Undercover Princess

by Connie Glynn

  Before she could react, he spun her again and when he twirled her back he dipped her, leaning in again and Lottie found herself blushing at how close they were. ‘But thank you,’ he added, before returning to a standing position.

  Not such a bad dancer after all.

  They came to a stop as the music faded, the two of them slightly breathless and still holding one another.

  ‘Jamie …’ She said his name delicately, as if she worried it might break in her mouth if she spoke too loud.

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen, if you would please gather with a partner in the middle for the royal waltz.’

  Lottie looked up at Jamie hopefully, but his gaze was behind her. He leaned down to her again. ‘Our princess is here.’

  Lottie turned abruptly, all at once forgetting Jamie as she turned to see Ellie. Jamie slunk away while he had the chance, leaving the two of them alone.

  They stood opposite each other: Ellie in her deep black gown twinkling with crystals, making her seem as if she were wearing the night sky itself, and Lottie, a vision in white and peach, the gold lining of the fabric shining like a gilded dawn. With her dress flowing behind her Ellie took a confident step towards Lottie so they were face-to-face, their breath in sync.

  ‘May I have this dance?’ she asked with only a hint of irony in her voice.

  ‘It would be my pleasure.’

  47

  Ellie took Lottie’s hand and kissed the back of it dramatically, causing a particularly sharp version of that familiar static to shoot up her arm. She spun her into an embrace, making Lottie giggle as she landed comfortably in her arms.

  ‘Hi,’ she said, their faces mere inches from one another.

  ‘Hi,’ Ellie breathed in response, the air from their words mingling together.

  When the music started the two girls began moving together so fluidly it was as if they were a single being effortlessly floating across the hall. As they spun around the marble floor, the liquid fabric of their dresses melted into each other, the black and white forming a yin and yang effect as they twirled gracefully. Ellie led naturally, a strength and determination in each step that seamlessly matched Lottie’s subtle and delicate movements. Lottie gradually leaned into Ellie, resting her head against her shoulder as they slowed down.

  ‘I forgot to tell you how amazing you look in that gown,’ Ellie said gently.

  Lottie smiled, a warm feeling spreading through her body. ‘Thank you … I’m sorry you had to wear one too, though you look lovely in it … if that helps.’

  Ellie chuckled, its low rumble vibrating against Lottie’s cheek. Lottie let herself completely relax into her as they swayed together. As they turned, she was abruptly taken aback by three familiar faces. Anastacia, Raphael and Saskia were standing by the wall near a massive spread of fruit on a gilded table.

  Anastacia was dressed in a deep-red dress that puffed out at the sides like one of the flowers from the overhanging bouquets, her chestnut brown hair partly up, the rest cascading down her shoulders. Lottie felt as though she were looking at a character from an old French film. Raphael was dressed in a deep burgundy suit, matching Anastacia, though it was unlikely she’d agreed to that. Lottie was surprised Saskia had chosen a dark suit instead of a dress and yet it was so comfortable and natural on her that she could have been born in it.

  But it wasn’t their effortless beauty that caught her eye. Anastacia seemed on edge, fidgeting in a way that was out of character. Saskia slowly looked up and her gaze fell instantly on Ellie and her. She smiled and Lottie returned the gesture, relieved she was there to calm Anastacia.

  ‘I can distract Jamie if you really want to dance with Edmund, but just a dance, OK?’

  Lottie looked at Ellie in surprise. She had entirely forgotten about him while dancing with Ellie and she was reminded that the main thing she was supposed to be looking forward to was seeing him. She tensed up suddenly.

  ‘Lottie?’ Ellie asked questioningly. ‘Are you OK?’

  Lottie buried her face back in Ellie’s chest. ‘I’m nervous.’ The words came out muted against Ellie’s skin. ‘What if he kisses me?’

  Ellie laughed outright and Lottie immediately felt embarrassed.

  ‘Bite him,’ Ellie said frankly.

  ‘Ellie, I’m serious. I’ve never kissed anyone before!’ Lottie looked at her pleadingly.

  ‘Good.’ She chuckled again and Lottie grumbled at her lack of sympathy.

