Arrie practiced with her for a full hour, and when she had all the steps down for three different dances, he suggested they both return to their rooms until the hunting party returned for lunch.
Marisa quickly grabbed his sleeve. “Arrie, please don’t say anything to Darian. I don’t want to complicate things between us. I know that he could never settle for someone like me. Will you please promise me?”
“Marisa, if you really do care, you should be honest with him. He deserves no less, even if his hands are tied as far as his own future is concerned.”
She stared at him, pleading with her eyes.
“All right, I promise,” he answered finally. “I won’t say anything, but you should still tell him how you feel.”
“No way!” she said, shaking her head. Arrie just shrugged as he left the salon and hurried down the corridor.
Marisa glanced both ways down the hall and tried to remember how to get back to her room. She walked down to her right, but when she wound up in an unfamiliar, darkened corridor, she was confused. She continued around the corner but, after realizing that it didn’t lead to the main hall, she double-backed around again and smacked right into Darian.
“Oh—” she exclaimed, her heart racing.
“My apologies, milady. I returned from the hunt early since the rain wouldn’t let up and there wasn’t much game to shoot at.” He smiled sheepishly at her as a maid approached them.
Darian quickly slipped her arm under his. “Allow me to escort you back to your room, Lady Marisa. You’ve just enough time to change before lunch.”
She smiled politely and nodded for the sake of the maid. He led her down the main hall and up the two flights of steps to the guest quarters. When they reached the door of her room, he opened it slightly but blocked her from entering.
“Will you be coming to dinner tonight?” he asked softly.
She nodded slowly, keeping her gaze lowered to the floor. He was hard to resist, but she didn’t want to encourage him in any way. One look into those dazzling eyes of his and she just might cave.
A smile played on his lips. “You are planning to attend the ball in my honor tonight, are you not?”
She hesitated slightly but nodded once again.
“Wonderful!” He grinned at her. “Then I shall see you at lunch, milady.” He stepped aside to allow her to enter, but not before he took her hand and kissed it.
Darian turned to leave and she watched his dark cloak billowing out behind him as he strode down the hall.
Superman, she thought. I’ve actually discovered Superman.
Her heart beat quickened as she closed the door and collapsed against it. Was it only flirting, or was he really interested in her?
She shook her head. Who was she kidding? An attractive, incredible man like that would never be interested in a plain Lois Lane like her. Superman didn’t exist. He was just a fictitious character in one of her brother’s graphic novels.
He wasn’t real.
The luncheon plates were heaped high with fruits and vegetables, salads with breads and meat and cheeses. Each guest had a shining bronze goblet filled with wine.
Marisa tried to concentrate on the two animated discussions taking place around the table, but finally gave up when she realized both of them were about the morning’s shooting party. She shifted her focus to the interaction between Darian and Lady Matilda. He refilled her water glass twice, and when she whispered something to him, he chuckled.
A sickening feeling squirmed in the pit of Marisa’s stomach, and she felt like a complete idiot. She lived in a world where couples chose each other based on mutual attraction, not like Carnelia where matches were predetermined based on rank, pedigree, and duty.
“Will you join us on our walk up to the falls, milady?” Savino asked, interrupting her thoughts. Startled, Marisa turned to him and nodded.
“And may I have the pleasure of escorting you there?”
She smiled shyly and nodded.
Savino pulled out the chair for her. “We shall meet in the courtyard in a quarter of an hour.”
The young viscount beamed at Marisa as he kissed her hand.
Fifteen minutes later, Marisa descended the stone steps to find Darian, Lady Matilda, Savino, Gaspar, and Arrie all assembled in the courtyard. Fortunately, the blue sky had reappeared after the morning thundershowers had moved on.
Marisa’s heart fluttered when she saw Darian’s striking figure leaning against the wall as he chatted with Arrie about something. Out of his usual armored uniform, he was dressed in tall riding boots, dark gray trousers, a fitted tunic, and a black cloak.
