The Rebel Prince (The Season Series #3)

Chapter 19

**A/N: Spice alert...this one gets a bit steamy towards the end, but nothing too questionable!**

As the sun rose in earnest, I found myself reluctant to return to the palace. Instead, I took a seat on a shaded bench in the central square, watching as the nobles emerged in their carriages and on horseback, noting who went where and with whom. Most of the callers today were female, with brightly coloured parasols in their open-air landaus.

My eyes were on the barrio Delminas, keen to see if Callum Winters dared show his face again, when a landau creaked to a halt in front of me.

"Good day, your Highness," a woman said, tilting her parasol to block the blinding sun from my eyes so I could see her. The Duquesa Delbosque smiled, the laugh lines crinkling at the corners of her eyes. Three others shared the open carriage with her. A young girl peered at me intently, half her face hidden by her fan as she leaned away, underneath the protective arm of another, this one around my age and clearly the younger girl's sister if their resemblance to the duquesa was any indication. Beside the duquesa, the final young woman inspected me from beneath her parasol, a pair of rings glittering on her fourth finger.

"Good day, your Grace. I do not believe I've had the pleasure of meeting your family," I said, standing so I could bow to the Carvalho ladies.

"This is Eliana, my son's wife," the duquesa said, gesturing to the young woman with the rings. Eliana inclined her head, that guarded look still on her face. "And these are my daughters, Adelina and Valentina."

"Enchanted to meet you, your Highness," the older sister, Adelina said. When I inclined my head, she returned her gaze cautiously to her mother.

"My husband is looking forward to continuing your conversation," the duquesa continued. "Perhaps I could convince you to join us as we return home?"

I'd opened my mouth to answer when yet another open-top carriage jangled past down the opposite side of the square, indistinguishable from the others save for the quicker clip at which it travelled.

Indistinguishable, except for its royal occupant.

"I'm afraid I have a prior commitment. Send the duque my apologies, your Grace. Enjoy your ride," I said, offering them a parting bow before hurrying off after Dulciana's carriage.

I didn't recognize any of the women with the princess, though I was far enough away that I couldn't be sure that none of them were her sisters. Probably her ladies-in-waiting, I thought, as I hurried as fast as the heat and my feet would allow.

The carriage took a sharp turn towards the barrio Delminas, very nearly trampling a pair of passing servants, but it didn't slow. As I broke into a jog, I wondered if she'd taken an open-air landau so a closed top carriage wouldn't stand out from the crowd, curious as to why she was in such a rush.

When I finally turned the corner towards the Duque Delminas' palacio, I stopped to lean against a tree, catching my breath and loosening my collar. The landau was empty, stopped beside a carriage block, but the ladies-in-waiting were assuming seats on the shaded portico where a bevy of other young women had gathered. Fans batted as a card game was dealt out on a table, servants weaving through with sweating glasses of cool drinks.

Dulciana was nowhere to be seen.

Interesting, I thought. Especially interesting that she had brought her ladies-in-waiting rather than her sisters.

Before anyone could notice me lurking across the street, I turned back the way I'd come, my shirt slick with sweat and sticking to my back from my rush to follow the carriage. I was tempted to go call on the Duque Delbosque, but by the time I'd reached the main square, the sun had reached its apex, heat shimmering off the street. The mere thought of traipsing all the way across High Relizia to the duque's house had me exhausted. Instead, I sauntered back toward the palace, desperate to peel off my sweat-logged clothes and savour the breeze on my balcony.