The Debutante (Season Series #2)

Chapter 49: No Longer A Debutante

The afternoon passed us by like a whirlwind. Once the ceremony had ended, Andrew and I were escorted to the cathedral by a retinue of several dozen of the royal guard, fully bedecked in their dress uniforms. The city glittered with frost, the winter sun doing little to warm the chilly air. Thankfully, the queen had provided me with a white fur stole before we departed, though I probably would have been just fine without it, warmed from within by the happy little glow that had ignited in my chest.

The bishop had been awaiting our arrival, the rest of the cathedral empty save for him. When I hesitated at the door, feeling completely unworthy of the opulence surrounding me, Andrew gave my fingers a squeeze.

"Don't run away on me now," he said, his eyes twinkling as he looked down at me. I couldn't help but smile in return, relishing the feel of his hand in mine as our steps echoed down the aisle. The afternoon sun had filled the cathedral with colour as it shone down through the stained glass windows, the polished wooden pews dappled in reds and blues and golds. A faint hint of incense warmed the air, prickling my nose. At the altar, the bishop waited patiently, a kindly looking older man I would have mistaken for a bookseller or shopkeeper had it not been for his vestments. Behind him, the ornate golden altar glittered and I wondered whether I would make this very same walk sometime soon, wearing a very different dress.

The bishop led us through a short, intimate ceremony to make our engagement official. When we both stood after receiving his blessing, I felt a pang as I glanced down at my bare ring finger. I didn't dare ask if Andrew had found his mother's ring, worried that I'd have to explain myself to him. I hadn't had the courage to give it back to him last night, not when I knew he would have forced me to keep it as a reminder of what was never to be. But now that he had chosen me, now that we were engaged and protected by the bishop's blessing, I felt like a fool for leaving it behind.

Our return to the palace was slower, this time hindered by well-wishers tossing garlands of dried winter flowers our way. Andrew smiled and laughed, wrapping one arm around me and using the other to wave. I reached over to throw open the carriage windows, the cold air biting at our faces, but the cheers of Highcastle warming our hearts.

Once we'd returned to the palace, I was swept up in a wave of preparation for that evening's ball. Andrew had left me in my suite, but not before we'd shared more than a few clandestine kisses in the empty hallway. Princess Anne had been the one to interrupt us, having wandered down from the queen's solar where the rest of the debutantes were spending the afternoon attempting not to mope.

"I can leave!" she squeaked as she came upon us. Andrew laughed against my lips, squeezing my waist before he let me go.

"You'll have to get used to us kissing, Annie," he said, brushing a piece of the hair he'd mussed from my face, "Because Libby is going to be my wife."

I could've burst with happiness, drinking up the way he was looking at me, the way he was holding me as if I was the most precious thing in the entire world.

"Then perhaps she can curtail such public displays of affection," Anne said, making a face as we disentangled ourselves.

"Not a chance," I said, reluctant to let Andrew go. Anne clucked her tongue, earning laughs from both Andrew and I before she hustled me into my suite. Much to my surprise, I found that I didn't mind that the room had been overtaken by a plethora of new servants, sent to help Brenna and Elspeth with my preparations. Instead, all I could think about was the fact that this palace was about to become my new, permanent home and instead of dread, a feeling of peace and contentment had settled over me.

"I'll see you tonight?" I asked Andrew, catching the door before Brenna could close it and get to work on primping me even further for the ball.

"You'll see plenty of me tonight," Andrew said, leaning in for a quick last kiss, "As I have every intention of dancing with you and no one else."