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)
“Ooh, isn’t that the young master of the Alansia household coming to visit you?” Annie asked, clasping her hands together at her chest as she beamed at me. “Oh, my lady! You have quite the collection of suitors!”
Aw.
It was nice that someone was excited about the harem I seemed to be accidentally building.
If only I felt the same.
“Let’s calm ourselves down, Annie,” I said, flapping my hand at her. “Can you fetch me my stationery from my room so I can reply to His Highness?”
“Of course, my lady.” She zoomed out of the room as if I’d told her to get a tape measure to fit me for my wedding dress.
Bella watched her go, shaking her head. “She’s quite excitable, my lady. Are you sure you can trust her?”
“I wasn’t sure at first,” I admitted. “But the fact that she reached out to you instead of Mother or Sophia’s maids told me a lot. She could have easily tattled on me, but she chose to keep her actions a secret, even at a risk to herself.”
“That’s true. She seems like a sweet girl.”
“She does.” I smiled. “She’s eager to please and a hard worker. That’s why I wanted to protect her.”
“My lady! I have it here!” Annie burst back into the room with my stationery box.
“Goodness, Annie, did you fly there?” I asked, taking it from her and walking over to the bureau. It doubled as a desk, and I set up my writing station. “You may take your break now. Bella will handle this letter for me and go when you come back.”
She bowed her head before disappearing, and I set about writing my reply.
To Your Highness, the Crown Prince,
I was most surprised to receive a letter from Your Highness this morning, and I thank you for your kind get well wishes. I am feeling much better after resting.
I would also like to express my most sincere apologies for not being able to dance with you at the ball, as I was looking forward to doing so. Perhaps we will have a chance at a future event to make up for it. It is regrettable that I was not able to apologise or explain to you in person at the time. I also hope that your mother, our most glorious Empress Eudocia, was not slighted by my actions, as I was grateful for her personal introduction.
Unfortunately, it is with regret that I must decline your invitation for tea this coming Friday as I have a prior engagement I cannot cancel. I thank you for thinking of me.
I pray that Your Highness is in good health.
Sincerely,
Lady Alicia Vermillion
I gave the ink a moment to dry before folding the letter and slipping it into the envelope. Bella, who’d been heating the wax while I wrote, dripped just enough on the back of the envelope, and I stamped it into place with the Vermillion seal.
I felt so fancy every time I did that.
Once it had cooled, I signed the back and wrote the address on the front, then handed it off to her.
“Please ask Caldwell to have this delivered as a matter of priority,” I told her. “It wouldn’t look good upon our household if this was delayed in any way.”
She nodded, putting it address-side down on the same silver tray she’d carried the prince’s letter in on. “As you wish, my lady. I will be back in a moment.”
“Thank you.” I sat back in the chair and peered over my shoulder until she disappeared.
I’d deliberately not asked Crown Prince Torin to set another time for us to have tea. While I had no qualms about changing the original story that had been set out in the book, that only applied to myself and my life.
He was the hero; the all-powerful, perfect male lead.
I had no desire to interfere in his happily ever after with the heroine, Lillia de Armand. She was more than welcome to live out her love triangle dreams to become the Crown Princess and eventually, the Empress, but she could do so on her own time. I had no intention of getting involved with it.
I merely wished to survive.
I turned my head to look out of the window at the gardens that were blooming with tulips.
With any luck, the Crown Prince would now turn his attention elsewhere.
Chapter Ten
Fate, A Heartless Bitch
“Lord Ezra Alansia for you, my lady.” Caldwell bowed as he stood in the doorway to the sitting room.
So, he’d kept his promise.
I flicked my gaze from Caldwell to the impeccably dressed Ezra. He’d clearly come dressed to impress today, just as I’d suspected he would. His crisp white shirt, navy cravat, and matching navy waistcoat were framed by a black coat slung over his shoulders. The gold detailing on the waistcoat and his outercoat was as exquisite as I’d expect from the House Alansia, and I could barely believe this man was both heir to the most powerful dukedom in the empire and a black-market mage.