Matilda was beautiful in a dark green ensemble with fur edging, and somehow Marisa knew that there was just no competing with the vogue style of Lady da Rocha.
Savino had exchanged his dark, armored suit for the more suave, sophisticated look of a fitted blue tunic and cloak. Clearly, he was the sort of man who always dressed impeccably no matter what the occasion.
“Milady, shall we go?” he asked with a pleasant smile.
She nodded.
Savino took her hand and guided her down a back stairwell. They passed through an iron gate where they entered the forest directly behind the castle.
Trailing a few steps behind the host and his partner for the afternoon, Darian, Matilda, Arrie and Gaspar kept in tight formation as they chatted about trivial subjects.
The mid-afternoon walk through the alpine woods was a refreshing change from the decidedly somber mood of the castle. The familiar smell of fresh pine permeated Marisa’s soul and lifted her spirits. But as the party meandered up the path through the misty forest, the scenery reminded her of Oregon and she began to feel homesick once again.
Savino held Marisa’s hand as she climbed over fallen logs and helped her cross a small stream. Chattering enough for the two of them, he described his life of privilege in nauseating detail.
As he droned on about the responsibilities of ruling a country, she just nodded politely in even intervals before finally tuning him out altogether.
For the next hour, they continued to climb the steep mountain slope as the roar of the waterfall became louder. When they finally reached the base pool of the falls, Savino had to shout to be heard above the roar.
“Milady, might I have the honor of escorting you to the bridge to take in the magnificent view?” He offered her his arm and Marisa smiled in acknowledgement.
Complaining that the spray from the falls would soak her clothes and cause her to catch a chill, Matilda kept a considerable distance from the pool. Always the perfect gentleman, Darian remained at her side but eyed Savino carefully as he guided Marisa up the hill.
It was a steep, brisk hike up to the falls, and by the time they made it to the top, she was panting as she tried to catch her breath. They approached a wooden bridge that straddled the gorge where the upper runoff from the waterfall passed underneath.
“Close your eyes, milady, and allow me to lead you.”
Savino took her hand in his as he put the other on her waist and guided her toward the middle of the bridge. The moss-covered planks were slippery from the mist, and she shivered as the waterfall roared loudly behind them.
“Well, milady, you should feel very flattered,” he shouted. “It’s not very often that I bring a woman up here.”
Marisa just nodded, her eyes still shut.
“So, tell me—what do you think of the view?”
She opened her eyes and gasped at the spectacular vista from their high vantage point. The mountains were covered in a sea of evergreens that stretched as far as the eye could see. The setting sun cast a rainbow between the clouds that had dumped so much rain on them earlier. As she spotted Savino’s castle about a mile away, the view reminded her of the time she had gone hiking with her father and brother at Multnomah Falls.
If only Dad was here to see this now, she thought.
She closed her eyes and listened to the roar of the falls behind her as the delicious scent of wet pin
e filled her nostrils. When she opened them again, Savino was standing very close.
Marisa gazed into his electric blue eyes in search of any understanding but sighed when she realized he couldn’t begin to comprehend what was going on inside her. He had no idea that she’d just lost her father and that this breathtaking landscape reminded her so much of the beautiful world she’d left behind.
Without warning, he slipped his arms around her and pulled her close to kiss her long and full on the lips. She tried to relax as he kissed her, but by the time Savino released her, Marisa was struggling for air.
“I apologize, milady, but I just could not help myself. You are so beautiful standing there, and your spontaneous tears warmed my heart.” He pulled her close again and kissed her for what seemed like a long time. His hand gently stroked her hair, and as they parted, he caressed her cheek.
Something in the corner of her eye caught her attention and she turned to see Darian’s stunned expression. From where he stood watching them on the path just a few feet away, he appeared to be frozen in shock.
With the deafening roar of the waterfall behind them, neither Savino nor Marisa had heard him approach, and she wondered how long he’d been standing there.