  ‘Haven’t you ever been with a boy?’ Lottie asked.

  Ellie raised an eyebrow. ‘Lottie, the only thing I’ve ever been with a boy is annoyed.’

  Lottie almost laughed, but she was too nervous. She sighed wistfully. ‘I just want it to be perfect.’

  Ellie looked at her seriously, slowing them down so she could be as clear as possible. ‘Listen, Lottie –’ she lowered her hand to pull her even closer, so their foreheads gently touched – ‘if anything isn’t exactly how you want or expect it to be, then I will be there for you to break his pompous nose.’

  ‘Ellie!’ Lottie tried to groan, but it came out more as a giggle. ‘Thank you.’

  The music came to an end and Ellie quickly spun Lottie. ‘I do not condone this, but –’ she gave Lottie a gentle push, not dissimilar to her mother’s actions earlier – ‘go dance with the prince.’

  Lottie felt a strange physical loss as she moved away from Ellie, but she didn’t have time to think about it as she practically fell into Edmund’s arms. He caught her as she tripped forward ungracefully to where he had been standing patiently at the edge of the dancers.

  ‘I was starting to think I’d never get my turn,’ he said with a cunning smile.

  Lottie felt her heart skip a beat as he escorted her back to the dance floor. They assumed the same positions they had at the etiquette class and Lottie smiled up at his icy-blue eyes. Now that he was there in front of her she instantly remembered how he made her feel.

  ‘I thought it would be good to make you wait,’ she said, amazing herself with how casual she was being.

  He purred a low laugh as the next waltz began. It wasn’t the same thrill as it had been with Ellie and their movements were far more predictable than when she’d danced with Jamie. Instead they were the poster children for a classic waltz, just as someone would expect of a prince and princess.

  ‘I’ll be honest, I was hoping a girl like you would have found a way to contact me,’ he said, spinning her out and bringing her back in, closer than before. Lottie found her cheeks going hot at the feel of his heartbeat through his clothes, failing to understand the undertone to his words.

  ‘Too many watchful eyes,’ she replied honestly, missing the thrilled look in the prince’s gaze.

  He tutted. ‘Ah, I understand that very well.’ The smile on his face turned wry, and he gave a sharp look in the direction of where Lottie assumed his parents were. When he glanced back he gave Lottie a knowing look, which she didn’t quite understand.

  ‘But …’ Lottie said as they glided through another step, ‘I’m sure I can make it up to you.’ By you giving me my first kiss, she added in her head.

  He looked down at her again, the smile on his face replaced by a considering look. The waltz wasn’t even halfway through when he leaned closer and whispered gently in her ear, ‘Let’s go somewhere quieter, away from all these watching eyes. I have something I want to share with you.’

  Lottie’s breath caught in her throat. This is it! she thought. I’m going to have my first kiss … at a ball … with a prince … and I’m not dreaming!

  She beamed at him, forgetting she’d promised Ellie that she’d only dance with the prince. ‘I know just the place!’

  He smiled back, mirroring her excitement. ‘Of course you do,’ he purred softly, and grinned at her.

  Lottie took his white gloved hand and guided him through the pairs of dancing figures, the two of them gliding across the floor almost unnoticed as they pivoted among the other guests. She led him out of the ballroom, dee
per into the palace, already knowing exactly in which room she wanted their first kiss to take place. It would be in the creamy, floral room with the huge arched window overlooking the fountain, the ideal mix of innocent and lavish, which Ellie had shown her on the tour of the palace earlier.

  He laughed as they approached, giving her a sideways glance as they came to a stop. ‘Such a hurry,’ he panted, leaning against the wall to catch his breath.

  ‘Sorry,’ she replied breathlessly. ‘I’m just excited.’

  She felt her familiar blush creeping on to her cheeks and didn’t mind that it wasn’t just from the running and dancing. She opened the door, anticipation building in her stomach as a million butterflies danced around inside her.

  ‘Follow me.’

  Edmund complied, stepping behind her, a grin splitting his face. He gently closed the door, a sharp click echoing through the room as it shut. Then he turned to her, the strange manic smile on his lips seeming out of character.

