Page 121 of Charmless

I started to shrug but stopped myself in time. “King August was quite old and very ill.” I refrained from adding that poison was never good for one’s constitution at any age.

“But there is worse news, my dear. Florian, our most beloved prince—” Em paused and then blurted out, “He is also dead.”

I did my best to appear suitably shocked. I must have succeeded too well for Em descended upon me, ready to wave her vinaigrette beneath my nose.

I fended her off. “Em, please, I am fine. What happened to the bast— I mean the prince?”

“Apparently, Prince Florian rode out alone this morning to confront a dragon about to attack our kingdom. He managed to slay the beast but not before being fatally wounded.” A teartrickled down Em’s cheek. Wiping it away, she sniffed. “Such a heroic and noble young man.”

I rolled my eyes at yet another version of Florian’s death.

“What nonsense,” I said. “There has not been a dragon sighting in Arcady for years. If there had been, I am sure Florian would have ridden in the opposite direction as fast as his horse could go.”

“Ella!” My stepmother cried. “How can you say such a thing about your beloved, the man you were going to marry.”

“He was not my love, and I had no intention of marrying him.”

Em sat down on the edge of the bed and patted my hand. “There, there, dear. I am sure it is only your extreme grief causing you to speak so.”

I tried to protest, but Em was not listening, her romantic imagination determined to transform me into a tragic heroine. I heaved a deep sigh causing Em to envelop me in a suffocating hug.

She only desisted when I gasped, “Em! You’re suffocating me.”

She drew back, looking mournful. “Of course, this tragedy will oblige me and Chuffy to postpone our wedding. It would be so insensitive of us to go ahead while you are suffering from a broken heart.”

“No!” I cried. The sooner I had my family consigned to Lord Redmond’s care the better.

When Em regarded me with surprise, I said in a milder tone, “You must marry as soon as possible. Such a joyous occasion will brighten all our spirits.”

“Oh, my brave unselfish girl.” Em patted my cheek. I tried not to cringe because my motives were far from being unselfish. Yes, I was delighted that Em would find such happiness, butwith my family comfortably settled in the Heights, I would be free to pursue my own future.

Rising from the bed, Em continued, “I know you must be feeling that your life is over, but there will be many things for you to anticipate with pleasure. We will have a new king, which means a royal coronation and all the eligible lords in the kingdom shall be in attendance. I am sure you will find a new love.”

I had already found my love, and I needed to see Horatio as soon as possible. But Em had never been enthusiastic about a suitor who was rumored to be a founding and a mere Scutcheon commander. She would be even less so with our fortunes about to change after she married the wealthy Lord Stanhope.

Flinging the covers aside, I prepared to bound out of bed when Em protested, “Ella, what are you doing?”

“Getting up to fix everyone breakfast and then I thought I would?—”

“No, no, dear. Not in your delicate, distraught state. I am sure you have no appetite.”

No appetite? I realized I was starving, hungry enough to eat a pound of porridge and a dozen eggs.

But Em insisted, “You just get back into bed and rest. Of course, you must try to eat so I shall send Netta up to bring you a cup of weak tea and a piece of toast.”

“Em!”

Ignoring my protests, my stepmother thrust me back down on the bed. “I must go down and urge your sisters to get dressed. If we don’t hurry into town, we shall not find a scrap of fabric left for our mourning gowns.” Em paused, frowning as she tucked me in.

“Ella, why are you wearing your nightgown backward?”

“Well, um, er?—”

“Never mind, dear.” Em nodded sagely. “We all grieve in different ways.”

Before I could even begin to make sense of this illogical statement, Em whisked herself out the bedroom door.

As soon as she was gone, I started to leap out of bed only to reconsider. It would be far easier to escape to go in search of Horatio if I waited until Em and my sisters left for town.