First at Last (Updated Version)

Chapter Eleven

The knocker clanged loudly against the door andour footman, Howard, hurried down the hall to answer it. After a quick,barely-audible exchange, Howard shut the door and hurried back down the hallthe way he'd come.

I watched him go to the door and back down the hall from my spot on the sofa in the parlor, just off the foyer. I'd chosen the parlor for my reading spot today because it was raining outside and I really did not want to get wet.

I was curled up on the couch, book in hand, rain pattering gently against the window, steel-gray skies illuminating the pages of my book. It felt like the perfect reading day.

It had been two days since William had scared me half to death by climbing the balcony into my room. We had not met since then. I had been working on how to get past Mother, since she would now probably expect me to sneak out again.

"Who was at the door, Howard?" Mother called from upstairs. Every morning at half-past ten, she would drink a cup of tea in the drawing room and today was no different. It was a very familiar part of her routine. If she missed her midmorning tea, she could be quite unpleasant—well, more so than usual.

Howard murmured a reply too quietly for me to hear. And my mother answered much louder. "Really? Tonight? That is so soon! Thank you, Howard. Tell Erika and Alice to join me in the withdrawing room. That is all." I heard the rattling of a teacup as she replaced it on its saucer.

A moment later, Howard entered the parlor. "My lady, your mother has requested your presence in the drawing room immediately."

My stomach knotted and I set my book down beside me. "Thank you, Howard," I said, rolling off the sofa. I stretched, attempting to rid myself of the sluggishness that plagued me, before going up to the drawing room to meet mother.

She sat in a chair before the fire, holding her cup of tea. I entered and stepped out of the way of the door. "Good morning, Mother," I greeted.

She nodded her head to me in acknowledgment. Alice entered the room soon after me, looking lovely, as always, in a pink gown with sleeves that stopped just before reaching her forearms, and a full-length skirt. Part of her hair was tied in a knot at the back of her head and the other part fell around her shoulders in soft, golden waves.

"Good morning, Alice," Mother said.

Alice dipped a small curtsy. "Good morning, Mother," she replied.

"You sent for us?" I asked.

Mother set down her cup of tea, her face turning severe. "His Majesty, the king, has personally invited our family to the palace to dine with the royal family tonight."

"So soon," commented Alice, looking surprised.

"I agree," Mother said. "But this will be good for you. You can have some time to chat with Prince William, continue getting to know him better, and your father and I can spend some time talking with the king and queen."

Alice bounced up and down excitedly, somehow managing to make it look graceful. "That sounds wonderful!"

"Yes, I knew it would, dear. Go start preparing. Wear something that will blow the prince away." She grinned at her eldest daughter with something akin to adoration in her eyes. The look vanished almost immediately when she turned to me. "And you," she said, somewhat harshly. "You will be polite and well-behaved, and you will hardly speak to anyone. You will not speak at all to Prince William. Do you understand, Erika?"

I swallowed and looked away. "Yes, Mother."

She nodded curtly. "Now, go get ready to go. Dress nice, look presentable."