today.
“When you said John had come around, I knew I’d need a little something like this soon enough. I prepared it last night.”
“You?” She tried to envision a frog digging a pit. “But…how?”
“You’re not the only servant who feels the need to supplement her wages. I hired a couple of stout fellows to dig some holes and a hunter to weave lattices of twigs to provide covers for them. My plan was to lure John into one while Serenia was present, so that she could see that even a tiny misstep would bring out his temper. But this is a far better use!”
She ran her fingers down his cheek. No one had ever come to her rescue, especially at such a great risk. Robert could have remained hidden; she hadn’t known he was close by, and even if she had, she wouldn’t have expected him to do a thing to help her.
Chivalrous and smart. Royals weren’t supposed to be that way. She swallowed as tender emotions she’d never thought she’d feel for a man surged inside her like a powerful arching wave.
“Here wench, come help me up,” Prince John moaned.
“No,” Molly said. Her own boldness startled her. She’d never spoken like this to one of Princess Serenia’s guests no matter how obnoxious they were.
“I shall tell Princess Serenia everything!” he declared.
What a weasel. “By all means. And I shall tell her you fell into a hole full of manure while trying—and failing—to dispatch a single defenseless frog.”
Robert chuckled. “That should bring you up a notch or two in her esteem.”
Prince John glared at her, but that was all he could do. For the moment. Molly knew he’d eventually find a way to get back at her, no matter how petty his revenge might be. Men like him always did.
“You get my men to help me up, then you keep your mouth shut,” he said finally.
“Why should I?”
“Because if you do, I’ll keep this little incident a secret. Your disgusting dalliance with my cousin can continue.”
“It’s not a dalliance,” Robert said. “But then you wouldn’t understand even if I explained it to you.”
“Shut up, Robert. Next time, you won’t be able to trick me.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Molly rose to her feet. “I shall send you your men. And if you keep silent about this, I will too.” She turned to Robert. “Thank you again.”
He inclined his head. “It was my pleasure, Molly.”
* * *
When Princess Serenia dismissed her for the royal afternoon nap, Molly hurried back to her room as quickly as she could, all the while looking back over her shoulder.
Thankfully she didn’t notice anybody. Still, there was a sense of unease. Given the kind of person Prince John was, it would be odd if he didn’t retaliate somehow.
Soon after she slipped into her room, Robert hopped onto the ledge of her window. “How did things go with John and Serenia?”
“They went out for another walk, then he gave her—”
“No, I mean did he betray you? Did she punish you?”
She blinked. “Oh. No.” Had he been worried about her? Her face flushed. It was nice to have somebody concerned for her safety, ask after her. It’d been a while since anybody had—her mother was in no condition to care for anyone—and the weight on her shoulders seemed to lessen a bit. She gave Robert a reassuring smile, tinged with genuine affection. “Don’t you want to know about what Prince John did with Princess Serenia?”
“Not just now.”
Molly sat down and cut herself a chunk of cheese. She’d forgotten to take a loaf from the kitchen after the excitement in the garden. “Why not?”
“What John does isn’t that important any longer. If Princess Serenia is unable to see the truth of the matter…”
“We can make her see.”
He shook his head, lines of worry wrinkling the wide bit of skin between his eyes. “I’m not sure we can.”
Molly studied his true form. What a shame a man as gorgeous as Robert was cursed. Prince John was handsome, it was true, but there was
“When you said John had come around, I knew I’d need a little something like this soon enough. I prepared it last night.”
“You?” She tried to envision a frog digging a pit. “But…how?”
“You’re not the only servant who feels the need to supplement her wages. I hired a couple of stout fellows to dig some holes and a hunter to weave lattices of twigs to provide covers for them. My plan was to lure John into one while Serenia was present, so that she could see that even a tiny misstep would bring out his temper. But this is a far better use!”
She ran her fingers down his cheek. No one had ever come to her rescue, especially at such a great risk. Robert could have remained hidden; she hadn’t known he was close by, and even if she had, she wouldn’t have expected him to do a thing to help her.
Chivalrous and smart. Royals weren’t supposed to be that way. She swallowed as tender emotions she’d never thought she’d feel for a man surged inside her like a powerful arching wave.
“Here wench, come help me up,” Prince John moaned.
“No,” Molly said. Her own boldness startled her. She’d never spoken like this to one of Princess Serenia’s guests no matter how obnoxious they were.
“I shall tell Princess Serenia everything!” he declared.
What a weasel. “By all means. And I shall tell her you fell into a hole full of manure while trying—and failing—to dispatch a single defenseless frog.”
Robert chuckled. “That should bring you up a notch or two in her esteem.”
Prince John glared at her, but that was all he could do. For the moment. Molly knew he’d eventually find a way to get back at her, no matter how petty his revenge might be. Men like him always did.
“You get my men to help me up, then you keep your mouth shut,” he said finally.
“Why should I?”
“Because if you do, I’ll keep this little incident a secret. Your disgusting dalliance with my cousin can continue.”
“It’s not a dalliance,” Robert said. “But then you wouldn’t understand even if I explained it to you.”
“Shut up, Robert. Next time, you won’t be able to trick me.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Molly rose to her feet. “I shall send you your men. And if you keep silent about this, I will too.” She turned to Robert. “Thank you again.”
He inclined his head. “It was my pleasure, Molly.”
* * *
When Princess Serenia dismissed her for the royal afternoon nap, Molly hurried back to her room as quickly as she could, all the while looking back over her shoulder.
Thankfully she didn’t notice anybody. Still, there was a sense of unease. Given the kind of person Prince John was, it would be odd if he didn’t retaliate somehow.
Soon after she slipped into her room, Robert hopped onto the ledge of her window. “How did things go with John and Serenia?”
“They went out for another walk, then he gave her—”
“No, I mean did he betray you? Did she punish you?”
She blinked. “Oh. No.” Had he been worried about her? Her face flushed. It was nice to have somebody concerned for her safety, ask after her. It’d been a while since anybody had—her mother was in no condition to care for anyone—and the weight on her shoulders seemed to lessen a bit. She gave Robert a reassuring smile, tinged with genuine affection. “Don’t you want to know about what Prince John did with Princess Serenia?”
“Not just now.”
Molly sat down and cut herself a chunk of cheese. She’d forgotten to take a loaf from the kitchen after the excitement in the garden. “Why not?”
“What John does isn’t that important any longer. If Princess Serenia is unable to see the truth of the matter…”
“We can make her see.”
He shook his head, lines of worry wrinkling the wide bit of skin between his eyes. “I’m not sure we can.”
Molly studied his true form. What a shame a man as gorgeous as Robert was cursed. Prince John was handsome, it was true, but there was
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