A Pearl Among Princes by Coleen Paratore Page A

wrestle the sleeping royals from their slumber. It is their first day of summer school.
    These privileged young princes attend the finest boarding schools. They are well versed in history, biology, mathematics, and government. They know the intricacies of commerce, the stories of the great leaders of history. They can cite with ease the start and ending days of every major war and the dates of all decisive battles. One among them can even recount the numbers of casualties of both the vanquished and the victorious. But this summer, here on Miramore, none of that knowledge will assist them. This summer they have come to learn another set of talents altogether. Here they will learn, as Lady Jule happily proclaims, what ladies find charming in a gentleman.
    Lu and Nuff hurried off to work after I served them a boring bowl of oatmeal. “You really should learn to cook,” Nuff had joked. “Why should she?” Lu countered, adding some cinnamon from the cupboard. “Princesses don’t need to make porridge.”
    We made a plan to meet later outside the classroom cottages to begin our annual spying on the royal students.
    I gather the vegetables, scoop the coal, and after, as I’m coming up over the bluff, I spot Mackree there below me on the beach.
    He is close, but his back is to me. He doesn’t realize I am here. There is a large orange and pink speckled crab, shell upturned, rosy-pincered legs scrambling frantically in the air, attempting to turn itself back over before a gull finishes it off. I hear Mackree laugh. He turns the crab over and gently carries it to the water, where it scurry-swims gratefully away.
    I smile. That’s my Mackree, always quick to help another, even an ugly old crab. Such a good heart. My Mackree. I watch as he picks up a stone and skips it smoothly out over the water. He whistles and walks off. I want so much to call to him, to run and join him on his walk like we’ve done countless times before. But I stop myself. Mackree did the brave thing of setting me free for another, it is not fair of me to toy with his heart. “You can’t expect him to still be your friend,” Lu said last night. “It is too painful for him, Gracie.”
    Lu’s right. I will not cause Mackree one more measure of pain. I take a deep breath and let it out and then another and another. I close my eyes. I hear Mother. Follow your course, Gracepearl my girl. Your inner compass will lead you and then you will choose.
    â€œChoose what, Mother? Choose what?” I stare out at the rolling waves, whooshing in and out in perfect rhythm. “Rock-a-bye baby on the treetop . . .”
    I set off in the opposite direction from Mackree.
    My feet lead me to the docks. There is Captain Jessie’s ship, sails lowered and tied securely from the wind. I wonder what his business is here? I walk toward the vessel, rub my hand against the wood, a yellowish tan color with dark knots. Pine? Looking to be sure I am alone, I gather my skirts about me and hoist myself on board.
    A smile breaks out, my heart beats faster. I’m on a ship! How hard could it be to . . . I sit down and close my eyes. Immediately I see a child. “Help me,” she calls. Then she is gone and I see others, so many others, faces young and old. “How?” I call back.
    â€œ Caw !” A gull swoops near, squawking loudly as if to wake me.
    I’m late to meet Lu and Nuff. Classes should be starting now.

    When I reach the shady knoll where the school cottages are, I see Lu and Nuff hunched beneath the window of Professor Daterly’s yellow-shuttered, flower-boxed, bright red cottage. Courtship and Special Occasions. Just then I hear voices and turn to see Sir Richard and Sir Peter walking up from the Royal Lodge, notebooks tucked embarrassedly under their armpits. It seems they’ve struck up a friendship, these two most princely of all the PITs.
    I dodge behind a tree and watch them as they