“Your Grace, I apologize for my intrusion. The rest of us thought that we should start heading back down to the castle.”
“Ah, yes—the ball tonight. You are right,” Savino said. He smiled smugly as he turned back to Marisa. “Shall we go down, my dear?”
She nodded and hastily wiped her cheeks. He took her hand and guided her across the bridge to the path and past Darian, who seemed rooted to the spot.
Finally, the gloomy-faced young man turned to follow them back down the mountain trail but didn’t utter a single word until long after they reached the castle.
CHAPTER 11
PROPOSALS
“AFTER YOU’VE FINISHED BATHING and changing, you may wait in the Blue Room down the hall until you are fetched for dinner,” Helinda shouted as she turned Marisa’s bed down for the evening.
When the talkative woman had finally left and the quiet had returned once again, Marisa sank down into the hot water and suds of the bathtub. Enjoying its warmth after the chilly outing to the waterfall, she thought about Savino’s kiss.
Although she had been falling for Darian, Savino was the one who seemed interested in her. He had only kissed her once, but it had confused her enough that she didn’t know what to think anymore.
Pangs of guilt dug into her heart as she remembered the look on Darian’s face when he saw them kissing. He had taken care of her when she had no one else, and it felt as if she’d betrayed him somehow. She felt ashamed of her behavior and decided that she owed him an apology. Perhaps an opportune moment to talk to him alone would arise later that evening.
Marisa climbed out of the tub and dried off. She entered the overstuffed cabinet filled with pretty clothes and sorted through the rows of dresses, considering each of them carefully. She tried on several but ended up tossing each one on the bed when it didn’t fit.
Realizing that time was getting short, she started to panic. She finally settled on an olive velvet dress with long sleeves and stiff underskirts. The gown complemented her reddish-brown hair, hazel eyes, and peachy complexion.
After searching the closet for a decent pair of shoes, she finally found some that didn’t match the dress perfectly but seemed to fit. She hoped that they wouldn’t squeeze her toes tight all night.
Peering into the jewelry box on the table, her eyes were drawn to a garnet-and-gold necklace with matching pear-drop earrings. They were the perfect icing on the cake.
She ran her fingers through her damp hair and swept both sides up with combs. Her half-up-half-down hairdo fell in soft ringlets over her shoulders, and the pear-drop earrings sparkled in the candlelight. She found some lip gloss and mascara in her satchel and applied just a dab of both.
Who am I trying to impress, anyway?
Moving in front of the full-length mirror, Marisa was stunned by her own reflection. She appeared much older than her eighteen years and she almost didn’t even recognize herself. She smiled as she imagined her father standing next to her, looking at her with pride and calling her his “beautiful Scottish lassie.”
Her smile slowly faded. At a time when she should have been hanging out with roommates in the dorm, cramming all night for a test and meeting guys on dates, she found herself engaged in shooting parties, dining at banquets, and dancing at balls. In this strange world where she mingled with future kings and rulers, nothing bore any semblance to the simple life she had always known back home, and all at once she felt horribly alone.
Marisa peered out through the windows facing the courtyard and saw that it had been magically transformed into a beautiful dance floor. Decorated with candles, flame torches, colorful flags, and draping banners, the castle looked beautiful, and it seemed to radiate a warm glow. Thankfully the weather continued to cooperate on into the evening, and guests began to arrive at the main gate.
As she watched the men and women enter the courtyard dressed in their finest clothes, she sighed, knowing that she couldn’t put it off any longer. She shut her chamber door and walked down the hall in the only direction she could go.
Marisa saw an open door and peeked in. It was a sitting room filled exclusively with blue furnishings and she knew it had to be the one where Helinda had told her to wait. She sank down into a blue velvet chair and fidgeted nervously.
Her eyes roamed the room in awe as they admired the sumptuous furnishings and rich oil paintings. She had always imagined castles to be old and spooky places. But with all its paintings, clocks, sculptures, and other decorative objects, this castle seemed more like a beautiful museum.
