to pay attention to anyway. She was almost painfully aware of Eric only paying attention to her. He hid it well, but the way she felt his gaze on her every so often made it really clear that he was trying to figure out why she had actually come. Maybe he wondered where she had gotten the dress, but mostly just why she had come after she’d been so proud of herself for chopping up that other dress. Well, if it made him feel any better, she didn’t really know the answer to that herself. Mostly she had just felt bad, when something in his explanation had seemed genuine. Maybe it was Élise’s explanation about her brother. Katherine didn’t know. But she was here now.
After several long minutes of the others talking, with her interjecting a question now and again when she actually thought she understood the general context, the palace doors opened. Everyone looked over and murmured gratefully to see that several servants approached carrying banquet-style trays, as well as individual plates. They bowed to Eric before setting out the meal.
One of the servants stood back, watching the others work. He was older than everyone else, even older than the guest dignitaries, and wore a very formal black suit. He stepped forward once everyone had their plates and silverware. Katherine decided he was probably the butler.
“Your Highness,” he greeted with a bow, speaking in English probably for Katherine’s benefit. “As per usual, you need only inform me if something is not satisfactory, however I wished to inform you that you had another guest.”
Eric lifted a brow. “Do I, Henri? Please, see them in, there is more than enough room here for another.”
“Of course.” Henri bowed again, and then turned and opened the door leading back inside. From within emerged a tall, statuesque red-head with sparkling green eyes and an infectious smile. She wore a pink dress that looked quite a bit like the one Katherine had mutilated, well, before the severe cutting. This one actually suited the other woman’s complexion and looked fashionable with the way she held herself. Katherine frowned a little bit, and then quickly looked at Eric when he rushed to his feet, something uneasy passing in eyes.
“Ah, I see… lovely to see you again,” he murmured to the other young woman, reaching for her hand when she approached and kissing the back of it. The Prince turned back to the table with a slightly strained smile. “My friends, allow me to introduce Lady Brigitte… my fiancé.”
Katherine’s heart plummeted into her stomach, and her hazel eyes bulged as she stared up at the gorgeous Brigitte who had suddenly made an appearance.
“Ah, Eric, no need to be so formal,” she said with a soft laugh, and then her green eyes noticed Kat staring at her. “Oh, you invited an American girl! How quaint.”
Chapter Seven
Katherine didn’t care that it was before noon on a weekday—or that it was even earlier in Pennsylvania, way too early to even be considering this. But as the brunch with Eric’s high-class guests and his fiancé ended, she quickly excused herself and bolted back inside. She hadn’t been able to sit there any longer, staring at Brigitte out of the corner of her eye and marveling at how damn tall and pretty the girl was. It was painfully unfair, actually. Brigitte was already rich and titled and engaged to a prince, she also had to be excessively beautiful?
Yes, it was petty. Katherine was in a particularly petty mood. That was much of the reason why she maneuvered around the servants who were clearing the tables in the garden to get to the kitchen. They cast confused looks as she went by them, but she forced herself not to pay any attention. Nope, she was only after one thing, then she would get out of their hair and end this nightmare.
Eric had to be kidding if he would prefer marrying her over Brigitte.
The one thing that she needed, though, was probably pretty obvious considering what she’d been
After several long minutes of the others talking, with her interjecting a question now and again when she actually thought she understood the general context, the palace doors opened. Everyone looked over and murmured gratefully to see that several servants approached carrying banquet-style trays, as well as individual plates. They bowed to Eric before setting out the meal.
One of the servants stood back, watching the others work. He was older than everyone else, even older than the guest dignitaries, and wore a very formal black suit. He stepped forward once everyone had their plates and silverware. Katherine decided he was probably the butler.
“Your Highness,” he greeted with a bow, speaking in English probably for Katherine’s benefit. “As per usual, you need only inform me if something is not satisfactory, however I wished to inform you that you had another guest.”
Eric lifted a brow. “Do I, Henri? Please, see them in, there is more than enough room here for another.”
“Of course.” Henri bowed again, and then turned and opened the door leading back inside. From within emerged a tall, statuesque red-head with sparkling green eyes and an infectious smile. She wore a pink dress that looked quite a bit like the one Katherine had mutilated, well, before the severe cutting. This one actually suited the other woman’s complexion and looked fashionable with the way she held herself. Katherine frowned a little bit, and then quickly looked at Eric when he rushed to his feet, something uneasy passing in eyes.
“Ah, I see… lovely to see you again,” he murmured to the other young woman, reaching for her hand when she approached and kissing the back of it. The Prince turned back to the table with a slightly strained smile. “My friends, allow me to introduce Lady Brigitte… my fiancé.”
Katherine’s heart plummeted into her stomach, and her hazel eyes bulged as she stared up at the gorgeous Brigitte who had suddenly made an appearance.
“Ah, Eric, no need to be so formal,” she said with a soft laugh, and then her green eyes noticed Kat staring at her. “Oh, you invited an American girl! How quaint.”
Chapter Seven
Katherine didn’t care that it was before noon on a weekday—or that it was even earlier in Pennsylvania, way too early to even be considering this. But as the brunch with Eric’s high-class guests and his fiancé ended, she quickly excused herself and bolted back inside. She hadn’t been able to sit there any longer, staring at Brigitte out of the corner of her eye and marveling at how damn tall and pretty the girl was. It was painfully unfair, actually. Brigitte was already rich and titled and engaged to a prince, she also had to be excessively beautiful?
Yes, it was petty. Katherine was in a particularly petty mood. That was much of the reason why she maneuvered around the servants who were clearing the tables in the garden to get to the kitchen. They cast confused looks as she went by them, but she forced herself not to pay any attention. Nope, she was only after one thing, then she would get out of their hair and end this nightmare.
Eric had to be kidding if he would prefer marrying her over Brigitte.
The one thing that she needed, though, was probably pretty obvious considering what she’d been
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