It was the young maid again, who curtsied, making Carrie blush. ‘There’s no need for that,’ Carrie assured her, and now the maid was blushing, too.
‘These are your clothes, signorina.’
As Carrie reached forward to take a few garments from the girl she had to step back as footmen marched past her wheeling a collection of boxes and bags. ‘There must be some mistake,’ Carrie said with concern as she followed the footmen into her sitting room. ‘I didn’t order these…’
‘But Princess Laura insists,’ the maid told her.
Carrie guessed that when Princess Laura gave an order, no one, with the possible exception of Nico, dared to refuse her. And what could she do? The footmen were already unloading the trolley, and now the maid had disappeared into her dressing room and she could hear hangers clicking…drawers opening and closing again. ‘Are you quite sure this isn’t a mistake?’ Carrie insisted, following the young girl into the room.
‘Quite sure, signorina. The princess—’
‘I know,’ Carrie cut her off with a smile, ‘the princess insists.’
As the young girl smiled agreement Carrie looked in awe at her beautiful ball gown. It had been run up in record time, and looked even lovelier beneath the lights in her dressing room. Jewels twinkled on the bodice, and the note attached to it said…Carrie’s heart sank as she read the words written in the princess’s unique hand. She was to be Princess Laura’s special guest at the top table, which meant she would be sitting with the royal family practically next to Nico. But how could she keep up the act that he meant nothing to her when he would be seated within touching distance and Princess Anastasia would be drooling over him?
She had to, Carrie told herself firmly, and she should be grateful to Nico’s mother for giving her the opportunity to see Nico under such formal circumstances. If she acquitted herself well he might be inclined to spend more time with her after the meal.
She had nothing to feel embarrassed about, Carrie told herself, glancing at the dress again. Princess Laura had wanted her to feel comfortable at the banquet, and had ensured that the dress she wore was beautiful. The dinner was going to be a glittering affair and it was unlikely anyone would have packed something suitable for an occasion such as this one in their holiday suitcase. She could borrow the dress for one night, and then hand it back. She could have it cleaned first…she would ask the young maid, or the girl at the boutique, where to go. This wasn’t the time to be trying to find an excuse not to go to the banquet; this was the time to seize an opportunity.
Reading through Princess Laura’s note again, Carrie knew she couldn’t refuse. ‘Please do come, Carrie,’ the princess had written. ‘I must have someone decent at my side. These events can drag on so without the right company….’
Decent? The word tolled like an accusation in Carrie’s head. She was about as far from decent as…It made her wish she could tell the princess everything. Their conversations had spanned so much, but had never ventured towards the baby. They had even talked about Carrie’s ambition to become a professional artist one day, when she had almost forgotten how much she wanted that, herself.
She looked up as the maid politely excused herself, saying she would be back later to help Carrie dress. Carrie thought a walk through the grounds might help to relax her in the meantime. She had an idea forming, and was eager to look at the gardens with an artist’s eye. Her intention was to paint something special for Princess Laura to thank her for her kindness.
Carrie found several spots where she would have liked to set up her easel. There were winding paths and woodland glades as well as the more formal gardens. And then, of course, there was the lake and the pavilion…The grounds of the palace went on and on, and she was glad she had brought a pad and pencil so she could make a start with some preliminary sketches.
Slipping off her sandals, she ran across the cool, spiky grass towards the lake. But she drew to a halt long before she reached the water’s edge. Nico was there with Anastasia, and the princess looked so beautiful. She was wearing a slim sheath in brightly coloured patterned silk that hugged her slender body like a second skin, and high-heeled shoes, which Nico was making her take off before allowing her to step into the rowing boat. And now Anastasia was laughing and holding on to his arm as she slipped off the first shoe. When both shoes had been removed Anastasia secured a large-brimmed straw hat to her head and then looked up expectantly at Nico…
Nico didn’t respond, he was gazing away across the lake, Carrie noticed, and seemed distracted, and then very slowly he turned towards her…