew he and Viola were hoping to have a marriage contract sealed before then. My friendliness this week might have bought me some time, but soon, the Doyles were going to demand more.

“Pardon me,” I said, rising from my chair. He immediately stood as well. “I must check my hair.” It was a polite way of saying one had to visit the bathroom, and it provided a guaranteed escape.

This party at the Doyle estate had lasted for three hours, and I hoped we'd be going soon. Cedric was our chaperone, and our exit was in his hands. I might normally have persuaded him to an earlier time, but he'd been watching Caroline all evening. She seemed to have ensnared a respectable landowner who wouldn't leave her side. She'd had some difficulty with offers, and Cedric didn't want to ruin it.

He did, however, intercept me as I turned down the hall leading to the facilities. We rounded a corner and stopped, waiting for two men grumbling about taxes to walk by us. “We need to talk,” Cedric said in a low voice.

I glanced around. “Here?”

“There's been no other chance.” It was true. With fewer girls left, our social schedule had significantly picked up. He took my hand to pull me around a corner. “I have good news and bad news.”

“I hope the good news is that you've somehow acquired ten times more money than you need for the Westhaven stake and that the bad is you just don't know how to spend the rest.”

“I'd give it to you, of course, to keep you in the lifestyle you're
accustomed to. But no, I'm afraid that's not it.” He checked our surroundings one more time before continuing. “There's a man here interested in the painting.”

That
was
good news. “How much?

“Four hundred.”

“That's most of your stake! What's the bad news?”

“He wants it authenticated.” Cedric shook his head. “But, as you can guess, there aren't that many people in the colonies who are qualified to judge Myrikosi art. So, he's willing to wait—which means
we
wait. Unless we can find another buyer.”

“There aren't too many of those either.”

“Not in Denham, no. But my agent is going to send out feelers to some of the southern colonies. In the meantime . . .” His manner told me there was more news—and not necessarily good. “There've been some developments with Nicholas Adelton.”

“Oh?” I tried to keep my tone light, knowing I should be glad for this.

“He's been up in Thomaston this week—helping someone settle a trade dispute. I hear he took the case pro bono.”

“Very kind of him.”

“Yes,” said Cedric. He also appeared to be struggling with an upbeat tone. “He's a very kind man. And he'll be back the day after tomorrow—in time for the Flower Festival, for which I've gotten him an invitation. I'm positive we can settle things then.”

“So I just have to string Warren along a little longer.”

We'd had no more visits from Silas Garrett, but the threat he'd presented still hung over my head. He'd looked as though he was memorizing every girl's face, and I knew if he saw that portrait, he'd immediately identify me. I needed to secure my position quickly.

“I'm sure that won't be hard for you,” Cedric replied. I met his eyes and wished I didn't see such longing. This would be a lot easier to deal with if he'd been indifferent to me. “Go now—before Warren and his mother wonder what happened to you.”

“Okay. As soon as you let go of my hand.”

He looked down at our laced fingers and said nothing for several moments. Then, with great care, he brought my hand to his lips and pressed a kiss onto the back of it. I closed my eyes, wishing I could freeze that moment in time. When he released my hand, I could still feel the warmth of his lips on my skin. And neither of us moved. It took the loud laughter of a tipsy group walking down an adjacent hall to jolt us back to reality.

I returned to the main party, bracing for more of Warren's self-important conversation. To my surprise, Mira was speaking to him, giving me a temporary reprieve. I eyed her curiously, wondering what had sparked this. She'd yet to show any particular interest in a suitor. She hadn't even mentioned any offers, though I knew she'd entertained callers just as the rest of us had. This wasn't the first time I'd seen her actively pursuing Warren. Was it possible she was interested in him?

I enjoyed a few precious moments of alone time, listening as Warren's father chatted nearby with some magistrates, assuring them the rumors of Icori marching to Cape Triumph had no basis. I was curious as to what had triggered these fears but never found out. Once Warren spotted me, he hurried away from Mira and trailed me again. The slightest slip of her serene expression showed she was more frustrated than heartbroken, but distraction soon came as another young man tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to him, her smile instantly returning.

The party's end couldn't come too soon for me. After assuring Warren I'd be at the Flower Festival, I gratefully joined the others in heading to the carriages awaiting us outside. We only required two now to transport us. As we loaded up, I suddenly noticed something.

“Where's Mira?” I asked.
Not again,
I thought. A check showed no sign of her waiting outside with us. Cedric went back into the house, and I waited by the carriage's door, despite the driver's offer to help me. My unease grew as Cedric remained inside for far longer than I would've expected. She left all the time at home, but how could Mira disappear here?

At last, I saw them come out. He helped her into my carriage, and we were on our way.

“What happened?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes. “I got trapped in conversation by one of those men who wanted to know if he could get a ‘deal' on me.”

I studied her carefully. Her tone and expression seemed honest enough, but I couldn't shake the feeling that she was holding something back.

The next day, we found out that Caroline had finalized a contract, bringing our numbers down further. Jasper, though excited by the progress, felt the need to give the rest of us a pep talk.

