Page 43 of A Cake of Cherries and Charm

But they would have been happy.

There was also, of course, the what-if of the life that was a little closer to what she was living now. What if the king and queen had taken a liking to her, and he had chosen her as his bride instead?

To begin with, she would have eagerly assisted in keeping the kingdom’s ledgers. Perhaps she could even have helped build schools for children in the little villages where scholars rarely ventured. She wouldn’t have let Jonathan run himself ragged with work, but instead, would have insisted he retire on certain nights so they and their children might play or go for rides through the fields.

Of course, Rosie knew she was punishing herself severely with such nonsense. But Jonathan had done it. And now so had she. She wouldn’t do it again after this. After all, it wasn’t proper to dream of another woman’s husband, and Rosie had no doubt that his wedding would soon follow this one.

But the dreams had been had. And they were hers. For one night, they had been hers.

She returned to the kitchen one last time before going to bed to make sure that the kitchen was clean. Before she left, however, she glanced once more over at the balcony where she had left the little dish of cake. And though she was certain she would need to find it and put it away, the cake was gone.

Chapter

Nineteen

Rosie couldn’t be too sad the next morning. Snow was a vision to behold by the time the sun rose. She stood in the center of her room in her new gown, its lace now trimmed with gold thread to match the fairy godmother’s enchanted flower necklace. Her golden hair flowed around her in waves, as soft and shiny as the gown she was wearing, and her blue eyes matched the sapphire earrings and bracelet the queen had gifted her for the wedding.

“Oh, love!” Rosie took her sister’s hands, her eyes brimming with tears. “You look exactly the way I always thought you would on your wedding day!”

Snow laughed, her cheeks blushing prettily. “I didn’t exactly expect to have a train longer than I am tall. Or a veil nearly as exquisite as this.” She touched the lace veil in awe.

The girls’ mother, who was already wearing her new gown, watched them both, tears streaming freely down her face as she smiled in a way Rosie hadn’t seen since their father’s death.

“Come, Lady Rose,” the seamstress called to her. “You must put on your gown as well.”

Rosie grinned at Snow, who beamed back.

“So Frederick got to taste the actual cake last night?” Snow asked as the seamstress began to adjust Rosie’s gown. “I’m jealous!”

Rosie laughed. “You’ve tasted it before!”

Snow opened her mouth for what was surely a retort, but the seamstress addressed Rosie in a strange voice.

“My Lady?”

Rosie looked up to meet the woman’s face in the mirror. “Yes?”

“The dress…” The woman pinched her lips and gave it such a tug that Rosie nearly fell over. “You’re too big.”

Rosie stared at her. “I’m… what?”

“The dress is too tight!” The woman threw up her hands and sat back on her heels. But she didn’t meet Rosie’s eyes in the mirror.

“How is that possible?” Snow demanded. “You were here just the other day! It can’t possibly be too small unless you’ve done something to it!”

Rosie stared at the mirror, horrified. She’d been the same dress size for three years, since she’d hit her final growth spurt. None of her other gowns were too small. Which could only mean–

The door slammed open, and Natalie barged in. And she was carrying a gown. “Everyone out!” she announced. “I have work to do!”

“Madame!” The seamstress got to her feet and looked down her nose at Natalie. “I am the royal dressmaker! And I am here to dress the prince’s bride–”

“Which you have apparently already done,” Natalie said, making a shooing motion at the woman. “And that’s Lady Natalie to you!”

“You are excused!” Snow added stiffly. “I thank you for your fine work on my gown. But what you’ve done to my sister’s is unacceptable. And you can rest assured that I won’t forget it!”

The woman’s cheeks turned pink. “My Lady, I can promise you that–”

“Do you really want to stake your honor on this?” Natalie glared at her. “Because I’m rather convinced I can find witnesses who say otherwise.”