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9
27 February
Xavier Hall
Juliana was restless. She was certain she’d been trapped between a Regency romance and a reality TV show, equipped with its one bachelor, beautiful but cutthroat debutantes, and a really bad script. A sophisticated house party, planned activities, seating arrangements at meals. All Juliana needed was a lady’s maid and a chaperon, and the narrative would be complete. The name-dropping and title one-upping had exhausted her, and the charade she had agreed to participate in weighed heavily.
Down the road from Xavier Hall was the playground of the rich and famous, and Juliana needed to play. She surveyed her options for companionship. Lacy, with her mousy brown hair and bright blue eyes, was more librarian than party girl. Her wholesomeness seemed a bit too much for Juliana’s liking. She understood goodness, but she couldn’t imagine this French aristocrat was the Puritan she portrayed. Tatiana was holding court on the settee in front of the terrace doors that led out to the garden maze. The view was spectacular, and Juliana didn’t trust anyone who could ignore the splendor around them. At first, Juliana was convinced Bela, the Spanish noble, was merely a sycophant, but she’d witnessed Bela’s scathing wit and thought maybe she was merely a wolf in sheep’s clothing. She was a definite possibility. Then, Ameena Villanueva entered the room. She’d been delayed by a prior engagement—skiing in the Alps—and just arrived this morning. When she walked in, Juliana knew she’d found her companion.
Dressed in black leggings, brown thigh-high boots, a cream sweater, and a long Burberry scarf, she swept into the room. Jules casually lifted her cup of drab tea to her mouth and observed. As always, Sylvia issued directives to the newcomer.
Ameena held up her hand. “Please, please tell me you have cava handy.”
Juliana snickered as she watched Sylvia’s spine snap even straighter. As the woman sputtered, Juliana placed her saucer on the tray in front of her. She stood and walked toward the woman. Ameena’s long, dark hair was swept up into a low knot with a few loose tendrils around her face. Her deep brown eyes were almond-shaped, fringed in long, dark lashes. She had full lips that were heavily glossed but looked like they were that perfect light pink-shade of the fair-skinned.
Juliana approached the woman, feeling an immediate kinship. She couldn’t explain it, but she wanted to be friends with her. “I’m—” she began.
“Oh, I know who you are, Your Highness, but it’s adorable that you think I wouldn’t.” Ameena held out her hand, but as Juliana went to clasp it, the woman leaned forward, kissing both cheeks. Not exactly a formal greeting for two people who had never met, but Juliana was desperate for a friendly face, so she went with it. “I’m Ameena Villanueva. I can go into my pedigree, but I’m sure I was vetted to make sure I was worthy to be in your presence.”
Juliana laughed. “Well since you’ve been deemed acceptable, call me Jules.”
Ameena beamed. “Meena.”
“Charmed.”
Sylvia approached them with a glass of cava. It was sparkling and deep pink.
“Salud!” Meena said before she took a healthy sip. “Nice vintage,” she said to Sylvia before she bestowed an appreciative nod and a silent toast to the harassed-looking concierge.
Sylvia blushed and smiled shyly as Juliana looked on in awe. If Meena could charm the sourpuss, Juliana figured she could charm anyone.
“I’ve had your luggage taken to your room. Do you need to freshen up or perhaps take a nap? We have an afternoon full of activities. We’ve arranged for a carriage ride over the—”
Like she’d done earlier, Meena held her hand up, stopping Sylvia mid-sentence. “No, no. Thank you, dear, but I’ve had enough of the outdoors and nature for a while. Nava is famous for its casinos and its entertainment. I think the casino should be my first endeavor.”
It was like a Jedi mind trick. Everyone in the room had stopped what they were doing to watch the woman.
Sylvia nodded her head in agreement. “Yes, of course. I can arrange a car to take you into town today.”
Juliana was so excited that she wanted to jump up and down and clap her hands.
Meena looked around the room. “Ladies, would you like to join Jules and me in town?”
Jules didn’t remember agreeing, but Meena must have been able to read her excitement. She was practically bouncing with it.
Tatiana stood up from her pose on the settee, and in her heavily Russian-accented speech, she said, “Of course.”
Lacy declined as Bela accepted.
“Sylvia, we will lunch in town. We’ll have supper here, and then we would like to head to the casino tonight. Please make arrangements for us.”
Juliana expected denials and derision, but Sylvia merely acquiesced and hurried from the room, probably in a rush to draw up a new schedule. Tatiana followed in Sylvia’s wake. Meena turned to Lacy, who had remained seated in the corner, an old satchel filled with white string in her lap and a crochet needle in her hand.
“You are going to remain here for the day and continue with your craft?” Meena asked her, her tone gentle and interested.
Lacy scratched her throat. “Yes.”
Meena shrugged. “But it will be here when you get back, no?”
Like the flick of a switch, Lacy replaced her thread and needle into her bag and clipped it closed. “Should I change?” she asked.
Juliana would have said yes. But Meena waved away Lacy’s concerns and ushered everyone through the room into the atrium, where there was a driver waiting for them. If Meena had donned a smart hat and coat and picked up an umbrella while singing about spoonfuls of sugar, Juliana wouldn’t have been more surprised. Like a proper Mary Poppins for bored aristocrats. As they shuffled through the unwelcoming front door with Juliana bringing up the rear, she couldn’t contain herself.
She looked at Meena and said, “I want to be like you when I grow up.”
