Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
He eyed me. “She gave you a dress?”
“I tried to tell her no, but she insisted. She wouldn’t accept any money, either. She told me to take it as a token of our friendship.”
“She’s engaged to the future head of the Magic Tower, correct?”
“Lord Ivan? Yes. She said they were getting married this autumn.”
He bobbed his head. “She’s an excellent friend for you to have. Did you bring the dress with you?”
“No. One of her maids is a talented seamstress, so she measured me for it. She’s making the necessary alterations, and it should be delivered late tomorrow afternoon.”
“Very well. I will make sure I’m home to receive the delivery myself. I’ll keep it safe until the ball.” He pressed the button on his desk that went directly to Caldwell. “I’ll also instruct that all your letters go to Caldwell, so Bella should retrieve them from him in the future.”
“Thank you.” I paused. “May I ask you for a favour?”
“You may ask.”
“Annie, the maid who retrieved my invitations. Is she a personal maid for anyone?”
“That’s unlikely if she stepped in for Bella.” He met my eyes. “Why?”
“I’m worried Mother may punish her when she was only following my orders. Since I only have Bella, would it be all right if Annie was immediately instated as my second personal maid?”
Father held my gaze for a moment, and he almost looked as if he wanted to say something important, but there was a knock at the door before he could do so. “Enter.”
Caldwell stepped inside. “You called, my lord.”
“Yes.” Father stood up. “Caldwell, it appears there are things happening within my household that I’m not aware of, and I’m quite ashamed of that.” He removed his glasses again. “From now on, you are to handle all of Alicia’s letters directly and only give them to Bella or Alicia.”
He bowed his head. “As you wish, my lord.”
“Also, Annie—that maid that Bella mentioned. Do you know her?”
Caldwell looked at me.
“Ginger hair, lots of freckles.” I motioned to the bridge of my nose. “A bit like a puppy.”
“Ah, yes. She’s a young girl, relatively new to the house, I believe. Has she done something wrong?”
“No. Alicia wishes to have her as her second personal maid, and I have consented. Please inform everyone necessary, including the marchioness, that Annie is now under Alicia’s command with immediate effect. She is to be treated as Bella is.”
Caldwell’s lips twitched. “Of course, my lord. Shall I send her directly to your room, Lady Alicia?”
“Yes, please. She can begin training under Bella immediately.” I turned to my father. “Thank you, Father.”
He inclined his head. “You may both be excused.”
Caldwell held the door for me, and when it closed behind us, he leant in closer to me and muttered, “Well played, my lady.”
I grinned. “Thank you.”
Chapter Seven
If Evil, Why Hot?
As expected, I didn’t hear a word from Ezra.
I had a feeling he would seek me out at the ball, mostly because he was the kind of man who did things on his terms. Except this time, I was forcing him to do things the way I wanted, so he would control it the only way he could.
By making me wait until the last minute.
I knew he’d be at the ball. Imperial invitations were hard to ignore as a noble, and one had to have a very good reason to miss something as major as all the spring festivities.
I had no desire to spend any more time than necessary at the palace tonight. I really did only intend to stay for an hour or so before going home. Aside from how exhausting the whole thing would be for me, there was another reason.
This was the ball where, in the original story, Alicia and Kalon first met.
It was imperative to my plan that this event did not come to pass tonight.
Perhaps I would hide behind Vivi all night. She was fierce enough to scare off anyone I didn’t want near me, although I wasn’t quite sure how she’d feel about me thinking of her as my own personal guard dog.
Hmm.
Maybe spending the night flirting with one of her brothers would be another good plan. After all, I was looking for a husband, and any of the young Trelawney lords would be more than acceptable as far as my father was concerned.
Only the eldest was older than me, though.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about a younger man.
Hmm.
Ugh. I was too tired to play politics.
“If you cannot get along tonight, stay away from one another,” Father warned, looking at us all as he offered my stepmother his arm. “Vincent, Michael, you are to keep an eye on your sisters.”
“Yes, Father,” Vincent said, holding his hand out for me.
I rested my hand on top of his. “Don’t worry. I won’t cause any trouble.”
“I wasn’t necessarily talking about you.” Father’s gaze flickered over my shoulder to Sophia.