Chapter 16: Interlude

All day, I had been avoiding the other courtiers, their gossip, and the looks of pity they bestowed whenever they spoke to me. I’d stayed away from the salon, though I knew I shouldn’t have, and had stayed hidden in the library all afternoon. Unfortunately, I hadn’t been able to avoid the early morning chatter around Lady Fairfax’s bedroom, and I’d learned that there would be an outdoor concert at sunset beside the dancing fountains that I simply must attend, for the Prince had nearly exhausted himself making sure the event would be spectacular.

Therefore, when the sun dipped low enough to glare through the western windows, I put away my books and walked the gravel path away from the library, trying to ignore the dread that had settled in the pit of my stomach.

You are as good as anyone else at court, I told myself. You needn’t think of anyone else.

I pushed a powdered curl out of my eyes and stood a little taller, though I did not really feel the confidence. I quickened my steps a little, and my shoes crunched on the leaves and dead fairy-blossoms underfoot. Just ahead, two groundskeepers were sweeping the leaves from the path, leaving a road of autumn sunlight in their wake.

When I reached the rose garden I guessed that the groundskeepers had already been there, for there was not a single dead leaf on the ground, or even any on the emerald green bushes. The roses still bloomed gaily, as though summer could last forever.

I heard footsteps crunch the gravel behind me, and a familiar touch brushed my hand. Hope took my hand in his and laced it through his arm, and suddenly we were walking side-by-side.

“I apologize for my forwardness,” Hope said. “As unworthy as my hand is to touch yours, I could not resist.”

“Please, no gallantry,” I rebuked, though I left my hand where it was.

Hope heaved an exaggerated sigh. “If I am not allowed to be gallant, then I suppose I must be honest. I know of no other way to apologize. Grace, I promise that I won’t press you regarding the confession I made to you the other night, but when I recall the callous things I said to you beforehand, I can’t help but wonder why you did not reject me outright.”

“Hope-”

“Please let me continue,” he insisted. “I had promised to protect and guide you here at St. Blanc, but after I caused such malicious rumors to circulate about us, I dismissed your hurt feelings. My behavior has been utterly selfish.”

“I hate having to face the gossip, of course,” I said, “but I can survive it. You however- Hope, you play a dangerous game when you anger the Prince. Stop being so heedless, please.”

Hope stopped walking and turned to me, his eyebrows raised in surprise. “Your concern was for me, then?”

“I have too many concerns to list, but you are among them,” I admitted.

“Don’t let me add to your concerns. You are so young; you should be carefree. Be merry, gossip with the other ladies, play games.”

“That all sounds tedious, to me,” I laughed.

“You should have played more games as a child,” Hope opined. “You haven’t experienced the rewards of triumph- especially triumph over others.”

Hope broke off and grinned, his eyes glittering with mischief.

“There is still some time before sunset. Catch me, and I will show you something interesting.”

Before I could inquire what he meant, Hope had dropped my arm and was running away down a path that wound around the fountains.

I ran to catch up with Hope, but he had gained a substantial head start, which grew by the second. There was a hedge that separated the fountains from a field beyond, and Hope leapt the hedge easily while I was forced to go around because of my heavy skirts. When I reached the field, Hope had vanished from sight.

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I was about to give up and return to the fountains when I saw a flash of bright orange light out of the corner of my eye, which burst like a flame and then vanished in a shower of sparks. I ran toward the flame without any hesitation, leaving the grass rippling in the wake of my skirts as though I were a ship on the sea.

As I approached, I saw that there were two men standing where the flame had been, one of whom bore Hope’s bearing. I ran faster, but stopped abruptly when I recognized the second man.

“You’ve caught me,” Hope said with a good-natured laugh. “Now, as your reward, may I present Sir Silas, who is to assist with tonight’s entertainment. Sir Silas, this is my wife, Lady Frey.”

