The Debutante (Season Series #2)

Chapter 13: A Very Crowded Carriage

Since Brenna was a master at timing, I was sitting quietly twiddling my thumbs when Thomas knocked on my door that evening.

"My, don't you look stunning," he said, taking my gloved hand to kiss it in greeting when Elspeth had opened the door for him.

"As do you," I said, meaning every word. He was dressed in a sharply tailored dark suit, his emerald cravat emphasizing the green in his blue eyes.

"Our carriage awaits," he said, his eyes glittering as he tucked my hand into the crook of his arm. When I attempted to hurry past the other debutante suites, Thomas slowed my pace.

"Why the hurry?" he asked, pausing to adjust his jacket when we were just outside cousin Annabelle's suite.

"I'd rather not gloat that I'm being escorted by a prince," I said, cursing my luck as Ashley Mayfair's door opened just down the hallway. She and her three ladies in waiting emerged in a flurry of giggles, Ashley stopping short upon noticing me and Thomas.

"Good evening, ladies," Thomas said, right as Ashley turned on her heel to pretend she hadn't noticed us. At Thomas' words, Ashley faced us, her face contorting into a forced smile as she curtseyed.

"Good evening, your Highness," she said, studiously avoiding my gaze. Thomas remained immobile next to me, that rakish grin on his face as he waited for Ashley to rise and continue towards the entrance hall ahead of us.

"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy being curtseyed to by the likes of her?" he leaned down to whisper when we resumed walking. I pursed my lips, unwilling to admit how thoroughly I'd enjoyed watching Lady Mayfair get taken off her high horse. Thomas laughed.

"Oh don't start tonight off in such a sour mood," he said as we descended into the entrance hall among the milling debutantes, "My next victim will be the impeccable Adelaide Winters."

"Must you cause trouble wherever you go?" I asked, feeling the eyes of the room on us as Thomas led me out the front door towards the carriage blocks.

"Always," he grinned, "But especially so when I have such a lovely accomplice."

He paused near the first carriage in the line, which was by far the most opulent. A footman held the door open and as I peered inside, I noted that it was very much empty.

"I'm not climbing in there alone with you," I blurted out as Thomas rested a hand on my back.

"So mistrustful," he chuckled, "Are you afraid I'd ravish you in the few minutes we'd be waiting for brother dearest?"

"I need some air is all," I said, pulling away from him so I could fill my lungs with the crisp evening air as opposed to the hint of his cologne.

Something felt wrong about this evening. Whether it was that I would be forced to watch as Andrew escorted Adelaide and enjoyed the opera with her at his side or that I'd be doing the very same thing with the younger prince, I had no idea. My stomach was turning in knots as I looked over to the other debutantes, climbing into carriages in groups or paired up with inductees.

Georgina waved at me as she emerged, hurrying down the steps towards where Emmeline and William Weatherington were waiting. Across the way, Xavier was chatting with cousin Annabelle, helping her into a carriage of their own. I made a face, remembering that I hadn't had a moment to speak with him since my conversation with Georgina earlier that afternoon.

"Well don't you two make a lovely couple," Thomas' jovial voice cut into my thoughts and I whirled around to see Andrew and Adelaide descending the stairs towards us.

Thomas hadn't been lying and my stomach turned anew at how picture perfect they appeared together. Adelaide had swept her pale blonde hair up into a cascade of amethyst-encrusted curls, her lavender ermine-lined cloak hanging elegantly around her slender shoulders. She looked regal and perfect next to Andrew, who was wearing a dark suit and red cravat. Like his brother's, it was expertly cut and tailored to hug his broad shoulders. I couldn't help but grind my teeth at the fact that Adelaide and I were both in shades of purple.