There was a knock on the door frame. She looked up and saw Darian slowly appraising her from head to toe.
“Magnificent,” he whispered.
She stood. “Thank you, Your Highness. So are you.”
He was wearing an elegant, black-armored suit and his face was cleanly shaven. His dark hair was combed back in soft waves, which made him appear both ruggedly handsome and elegantly sophisticated at the same time. The hilt of his sword flashed as he bowed solemnly to her.
“Shall we go down, milady?” he asked, offering her his arm.
Marisa slipped her arm nervously through his as they walked down the hall. Stunned by his handsome appearance, she knew that getting through the evening with Prince Darian would be incredibly difficult.
She heard soft music drifting up from one floor below and realized it might be her only opportunity to speak privately with him for the rest of the evening.
“Your Royal Highness, I wanted to apologize for my—um, strange behavior. I can’t really explain it except to say that I tend to freak out whenever I feel like I don’t have control over my own life.”
“But you don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Have any control over your life,” he said, laughing softly. He guided her down the long staircase. “Apology accepted,” he added with a smirk.
Now it was her turn to giggle.
When they reached the bottom of the steps, Marisa’s smile quickly faded. The chattering ceased and all eyes in the room focused on her. As she searched for any familiar face in the crowd, her eyes finally rested on Savino’s. The handsome blonde man whispered something to the small group of noblemen surrounding him and strode over to meet her.
“My darling, you look absolutely exquisite this evening.” He took her hand and kissed it before twirling her around in order to see her from every angle.
She smiled shyly at him and noticed Darian watching them.
“I am of the sound opinion that you are the most beautiful woman in the land this evening,” Savino said. “Tell me, Darian, how is it that you always manage to find me the prettiest ones?” He chuckled at his cousin’s icy stare.
“Of course, unlike me, Lady Marisa, Prince Darian is not free to court
you,” he said. “Did you know that many people consider me to be the most eligible bachelor in the land?”
Marisa smiled politely and shook her head as Savino took her arm and escorted her into the dining hall. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the look of defeat on Darian’s face. He was being forced to play by Savino’s rules as long as he was on his cousin’s turf.
The guests strolled into the dining room and assembled around a massive table. Marisa quickly counted fifty place settings as Savino took the head position at the table. He directed his cousin to sit to his right and Marisa on his left. Looking stunning in her pale pink evening gown, Lady Matilda had been strategically placed next to Darian.
“Please be seated,” said Savino in a loud voice. Everyone sat in unison while the multitude of waiters assisted in pushing the chairs up to the table.
Once she was comfortably settled, Marisa scanned the faces down the length of the table. Although Darian and Matilda were sitting just across the table from her, she still couldn’t hear what was being said. An elderly gentleman sat to her left, but he seemed to be off somewhere in his own little world as he blankly stared into space.
The only person for her to communicate with was Savino. After all, she was only a dumb mute and totally unable to keep up her end of the conversation anyway.
She glanced down the table and saw Arrie sitting on the opposite side, sandwiched between two elderly female courtiers who were already thick as thieves, mindlessly chattering away. By the look on his face, he didn’t seem thrilled at the prospect of being trapped between them for the entire length of the meal and Marisa couldn’t help but giggle. When he noticed her amusement at his ridiculous predicament, he just rolled his eyes and gave her a silly smile.
Savino proposed a toast in Darian’s honor, and Marisa lifted her glass along with the other guests. Soon the grand hall began to resonate with soft chatter as the guests engaged one another in polite dinner conversations.
The waiters descended on the table with hot bowls of soup. After Marisa had finished her soup course, a waiter appeared to whisk her empty bowl away. She knew her only responsibility for the evening was to sit there, be quiet, and look pretty. She didn’t mind, as long as she made it through the night in one piece.
The Carnelian Legacy Page 10