  A chill ran through her and a voice in her head whispered: Lottie, you’re a fool.

  48

  ‘Finally we’re away from all those boring pests,’ said Edmund. A malicious tone crept into his voice, making Lottie feel uncomfortable.

  Then, before she could register what was happening, he grabbed her head with both hands and crushed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened in shock; things were happening too fast and forcefully for her to comprehend. He pulled away, leaving an odd dryness on her lips. She froze. She didn’t feel wonderment, as she would have expected after her first kiss, but underwhelmed and confused at how unpleasant the experience had been.

  This isn’t right. The kiss lingered on her lips with a sickly alcoholic taste that she wanted to wipe away. He didn’t even look at her as he proceeded to walk over to a side table and pull a flask from his waistcoat, before pouring a stream of dark pungent liquid into two glasses.

  I have something I want to share with you.

  Lottie gulped. Confused by what she was seeing and feeling, she sat down hard on the chaise longue in the centre of the room, her fingers still hovering over her lips, her mind telling her that something was wrong. This was not the kind of behaviour she’d expected of Edmund. This is not how she’d wanted this to go.

  ‘What do you mean?’ she asked, a realization dawning that she may have completely misunderstood him horribly.

  ‘You know what I mean.’

  He shrugged off his jacket and unbuttoned the top three notches of his shirt before running his hands through his hair. When he took his hand away from his face Lottie almost gasped at how different he looked. The transformation was terrifying. He’d entered the room as a bright and elegant Prince Charming and was now a messy, feral animal.

  It was all backwards: she’d kissed the prince and he’d turned into a frog.

  ‘All these tedious airs and graces,’ he continued, taking a large gulp of his drink. ‘Everyone so pathetically easy to fool.’

  Lottie felt her hands start to tremble and quickly stood up, moving to the other side of the room, away from this stranger. They’d both got each other completely wrong.

  Does he really believe I’m like him? How on earth am I going to explain this misunderstanding?

  ‘I think –’

  He cut her off before she could explain. ‘I can’t tell you how thrilling it was when I saw you at Lady Priscilla’s.’ A sarcastic snigger escaped before he carried on. ‘I’d heard so much about you and then to see you were just like me, pretending to be a good little royal.’ He smirked as if laughing at his own joke. ‘Unfortunately your reputation precedes you, but we can remedy that if you do what I say. I’ve been tricking people for years. I’m an expert.’ His eyes narrowed in a menacing look of plotting.

  Then there was that inner voice again: Lottie, you are a fool!

  She’d fallen for Edmund’s charming persona and conjured up naive ideas about her first kiss, her fantasies running away with her. Ellie and Jamie had warned her and she hadn’t listened and now she was trapped in a room with a boy who thought she was someone completely different. And the worst part was he didn’t even think he’d tricked her. She had been so stupid that even he didn’t expect her to have fallen for it. He thought she was like him. Lottie’s mind raced, trying to figure out how she could get out of this situation without causing any more trouble.

  ‘On second thoughts,’ she said carefully, ‘I think I should get back to the party. I have royal duties to attend to and I can’t have people getting suspicious.’ Her heart was racing and she became hyper aware of the door. She slowly edged towards her escape.

  ‘You can cut the act now,’ he said. ‘Though I have to say, even I’m impressed by your commitment to this role.’ He casually sat down on the chaise longue, swirling the drink in his hand steadily. ‘We all know what you’re really like, Princess Wolfson.’ The name came out like a purr and he gave her a look as if he expected her to do something.

  Lottie froze, her mind going completely blank. ‘I think maybe there’s been a misunderstanding.’ She could hardly get the words out with her shaky voice.

  He leaned his head back and gave a brutal bellowing laugh that made her flinch.

  This is not Edmund. This has got to be an evil twin.

  Her brain was trying to come up with a million other explanations other than just ‘You’re an idiot’.

  He stopped laughing and gave her a terrifying sharp look, like an animal about to attack. ‘OK, I’m getting bored of this now.’ He stood and downed his drink in one chug and threw the glass against the wood-lined wall, grinning at her as it smashed. He grabbed the other glass and held it out to her. ‘Show me that notorious girl I’ve heard so much about.’

