Chapter Twenty One: A Borrowed Morning

Aurora discovered at four in the morning that freedom required considerably more effort than she had allowed for. “Your other arm first,” Elsie whispered. “That is my other arm.” “The injured one, Your Highness.” Getting dressed had become an exercise in cooperation with an unreasonable shoulder. Aurora eased her left hand through the sleeve while Elsie supported the cloth. Even so, something pulled beneath the bruise, and she stopped breathing until it passed. Elsie noticed. Elsie noticed everything. “A very promising beginning.” “It hurts when I dress for breakfast, too.” “Yes, but breakfast seldom requires an escape.” “We are using a door.” “An improvement upon your earlier methods.” Aurora submitted to the fastening of a plain brown wool dress. Its hem had been pinned above her ankles, revealing stockings and the stoutest walking shoes her wardrobe possessed. The shoes had been bought for an autumn visit to an estate where everyone had subsequently travelled by carriage.

Chapter Twenty Two: What the Morning Cost

Sebastian returned the candle to the musicians’ cupboard at seven minutes past seven and found Master Venn waiting for him. For one unreasonable moment, he thought of the bridge. “The steward wants music in the east gallery this afternoon,” Venn said. “An unusual repair.” “I was there about the window fastening. He told me to find you.” “Do I require fastening?” Venn looked at the candle in his hand. “Where have you been?” “Discovering how early gardeners begin.” “They complain if you don’t.” He moved aside, leaving Sebastian to put away the candle. A little soil fell from his cuff onto the cupboard shelf. He brushed it into his palm. There had been no alarm. No guard waiting by the narrow door, no maid dispatched to fetch the princess, no royal summons delivered with carefully concealed satisfaction. Aurora had gone upstairs with damp shoes and a collection of seed dust. He had gone in the opposite direction. Nothing had happened. He found himself repeating that as he cl

Chapter Twenty Three: Under Neglected Glass

Belle rejected the third ribbon because nothing seemed appropriate. Cora held it between two fingers.“The grey, then?”“The grey makes me look ill.”“The blue.”“Too cheerful.”Cora regarded the collection spread across the dressing table.“We appear to have exhausted all of our options."Belle turned from the mirror.“I only want something plain.”“For walking?”“Yes.”Cora selected a narrow green ribbon and began gathering Belle’s hair.Outside, rain ticked against the windows. It had rained for four days, with brief interruptions allowing people to leave shelter. The riding ground was churned beyond use. Master Pell had announced that anyone requiring entertainment could clean a saddle. Belle had not asked twice.On her dressing table lay a folded paper delivered that morning with a book of illustrated horses.The book was genuine, so was the note.

Chapter Twenty Four: The Uses of Generosity

The cooper’s new tools arrived at dawn. Aurora learned this because the household steward required her signature for the use of the south courtyard, and had brought three pages of arrangements to explain why.“Prince Flynn has commissioned replacement grain vessels for the northern stores,” he said. “There will be a presentation tomorrow.”“A presentation of barrels?”“Of the commission, Your Highness.”She looked at the paper.“Must I be present?”“His Highness particularly hoped so.”“Then why does this say my father has requested it?”The steward examined the line she indicated.“A misunderstanding in the wording.”“Whose?”He became interested in the condition of his thumbnail. Aurora set the papers down. Beyond the morning room window, rainwater still gleamed in the seams of the terrace. The weather had cleared at last, leaving the gardens bright and the paths treacherous.

All Chapters of Denial before Surrender: Chapter 21 - Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty One: A Borrowed Morning

Chapter Twenty Two: What the Morning Cost

Chapter Twenty Three: Under Neglected Glass

Chapter Twenty Four: The Uses of Generosity