I tried to keep my expression neutral, as surprised as I was to see Sir Silas again. I hadn’t seen him since he’d spoken against me when I was presented to the Oculist Guild, but his manner was far more friendly now than it had been that night. He smiled a little as he bowed to me.

“How do you do?” he said, as though we’d never met.

I curtseyed, and before I could make a reply, my attention was diverted by a row of rockets that were lined up on the dustiest part of the field, all painted gaily in red and white.

“Oh! Are there to be fireworks, tonight?”

“Indeed, there are,” Sir Silas said. “I tinker with them from time to time, and when the Prince learned of my hobby, he insisted that I provide fireworks for tonight’s concert. I’m not much of a courtier, but I couldn’t say no to his Highness.”

“It smells of brimstone; have you set some off, already?”

“I’ve been tinkering with this powder,” Sir Silas said, indicating a cup he was holding. “I’m trying to get just the right color of sparks.”

Sir Silas turned to a scorched metal plate that lay on the ground behind him, and poured out a measure of the powder. He gestured for Hope and me to stand back, and then struck a piece of flint. The power burst into a deep blue flame, which shot glittering blue sparks into the air.

“Well, what do you think, my Lady?” he asked when the flame died away.

“It’s beautiful.”

A sudden wind gusted over the fields, rippling the grass, and scattering dust and ash. I reached down to hold my skirts in place, but a ribbon tugged free from my hair and blew away.

“I’ll catch it for you,” Hope said, and before I could object he was running away, again.

Sir Silas stepped closer to me when Hope was gone. “He has been making a nuisance of himself, pestering me to show you the rockets. Your husband is very taken with you, my Lady.”

“He’s trying very hard to please me, today,” I said.

“Why not enjoy his attentions?” Sir Silas asked. “You could settle down with him, start a family, and forget all of this intrigue. You’re so young that I worry you can’t properly appreciate how dangerous it is to follow in my footsteps.”

“Why do you continue, then?” I asked. “Something must drive you to seek truth.”

Sir Silas shrugged. “Sometimes I think I must be mad. I can’t find contentment, as I should.”

He paused to lean down and adjust the position of a rocket, pointing it a little higher.

“I don’t think any of us can tell our own hearts what should make us happy,” I said. “And really- maybe the romantic idea of a simple life is just another illusion. How can I really know, unless I question?”

“Trust someone who is older and wiser than you- I’ve seen the young and idealistic destroyed by hubris.” He looked up into the wide, evening sky intently, as though the fireworks were already dancing there.

“Still, the rewards may outweigh the risk,” I said. “I’ve seen enough wonders in the heavens to surmise there are many more wonders I haven’t yet dreamed of. You must feel the same way.”

Sir Silas chuckled. “I’m an old fool. I send my little ships into the heavens, and dream that one day I might go with them. The Gods promise their own path to the stars, but can’t stop myself from trying to burst my way through. But it would take far more energy than this little cup of powder holds to take a real ship into the greater sea.”

Hope returned then, bearing the ribbon in his outstretched hand like a flag.

“Thank you,” I said to Hope. Then I turned back to Sir Silas, “and thank you- for everything.”

“Away with you both,” Sir Silas said with a good-natured laugh. “You will see the show much better from the fountains, but only if I can finish my work in peace.”

#

Hope and I returned to the fountains, wind-blown and disheveled, to join the gathering crowd of elegantly dressed courtiers. As soon as we arrived, Lady Fairfax approached with Lady Innocence at her arm.

Lady Innocence took in our disheveled appearance and grinned. “Where have you two been, together?”

“Nevermind that,” Lady Fairfax said impatiently. “Lady Frey, do come sit with the ladies. We have secured an area near the shrubbery away from the gentlemen, where we may gossip to our hearts’ content.”

“Do forgive me, Lady Fairfax,” Hope said with a bow. “Please remember that my wife and I are newlyweds, and I find I cannot relinquish her on an evening such as this.”

He pulled me closer to his side, and then led me away from the ladies, who gazed after us in astonishment.