Okay, I had to be polite, have a short conversation, not say anything stupid and then get the fuck out of there.
God, I hoped this song didn’t last very long so my eager dance partner would show up and quick.
“Are you enjoying the Gales?” I asked and watched her lip slightly curl up as her eyes moved from my chest to my face.
“I spend as much time as possible in Fleuridia,” she informed me, “where they understand the exacting standards of elegance and panache so…” she hesitated then concluded scornfully, “no.”
I decided not to reply mostly because she was being rude and I was a princess so I didn’t think returning her rudeness, which was what I wanted to do, would be appropriate.
“However, seeing as my dear cousin Frey has bound himself to our lovely princess, I couldn’t stay away.” She leaned slightly into me and informed me, “Rumors of your beauty run wide, Princess Sjofn, even down in Fleuridia they speak of it.”
“That’s nice,” I muttered, leaning slightly back to make a point, she caught it and moved away.
“Though, her interest in swordplay and the hunt and penchant for wearing breeches is also spoken of quite widely.” Her eyes swept me slowly before she concluded, “I see Frey put an end to that.”
“Not exactly,” I looked away, “although I will say he’s introduced me to more enjoyable pastimes.”
I looked back at her when she laughed with obvious delight, the sound beautiful, even enthralling, and strangely terrifying.
Then she murmured, looking under her lashes at me, “She enjoys connubial bliss.”
I studied her and knew without any doubt she was playing with me.
And that was when I decided that being a princess sometimes could be set aside. Especially with people I knew my husband did not care for (in the slightest) and I doubted my parents did either.
So I stated, “Actually, what she enjoys is keeping private matters private.”
“You brought it up,” she informed me smoothly.
“Actually, no, you read into what I said,” I returned.
“Was my reading wrong?” she asked.
No, it wasn’t. What she was wrong about was continuing to talk about it when I asked her not to do so. And after what Valeria and Eirik had treated Frey and I to I’d suddenly had enough of the Drakkars.
So I turned to her and said, “If you’re curious about your cousin, which would be repulsive but…” I hesitated, “to each their own, then yes, I greatly enjoy connubial bliss, frequently and vigorously.”
I knew my mistake at falling to her level when she smiled with sheer pleasure.
Damn, I’d given her exactly what she wanted.
Then she turned her head, her eyes moving as if she was looking for something, she found it and tipped up her chin.
“Champagne,” she muttered, her eyes still aimed elsewhere, I looked where they were aimed and my stomach clutched when I saw Viola nodding her head then moving swiftly toward us with a tray holding two champagne glasses. “We’ll toast your marriage,” Franka suggested.
I did not want to toast my marriage with Franka Drakkar and I did not want to be confronted with Viola, who had not, since that first night, attended our table. What she did, I didn’t know. I didn’t let her go because it wasn’t her fault Frey had enjoyed her. Unlike me (in both worlds), she had to earn a living. But I did have a quiet word with Jocelyn, who had one with the housekeeper, and I saw Viola no more.
Until now.
I tried not to look at her as she approached then I couldn’t tear my eyes away for she was aiming a look of pure venom at me, hatred clear and openly read in her eyes.
That was when I decided, perhaps upon my return, I would have a word myself with the housekeeper to see about Viola moving on to other employment or perhaps being reassigned to do the laundry.
She bobbed a curtsy and held up the tray.
I wanted champagne and that was the only reason I took a glass after Franka took hers and without a backward glance, Viola expertly and swiftly melted into the crowd.
“To marriage,” Franka lifted her glass and, eyes on me over the rim, she took a sip.
I wanted a sip, actually, I wanted to down the whole glass but instead I studied her and didn’t take one.
Then I asked straight out, “Tell me, Franka, are you genuinely pleased your cousin has found someone who makes him happy or are you just having some fun?”
She tipped her head to the side and asked back, “Has my handsome cousin found someone who makes him happy?”
Actually, it hit me right then, he had. And he made no bones about it.
And that someone was me.
And at that thought, that quicksand slurped up another foot.
“Yes,” I whispered. “We’re both very happy,” I told her honestly and slurp! up another foot I went.
Franka didn’t speak. She inspected my face and she did it closely.
Then she whispered back, “Gods, you don’t jest.”
“And why would I jest?” I returned.
She took another sip of champagne. Then she moved slightly closer and I stiffened but held my ground.
Then she spoke, “I am not of that bent, my princess, although I must admit I’ve dabbled and, since I’ve dabbled, and enjoyed it when I did, you must know there are those of that bent who feel quite certain you are too. And, I must say, my curiosity for coming here was to gaze upon your beauty and, perhaps, see about, as you put it, having some fun.”
I stared at her a second before it hit me.
Hells bells, she thought I was a lesbian.
Shit.
“Of course,” she said quietly, her eyes warming, her face showing hunger, “if Frey is dipping into that honey, I know him enough to know he’ll not share so, alas, although you are everything they say you are, I will stand down.”
Seriously, the Drakkars. I had never, in all my travels, met anyone like them. Not even close. No wonder Frey got the hell out of there as soon as he could.
“That would please me,” I told her firmly then stressed, “tremendously. But I will say that it is unfortunate for those who are of that bent, as you put it, that you cast your lures as you do. I don’t wish to be offensive but you must know, it’s inelegant and lacks panache.”
She blinked at me, her chin jerking back as my hit scored and I heard the orchestra stop playing as out of the corner of my eye, as promised, I saw my eager dance partner approaching.
I turned to a table beside me and set my glass next to another resting there and turned back to Franka.
“A unique pleasure,” I muttered to her acidly, using Frey’s words as I tipped my chin then turned my head and smiled at my partner who already had his hand extended to me.
I took it and also took another cue from Frey and didn’t look back.
And then, luckily, that unpleasant meeting was forced from my brain since I had to concentrate on the dance, which was one of the more complicated ones.
And since I was concentrating, it wasn’t until after a woman bumped into me and my partner clutched my hand, stopped dancing and pulled me close that I quit concentrating. I looked up at him to see his face pale, eyes wide and he was looking toward the corner I had not long ago fled.
I turned that way and as I did I saw all the people on the dance floor had their eyes riveted that way too. I also heard the coughing, which was uncontrollable, and as my eyes moved to the corner where I’d been standing not three minutes ago, I saw an elderly woman in a deep purple gown start retching violently.
But there was blood already dribbling from her lip.
She had one hand to her throat, her eyes were wide with terror and her other hand held a champagne glass, the contents of which sloshed out as she coughed so deeply, it hurt to hear.
There was a low murmur running through the crowd as she struggled and a man in a deep purple shirt had
