Page 22

“What a lovely surprise! Garnet is so busy, I didn’t think . . . what is your name?” she asks me.

“She hasn’t been given a lady-in-waiting name yet, miss,” Maude says. “Cora is still out.”

“Nonsense,” Coral says. “I can name her just as easily as Cora. I’ve lived around ladies-in-waiting all my life. Besides, she’s mine, isn’t she?”

I forgot how awful it feels to be spoken about as if you’re property.

A muscle in Maude’s jaw twitches. “Of course, miss.”

Coral cups my face in her hands, an uncomfortably intimate gesture given that we’ve only just met. She turns my head from side to side.

“Hmm . . . I think you’ll be . . . Imogen,” she says with a smile. “That was my grandmother’s lady-in-waiting’s name.” She turns to Maude. “What do you think?”

“An excellent choice, miss.”

“Coral, have you seen my cuff link—” Garnet enters the room and is brought up short at the sight of us.

“Maude,” he says as she sinks into another curtsy. His eyes skim over me and I can see him working out if I am who I am, given that I look so different. “Is this her?”

Fortunately, Coral helps out. “My own personal lady-in-waiting at last!” she exclaims, running over to kiss his cheek. “Darling, how thoughtful.”

Garnet shoots me the barest hint of a smile. “How do you like her, sweetling?”

“She’s perfect.”

He chuckles and turns to Maude. “See to it she has a room made up for her in the servant’s quarters.”

She curtsies again. “Of course, sir. I’ll have it done right away.”

“Excellent. That gives all of us some time to get acquainted before dinner.”

Maude hurries out of the room.

“What should we do first?” Coral says, coming over to clasp my hands in hers. “Shall you do my hair? Or maybe we can choose a dress for dinner? Or you could read to me!”

“Darling, I’m going to need a moment to speak to . . .” Garnet’s voice trails off, unsure of what exactly to call me.

“Imogen,” Coral says. “I named her myself.”

Garnet’s smile looks so sincere. “Lovely. I need to speak to Imogen for a moment in private, just to make sure she’s filled in on everything. Why don’t you go out to the garden and I’ll have her meet you there? I know how you love looking at the flowers.”

“All right,” Coral says. “Don’t keep her too long.”

“I won’t.”

Coral makes a big show of having me help her with her coat and pin a tiny hat into her curls. She pecks Garnet on the cheek and walks out, leaving the two of us blissfully alone.

Eight

AS SOON AS THE DOOR CLOSES BEHIND HIS WIFE, GARNET’S smile vanishes, replaced with a look of awe.

“Wow,” he says. “Raven told me you looked different, but . . . wow.”

“Thank you,” I say, “for helping me get here. Lucien wasn’t a huge fan of the idea.”

“I know,” Garnet says. “I think you might actually irritate him more than I do.”

“But you’re an upstanding citizen now,” I remind him. “Regimental officer and everything.”