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Authors: Susan Stephens
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nine walking disaster along the way. Grabbing a handful of hairpins as she tottered towards the door, she stuck them in her mouth, intending to stab them into her hair as she hurried to the banquet.
Carrie made a conscious effort to slow down when she reached the main reception room and tried to copy everyone else, but that wasnât easy when she was so uncomfortable in the ill-fitting dress and could hardly walk a step without falling off the wobbly shoes. As if that werenât bad enough, everyone but her was part of a couple, or a groupâ¦.
She would just have to play a role. She was tall and elegantâ¦she was a woman of the world, confident and self-possessed. She was utterly at home in the palaceâ¦.
Well, she was until she reached the double doors and saw Princess Laura waiting for her. The princess was talking animatedly with a group of friends, and looked stunning in full-length lilac chiffon. Her gown was sprinkled with diamanté and she wore a glittering tiara on her head. She had dainty beaded dancing slippers on her feetâ¦and, though Carrie tried hard not to look, Nico was standing at his motherâs side.
She was furious with herself for allowing Nico to affect her so badly. Gazing around, she searched for an escape route. All she needed was a few minutes alone to compose herself and then sheâd be all rightâ¦.
A few minutes in the fresh air would be perfect, Carrie decided, spotting a door into the garden.
The footmen in attendance quickly opened it for her, and the moment it clicked shut behind her she breathed a sigh of relief. Just as sheâd thought, it was better, cooler in the garden. She took several deep, steadying breaths and only a couple of minutes went by before she felt ready to return.
But as she turned Carrie noticed that the lights in the corridor had been switched off. Going up to the door, she pressed her face against the glass. The footmen were nowhere to be seen. Trying the handle, she found it locked.
She wasted precious minutes in a panic, rattling the handle, and staring down the deserted corridor, until she finally accepted that she would have to find another way in.
The light was fading rapidly and the towering walls seemed so dark and oppressive. And she couldnât even be sure she was heading in the right directionâ¦The substitute gown with its heavy beading was like a suit of armour, and agitation had sent her internal heating system into meltdown.
Hearing voices, she sped up. The palace kitchen, Carrie realised with relief. The doors had been left open to allow the heat to escapeâ¦.
There was a lot of good-natured comment as she made her way gingerly through the banks of cookers. She didnât dare to touch anything, and the walkway was slippery beneath her feet. Her face was growing redder by the minute, and she knew without touching it that her hair was standing off her head in a frizz. There was a serving area at the end of the room and a queue of waiters standing ready. It was too late now to worry about committing the cardinal sin of appearing in the banqueting hall after King Giorgio. She had no other way of getting in, and, having accepted Princess Lauraâs invitation, nothing was going to stop her.
Nearly overbalancing, she staggered back into her shoes, and then, making her excuses, she squeezed through the waiting staff. The man standing guard at the door was so taken aback by the sight of her that he forgot to stop her walking past him.
The first thing she knew was light so strong it blinded her. The glare from a dozen chandeliers blazed straight into her eyes, along with the flash of diamonds, the glint of silver and the sparkle of champagneâ¦Expensive scent hung in the air along with the cooler smell of privilege. There was no heat around her now, just a stunned and icy silence as rows and rows of faces turned her way.
Hearing a nervous laugh, Carrie realised she was the only person in the vast room who
Carrie made a conscious effort to slow down when she reached the main reception room and tried to copy everyone else, but that wasnât easy when she was so uncomfortable in the ill-fitting dress and could hardly walk a step without falling off the wobbly shoes. As if that werenât bad enough, everyone but her was part of a couple, or a groupâ¦.
She would just have to play a role. She was tall and elegantâ¦she was a woman of the world, confident and self-possessed. She was utterly at home in the palaceâ¦.
Well, she was until she reached the double doors and saw Princess Laura waiting for her. The princess was talking animatedly with a group of friends, and looked stunning in full-length lilac chiffon. Her gown was sprinkled with diamanté and she wore a glittering tiara on her head. She had dainty beaded dancing slippers on her feetâ¦and, though Carrie tried hard not to look, Nico was standing at his motherâs side.
She was furious with herself for allowing Nico to affect her so badly. Gazing around, she searched for an escape route. All she needed was a few minutes alone to compose herself and then sheâd be all rightâ¦.
A few minutes in the fresh air would be perfect, Carrie decided, spotting a door into the garden.
The footmen in attendance quickly opened it for her, and the moment it clicked shut behind her she breathed a sigh of relief. Just as sheâd thought, it was better, cooler in the garden. She took several deep, steadying breaths and only a couple of minutes went by before she felt ready to return.
But as she turned Carrie noticed that the lights in the corridor had been switched off. Going up to the door, she pressed her face against the glass. The footmen were nowhere to be seen. Trying the handle, she found it locked.
She wasted precious minutes in a panic, rattling the handle, and staring down the deserted corridor, until she finally accepted that she would have to find another way in.
The light was fading rapidly and the towering walls seemed so dark and oppressive. And she couldnât even be sure she was heading in the right directionâ¦The substitute gown with its heavy beading was like a suit of armour, and agitation had sent her internal heating system into meltdown.
Hearing voices, she sped up. The palace kitchen, Carrie realised with relief. The doors had been left open to allow the heat to escapeâ¦.
There was a lot of good-natured comment as she made her way gingerly through the banks of cookers. She didnât dare to touch anything, and the walkway was slippery beneath her feet. Her face was growing redder by the minute, and she knew without touching it that her hair was standing off her head in a frizz. There was a serving area at the end of the room and a queue of waiters standing ready. It was too late now to worry about committing the cardinal sin of appearing in the banqueting hall after King Giorgio. She had no other way of getting in, and, having accepted Princess Lauraâs invitation, nothing was going to stop her.
Nearly overbalancing, she staggered back into her shoes, and then, making her excuses, she squeezed through the waiting staff. The man standing guard at the door was so taken aback by the sight of her that he forgot to stop her walking past him.
The first thing she knew was light so strong it blinded her. The glare from a dozen chandeliers blazed straight into her eyes, along with the flash of diamonds, the glint of silver and the sparkle of champagneâ¦Expensive scent hung in the air along with the cooler smell of privilege. There was no heat around her now, just a stunned and icy silence as rows and rows of faces turned her way.
Hearing a nervous laugh, Carrie realised she was the only person in the vast room who
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