“Although your contract gives you three months to choose,” he said at breakfast, “it rarely takes any girl that long. Most are settled in a month's time. I'd be very surprised if the rest of you didn't have many offers at the festival tomorrow night.” His gaze lingered on me the longest. “Very surprised.”

The Flower Festival, dedicated to the glorious angels Aviel and Ramiel, was the biggest spring holiday in the Osfridian calendar. It coincided with the Alanzan Spring Rites, and there was some controversy over the holiday's true nature. Devotees of Uros claimed the heretics had taken the traditional holiday and corrupted its veneration of healing and pure love by adding in worship of the wayward angels Alanziel and Lisiel. The Alanzans believed it was an ancient celebration of passion and fertility and that the orthodox worshippers had sanitized it.

Regardless, it was second only to Vaiel's Day as our most celebrated holiday. Elaborate parties and banquets were commonplace, even here in Cape Triumph. We'd be at the large town hall again, in a splendid ball paid for by the governor and several other politicians. Even the engaged girls were going. Jasper claimed he didn't want them to miss out, but I suspected he wanted to show off the girls with their fiancés to any undecided men. The gala would have a masquerade theme, which was common in Osfrid, less so here. Mistress Culpepper
hadn't been prepared for that and had to hastily make the necessary arrangements.

As usual, her “hasty” work was meticulous, no matter her grumbling. I had a delicate half-mask of silver filigree adorned with crystals. It was more of an enhancement than a true mask, since Jasper wanted us readily identifiable. The mask was the perfect accompaniment to my gown, an off-the-shoulder vision of white satin embellished with silver roses and ribbons.

“You know,” Mira told me slyly, adjusting her own glittering red half-mask, “the tradition of masquerades goes back to the Alanzans conducting Spring Rites in masks. They put on masks of leaves and flowers, or dress like animals of the forest. Men and women dance without even knowing who their partner is.”

I hadn't seen Cedric all day but had heard him speaking about the ball, which I assumed meant he'd be skipping any Alanzan rites— unless he'd be joining them extremely late. Had he ever participated, I wondered? And to what extent? The whole notion of dancing with a mysterious partner was pagan and improper, of course, but after the Star Advent, I felt a flush spread over me as I thought about him pulling me against him in some dark, wild place.

We entered the hall amidst much fanfare, and I was impressed to see it had been decorated to levels rivaling our initial gala. Flowers, of course, were the main décor, though not all of them were real. Some had been crafted of silk and jewels, hanging in elaborate wreaths and garlands that sparkled in the candlelight. The attendees consisted of more than just potential suitors, the occasion drawing out the finest citizens of both Cape Triumph and Denham at large. I felt certain my companions and I were the grandest in the room, simply because of our greater access to luxury fabrics, but all of the masked guests were fascinating to behold.

Cedric arrived right as things started and, rather than send me off to a scheduled partner, he swept me into the first waltz himself. “Your father won't like this,” I teased.

“Oh, don't worry, he'll soon have a lot more to be upset about,” Cedric told me. “Besides, from a distance, he might not even know it's me with the mask. It'd require him paying attention to something besides himself.”

I recognized the tone, the lightness. It was my cue to throw a quip back. But instead, I found myself saying, “I'd know you anywhere, even with your face covered. It's in the way you move and smell. The way you feel . . .”

His hand tightened around my waist, bringing me fractionally closer. “You're not making this easy. Especially since I'm here to tell you that Nicholas Adelton has agreed to marry you tomorrow.”

“I'd hope there isn't
any
way to say that that's easy.”

“No, there isn't.”

We fell into silence and let the music and the hum of conversation surround us, our eyes locked on each other as we glided through the room. I had the overwhelming urge to rest my head against him, but that wouldn't really help maintain our disinterested cover. Also, that wasn't an appropriate action in a waltz.

As the song wrapped up, Cedric lifted his eyes from my face. He'd been contemplative while watching me, but now his brow furrowed. “The governor-to-be has just spotted you. Let me get you over to Adelton for the next song. He's on board with everything but wanted to ask you something first.”

Puzzled, I let Cedric lead me to Nicholas, just in time for the next song. Cedric was all politeness as he spoke to the attorney but cast me a lingering look as he walked away.

“I'm sorry I've been out of touch,” Nicholas told me as we moved into the new dance. His half-mask was a simple one of blue fabric. “My client is a cousin's friend, and he'd been greatly wronged in a trade matter. I couldn't abandon him.”

“I think it's admirable,” I said truthfully.

“I can't fight all the injustice in the world, but I try to do what little I can. But enough business.” He smiled down at me. “Mister Thorn has
explained to me there's, ah, some urgency in what we have planned and that we'd have to manage a few tricks to make a wedding happen in time. We should be able to pull it off, but first I need to know . . .” His expression turned uncertain. “Are you sure you're willing? I don't want you rushed into this. I don't want you doing something you're not absolutely sure about. You should choose who you want.”

I felt a pang in my heart, not only because of his consideration but also because of the truth it skirted around. Who did I want to choose? Cedric, of course. But he couldn't afford even the stake that would keep him alive, let alone my price. Anything else would be a breach of contract and create a great deal of scandal.