Beautiful Torment *Book One of the Beautiful series*

13) Run!

As they entered the dining room, it was an effort not to gawk at the grandeur of it all.

The elegance painted across every inch of the smaller castle. High ceilings with a mural of sky and clouds, with fat angel cherubs flying on short puffy wings. In each of their fat little fits, bows notched with heart tipped arrows. They looked as if they were flying circles around the chandeliers, which were illuminated by hundreds of lit candles. Skies faded down into the walls, which were an almost perfect replica of the countryside they had passed in order to get there.

At the center of one of the longer walls, a fire roared in the largest hearth she had ever seen. To their right, up on the platform at the front of the room, four grand thrones gleamed golden.

Scarlett grinned back at her as they reached one of several tables needing to be set. "It is wonderful, is it not? I all but cried when I first set eyes on the place."

Lucy could only nod, unable to speak with the slight resentment she felt toward the royals underneath the awe she felt. She had to shake her head to stop the bitterness from increasing. Now was not the time for wide eyed marveling or hostility. She had a job to do after setting tables, trying to swipe one of the pure silver candlesticks that lined the various end tables.

"Excuse me for a moment, I need to go correct Abigail," Scarlett murmured, spotting a young maid several tables away who was fumbling with the proper way to lay silverware.

This was her moment, not thinking she would get another opportunity like it, everyone in sight was well distracted. She could swipe the silver, feign illness, and go store it in her room for the time being. Inching towards one of the end tables, Lucy was careful to keep a careful eye on the staff around her. Closer and closer she drew to her prize. Looking down and pulling a cleaning cloth from her apron pocket, the fingers of her empty hand slid around the cold base of the nearest candlestick. She only needed to get it under her apron.

"Beautiful, are they not?" A kind, deep voice asked from behind her. Something about it was familiar, although she was sure she had no idea who stood at her back.

Lucy jumped at the sound, the candlesticks base bumped loudly into the table surface and she whipped around. There she caught a pair of deep blue eyes attached to a dashing young man with soft blonde curls and a handsome smile. He was tall and dressed impeccably in a dark blue dress coat with golden trim.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to startle you," he chuckled. "It is just... I see you are new here, and to be honest, I did not realize that such beautiful maids were allowed in the castle." He looked at her fondly even as her mouth fell agape and she could not fathom the words rattling around her brain. "I am being rude," he said, straightening his coat with a nervous smile that made him seem more boyish. "I failed to introduce myself properly first, I am Prince Jamieson of Espen. Welcome to my home."

If Lucy was at a loss for words before, she was positively beguiled now. She lightly pulled the skirt of her maid uniform so she could dip into a low curtsy. "Your highness, please forgive me for my ignorance," she finally managed to spout out. Her eyes dropped to the polished floors, praying this was not the cousin that had been hosted by the Duke the morning before. "I am the new kitchen maid, at your service."

"It is of no importance," he said warmly. A sudden flutter of movement near the grand doors caught his eye. He reluctantly tore his soft gaze away from her, "Ah, I do believe my brother has arrived. Could you go to him and tell him for me that our father awaits him in his chamber? I would do so myself, but I promised my father I would alert him to my brother's presence at once." She was baffled by the prince's kind heart, the way he spoke so politely to a lowly servant. Before he parted, his gloved hand found hers and he brought it to his lips to place the gentlest of kisses upon it.