The Season (Season Series #1)

Chapter 2.2 Unofficial Palace Tour

The hallways were vacant, the rest of the Season's participants no doubt already retired to their suites in preparation for dinner. I could hear footsteps above me so I ducked into one of the corridors beneath the staircases, reeling around the corner. I slowed my pace only once I came to a more heavily trafficked hallway, this one carpeted with stone walls. Maids rushed about, balancing tea trays while butlers and footmen ducked in and out of rooms. I could hear the jovial sound of men's laughter and I realized that I'd probably made it into one of the mens' dormitories.

Horrified that I might be discovered there, I turned and darted down another hallway, this one leading up a flight of stairs. A maid passed me, barely throwing a glance my way. I looked at her as she passed and realized my dark grey uniform dress was cut very much like the black one she wore beneath a much frillier and fussier apron. My hair was pulled back in a braid, unlike her bun, and I was missing the cap on my head, but few of the servants were paying me any heed. I understood now why Ella and Rosanna had been so horrified about my dresses and why Emily had snapped at me for tea when they'd first arrived; I looked like a servant compared to the demure yet interesting day dresses they'd been wearing.

I slowed my pace as I continued up the stairs, coming to a halt as I encountered another intersection, this one shaped like a cross, with the hallway continuing ahead of me and branching off on both sides. I looked down all the hallways, a mix of relief and concern that they were empty. Movement in one of the hallways caught my eye and the unmistakable form of a mouse reared up on its hind legs in the middle of the carpeting, scuttling to the opposite wall upon seeing me.

A devious grin spread across my face as I imagined an excellent place to hide that mouse.

I padded softly down the hallway, following the mouse as its little tail whipped around the corner and disappeared into a tiny hole beneath a side table. I sat down next to the hole, curling my knees up to my chest to lie in wait. Sooner or later it would come back out and I could snatch it.

I had no idea how long I'd been sitting there when the door immediately opposite me opened and two men walked out, deeply ensconced in conversation.

"...whole thing is, frankly, a terrible idea," the dark-haired one was saying, his eyes closed as he shook his head in frustration. The other one with dark blond hair and dark eyes noticed me right away, nudging the arm of his companion as he stared at me. The dark haired man opened his eyes, looking down at me in surprise.

"Are you quite all right?" the light haired one asked, hurrying to offer me a hand to stand up.

"Yes, thank you," I managed, desperately trying to think of some reason for me to be in this hallway at this hour that didn't involve the tracking of a mouse.

"You must be new here, are you lost?" the dark haired one asked.

"I...yes, I'm lost," I said, meeting his sympathetic green eyes. The light haired man cleared his throat. When I looked at him, he dropped his eyes to the golden amulet fastening the dark haired man's cloak.

"Oh dear me!" I blurted, dropping into a curtsey. I was grateful I had my face turned to the ground as I scrunched it up in mortification. The dark haired man was Prince Andrew, the only young man who would be permitted to wear the royal crest on his amulet.

"Please forgive me, your Highness," I said, keeping my scarlet face to the ground.

"That's quite all right, I usually let things pass on the first day," he said. I risked an upward glance and was relieved to see a small lopsided grin on his face. Next to him, the light haired man was standing stiffly, still looking concerned and unimpressed.

"Thank you, your Highness. It will never happen again, I promise," I said, knotting my hands behind my back. His smile grew as our eyes met once more.

Ella had most definitely not warned me that the prince was so nice to look at. I tore my eyes away from his as the thought sailed across my brain, feeling a new blush rising in my cheeks.

"Shall I show you back to the main hall?" the prince asked. I shot a look back at him.

"I fear I'm not worthy of such a regal escort," I said before I could stop myself. The light-haired man's eyes widened in shock, a look I was growing accustomed to on him, but the prince let out a laugh.

"Very well then. James, would you show her the way back?" the prince said, clapping his companion on the back. James looked appropriately stunned.

"Of course, Andrew," he said automatically, still staring at me in shock. I registered the familiarity between the two of them and racked my brain for anyone in the royal family named James.

"Meet me in my sitting room before we go down to dinner, I have more to discuss with you," Andrew said to James, before nodding to me, "It was very nice to meet you...?"

"Elizabeth," I said, the words tumbling out of my mouth before I could stop them. Andrew smiled anew before turning and walking away in the opposite direction down the hallways while I was left to wonder why I'd blurted out my full, formal name instead of the one I preferred.

"If you'll follow me, please," James said stiffly, extending his arm politely towards the way I'd come. I hadn't realized I was staring at Prince Andrew's retreating back until he'd spoken.

"Yes, of course," I managed, walking alongside him. The silence hung heavy between us and I snuck glances at him. To his credit, he didn't seem as annoyed as I thought he'd be to be burdened with the task of returning me back to a common area, but I could tell he was still confused. I remembered my dress and scrunched my face anew, realizing he and the prince must have mistaken me for a maid.

"You are incredibly kind to escort me back," I said finally, as we came to the staircase where I'd first noticed the maid's uniform.

"Can you find your way from here?" he asked, pausing at the top of the stairs.

"Yes, I think so. Thank you, sir," I said.

"James, Lord of Amberly," he said, "I do hope you'll recognize the prince next time you see him?"

"Of course, Lord Amberly," I answered automatically, trying to remember where I'd heard that name before. I couldn't help but notice that he seemed awfully young to be a lord.

"And you're well aware of what the king and queen look like?" he asked. I met his eyes again and noted he was wearing a small smile, albeit a stiff one.

"Thankfully yes, my lord," I replied, smiling in turn.

"Good. Now don't get caught up here again, Elizabeth. These corridors are for the royals only, servants must use the designated passages or the common ones on the ground floor," he said, nodding towards the busy hallway I'd seen earlier.

"I'll remember that," I said, ducking my head to hide my embarrassment at his confirmation that I'd been thoroughly mistaken for a maid. In a way, I figured it was probably a blessing in disguise. If Ella had discovered that I'd met the prince in my state of attire, she'd probably have fainted out of shame.

James nodded to me, before turning and heading back the way we'd come. I turned and hurried down the stairs, trying my best not to run back to my room to hide. After this much mortification in one night, I couldn't even dream of facing a dinner with the other girls, I just wanted to curl up under my bedcovers and disappear.