Caitlyn wasn’t sure about that part, but she kissed him again anyway. She could be greedy about this. She would take every bit of him she could get, while it lasted.
Chapter Seven
Emrys paced impatiently in Caitlyn’s anteroom. Inside, at least five servants were hard at work preparing her for the Autumn Ball. While Emrys could hardly imagine that Caitlyn was pleased with how many women were hovering around her to perfect the dress that they had been working furiously to complete in time, he also knew how critical it was that his mother and father approved of her tonight.
His mother had been terribly pleased over the last few days. So much so that she had ignored rumors around the palace that tended to spread every time Emrys and Caitlyn disappeared alone together. Everyone knew, of course, what they would be up to, but it wasn’t polite to say. And maybe that was why he’d never corrected his mother. And never told Caitlyn about the misunderstanding. He liked the freedom they had, and he could tell she did too.
It wasn’t even really proper to refer to her as his fiancée until she’d been formally presented to King Eldon as such. The rigid social rules worked in Emrys’s favor in this case. It meant that no one would directly mention it to Caitlyn, and his mother wouldn’t directly question his choice. Not until his father had a say.
It also, unfortunately, meant that the female servants would be stricter about keeping Emrys out of Caitlyn’s room, which irritated him no end. He was already dressed but had to wait on them to finish dressing, painting, and coiffing Caitlyn.
Heloise popped out and held her index finger up at him, telling him to go wait in the study by the Grand Hall. With much irritation and anticipation, he did.
***
Caitlyn gave a squeak as one of many women bustling around her tugged the sides of her corset into place. Another girl zipped it up, and a third came around, sticking her fingers underneath the top next to her breasts.
“Oh!”
“We’re very nearly done, dear,” Heloise promised. “We just need to check the fit there. Don’t want the top slipping down in front of the entire royal court!”
“God, no. Fondle away,” Caitlyn encouraged. Not that she had to. All these women really required of her was to be still and allow them to push and pull her into her dress as they madly rushed to add the finishing touches.
The gown was absolutely gorgeous. It probably cost more than her entire apartment building. The top included a corset that held her breasts aloft, making them appear twice their size and emphasizing the tightness of her waist. Over this, however, shimmering lilac fabric draped around her curves and covered the very tops of her shoulders. The sleek fit ended at her hips, where the fabric billowed out all around her, fading to white as it went down. It looked like she was hovering wherever she went.
It seemed strange that they would go to all this trouble for a friend of the prince. Caitlyn had little time to focus on the strangeness of it all, though. With these women around her, expertly painting her cheeks, pinning her hair in curls about her head, and placing the stunning diamond necklace on loan from Emrys’s mother around her neck, it was hard to think about anything at all other than what it would be like to step out like this at a fancy ball, where everyo
ne else knew what they were doing and was used to dressing so exquisitely.
Her nerves seemed to be getting the best of her. She’d barely been able to eat all day, even though Heloise had tried several times to push meals on her. She would be meeting King Eldon tonight. He would definitely be there, even though he’d been absent from the palace during her visit so far. What would he be like?
She’d asked Heloise about the king before, but the older woman hadn’t given her much that she could use. Heloise said that Emrys favored his father in looks, mostly, that King Eldon had a sweet tooth, and that Adora was his clear favorite, even if he did trust Imelda the most with matters of state. No one had said much about his feelings about Elsa or Emrys, the former of whom Caitlyn had only met the night before and who was the closest in age to Emrys. She also looked the most like him, having cut her hair even shorter than her brother’s and wearing slacks rather than a skirt. It would be interesting to see Elsa at the ball, since she’d spent the entire meeting with Caitlyn and her mother rolling her eyes and sucking in her cheeks every time Eliana brought up the preparations for it.
“Come.” Heloise took Caitlyn’s hand. “Let’s see if you can walk.”
Caitlyn felt slightly off balance with every step, but after a few turns around the room, Heloise seemed confident that she wouldn’t faceplant into anyone important. Caitlyn wasn’t so sure, but this didn’t seem to matter. Within moments, the women had turned her around for one last check over and spritzed her with something that smelled a bit like strawberry, a bit like violets.
And she was out the door. Heloise instructed her to fold her hands in front of her and walk slowly.
***
“Come, Emrys,” his mother called. “We’re beginning to line up for the procession.”
“Caitlyn isn’t here yet,” Emrys objected.
“Oh, I’m sure Imelda is still rounding up her children.” Eliana waved her hand. “There will be time yet for our stragglers.”
“They were still working on the gown when I left.”
Eliana gave him a stern look. “What were you doing in there anyway? You’re just going to make things difficult.”
“That’s hardly my intention. I merely wanted to be there in case she needed anything. Caitlyn has never been to a function quite this big before.”
“Ensure her fingers stay where they are meant to be, and yours as well, and we should all be fine,” Eliana instructed.
“Mother!”
“Do you think there is a single thing that occurs under this roof that escapes my attention? You must grow up, Emrys, and give her the due respect that you have offered.”