  She slowly stepped backwards as he edged towards her, feeling for the door handle behind her.

  How could I have been so stupid? she thought desperately. Flashing through her mind were images of Jamie and Ellie telling her how careful she had to be because of Ellie’s fake reputation.

  ‘I’m such a fool!’ she breathed.

  ‘What was that?’ He took a step forward. ‘I can’t hear you.’ He was grinning maniacally, his expression making Lottie simultaneously feel sick and want to slap him for thinking that Ellie would ever waste her time with a slug like him.

  ‘I said, you’re boring me.’

  She turned to the door, forcing herself to act as calmly and dismissively as possible. She placed her hand on the door handle.

  Edmund slammed his arm against the door, banging it shut and trapping her. She jumped at his sudden forcefulness and turned to find him looking confused.

  ‘Let me go,’ she said assertively, glaring furiously at him.

  He faltered for a moment, caught by the intensity of her expression. In her anger she could now see all the cracks in his persona. He wasn’t a Prince Charming of any sort; he was just a spoiled little rich boy.

  ‘What did I do wrong?’ he said playfully, the strong odour of alcohol making her even more annoyed.

  ‘I said,’ she repeated firmly, ‘let me GO.’

  She thrust her palms into his chest as hard as she could and he toppled backwards a little in surprise before catching his balance.

  She held her breath expecting him to be angry, but he laughed again.

  ‘Now that’s more like the girl I heard about.’ He held the drink out for her again and she grunted in exasperation. There was just no getting through to this idiot.

  She lifted her hand and smacked the glass hard out of Edmund’s grasp. It smashed against the floor, spilling the dark liquid across the embroidered carpet. Taking advantage of Edmund’s surprise, Lottie rushed to the door. But before she could reach the handle she felt a hand grab her dress.

  A harsh tearing sound ripped through the air and Edmund succeeded in pulling her away from the door. Her tiara flew off her head and clattered on to the floor.

  ‘My dress!’ she cried as she landed roughly on the chaise longue. In a mirror on the wall
she could see that there was a huge rip up the back that caused one of the sleeves to fall down. Uncontrollable tears pricked her eyes and she wailed, ‘No, no, no! You ruined my dress, that was a gift from –’ She quickly covered her mouth with her hands, but it was too late – she’d given herself away.

  Edmund stood very still in front of her, looking blank. Slowly, like blood seeping from a wound, a dark smile wormed its way on to his face.

  ‘You …’ he began, taking a step forward so he towered over her again. ‘It wasn’t an act, was it? You really thought I was –’ He laughed again, a nasty mocking cackle, and he grabbed his stomach as if his sides would burst. ‘You fell for my charming routine, didn’t you?’

  Lottie cast her eyes to the floor and hiccupped back a sob.

  ‘Stop that, I’m the real victim,’ he chided unsympathetically. ‘Here I was thinking I’d finally found a wild royal girl, someone just like me who –’

  ‘I’m nothing like you,’ she said fiercely, outraged that he would ever think he and Ellie had anything in common.

  ‘Apparently so,’ he said vacantly, as he leaned down, propping her chin up with his hand. ‘You’re just as boring as everyone else.’

  His words rekindled every insecurity Lottie had about her place in the world of royals. She felt the tears building again when the door burst open with a crash.

  ‘YOU SON OF A –’

  Everything suddenly moved very fast yet very slowly, all at once. Ellie and Jamie surged through the door furiously. Edmund turned in surprise to see Jamie trying to hold Ellie back, but she evaded him and came storming towards them. Lottie didn’t have time to explain the situation; it was too late. Ellie balled one hand into a fist and with the other grabbed Edmund by his collar.

  And then Princess Eleanor Wolfson punched Prince Edmund Ashwick, hard, in the face.

  49

  Edmund fell back against the wall, clutching his nose as a bright stream of blood gushed out between his fingers, running down his lips and neck, and leaving a crimson crescent mark on his shirt. It was a violent display – Lottie had to cover her mouth to stop from screaming – but the fact that Edmund was still conscious, and cursing loudly, indicated that he wasn’t that badly injured.