I force a smile. “Our families have been close since we were children. It was my duty to escort the princess around court during her visit.”
“Oh,” Lady Erika muses. “Funny. That’s not at all what everyone is saying.”
“Perhaps you shouldn’t put so much stock in what people say.”
She flutters her lashes and gives a coy smile. “Don’t get me wrong, Your Highness, the prospect of your availability greatly pleases me.” She leans forward a bit more, squeezing her breasts together, and I want to roll my eyes at her desperation.
“I am here to court Lady Raelyn, or didn’t your stepmother tell you?”
A flash of surprise lights up Lady Erika’s eyes. She didn’t know. Interesting.
She laughs airily. “We’ll see. Raelyn isn’t really the marrying type.”
I frown before taking a sip of my tea. Raelyn’s family is quite possibly worse than mine.
Before I can respond, there is a rustling at the door.There she is.My heart skips in my chest at the sight of her. Her hair is haphazardly piled atop her head, and if I’m not mistaken, there is a smudge of dirt on her collarbone. I greedily take her in. So unlike the women of court, so unlike her sisters. There is something about her that takes my breath away, but . . . she looks sad. The urge to take care of her is strong and surprising.What in the hells is wrong with me?
I quickly stand. “Lady Raelyn, thank you so much for taking the time to see me.”
She bobs her head but doesn’t move any closer.
I close the gap between us, reaching a hand out. Hesitantly, she lets me take hers, and I press a kiss onto the back of it, noting the dry roughness of her skin, probably from all the ridiculous chores.
“I apologize for not coming sooner,” I say quietly.
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Raelyn replies, and I lead her over to the settee.
Lady Erika looks appalled when I seat myself next to Raelyn, but she tries to hide it as she sips from her cup.
“Thank you so much for keeping me company, Lady Erika, but there are some things I would like to discuss with your sister.”
The dismissal is clear, and she sets her teacup onto the table with a clatter. “I’m sure we will see each other again soon enough,” she replies before sweeping out of the room.
“You may go too,” I say to the maid. “Thank you for the tea.”
She looks to Raelyn for confirmation, and Raelyn nods, albeit a little nervously.
Once the maid leaves, Raelyn asks, “Is it even proper for us to be in here without a chaperone?”
“You didn’t seem so worried about that when we were alone in the garden,” I quip.
“That’s completely different,” she retorts.
Ah, there it is. The spunk I like.
I point toward the doorway. “It’s open, and was the butler not stationed outside when you came in?”
She looks out of sorts. “True. But he can’t see us. You could be doing something inappropriate in here.”
I grin and lean in closer, breathing in her intoxicating scent of citrus and vanilla. “Would you like me to be doing something inappropriate, Raelyn?”
Her skin turns a delicious shade of pink, and without meaning to, I find myself grazing her neck with my nose before I pull back.
Raelyn looks scandalized, but I love the flush in her cheeks and how her sadness has dissipated just a little. I decide right then and there I’m going to enjoy finding ways to make her blush.
“Your Highness,” she says breathily.
“Kian.”
