Princess Sarra sat in front of her dressing table and took another good look at herself. No blemish was allowed to be seen at her tea party .
The door suddenly opened and Sarra closed her eyes, annoyed. "Even as a prince, you don't just barge into a lady's chambers, brother."
Caius clicked his tongue snidely. "You should concentrate more about today."
Gritting her teeth, the princess sent her maids out with a wave of her hand. Only when they were alone did she stand up and turn to her brother. "I've already thought of everything. In Lady Fleuret's eyes, I will appear to be her savior as soon as the ladies begin to tease her."
"Excellent. But don't be too protective of her. I want her to leave her table in tears. She doesn't know her way around the castle. So to calm down, she'll go to a place she knows."
"Let me guess, you'll wait for her in the garden?" How imaginative.
Sarra thought her brother's plan was ridiculous. Still, she had to count on him to tear this woman away from her cousin. She didn't care if she fell for him or not, as long as it looked like they had something going on.
"Are you going to wear that to tea?" Her brother looked disapprovingly at her low-cut dress. "It's not appropriate to show so much skin."
Ashamed, she quickly covered her décolleté with a lace stole. "It's fashionable at the moment, but of course, as a man, you don't know anything about that.
"Whatever you say. But at least wear less rouge then, you look like a whore."
Sarra hated it when he looked at her like that and was more than happy when he left her room again.
She opened the stole and looked at herself in the mirror again. What did he know?
Nevertheless, she took a brooch and fastened the stole with it. She plucked one of her brown curls and dabbed some powder on her rouge-covered cheeks. Cousin Alec would never have treated her so disrespectfully, he was far too kind. That was exactly why she had to have him. After all, he was the only one who always looked after her.
+++
Celia could hardly suppress her nervousness. She hadn't been seen in society since her debut ball. Her father was worried that she might bring the family's good name into disrepute. The carriage stopped and the door was opened for her. A maid was already waiting there and led her to the large garden, where several tables were spread out.
Her heart was now beating up to her neck. Nevertheless, she tried to remember the correct etiquette. The princess was not yet present, but there was a chair at one of the tables that was decorated with flowers. That had to be the princess's seat. According to the duchess, her place as the future grand duchess was right next to it.
With her head held high, she strode purposefully towards the table. The other ladies rose and greeted her. "You must be Lady Fleuret, the Grand Duke's fiancée. The princess told us about you.
My name is Selise, the daughter of Count Chernin," the lady who sat next to the princess seat introduced herself. As the duchess wasn't there, the count's daughter must have slipped into the seats.
"I am pleased to make your acquaintance, honored Lady Chernin. An introduction on my part does not seem to be necessary."
Then another count's daughter and a baroness, who were also sitting at the same table, introduced themselves. Each of the ladies was still quite young. They presumably belonged to the princess's inner circle.
Lady Chernin made a sad face. "Oh, I hope I haven't upset you. We were just all so excited to see you. An unknown lady who was able to win the Grand Duke's heart."
Something about the way the count's daughter said that bothered her.
But before she could think about it any further, the arrival of the princess was announced.
Everyone immediately got up from their chairs and curtseyed elegantly to greet the princess.
The princess herself was even more beautiful than Celia remembered. Her light brown hair was elegantly pinned up today and adorned with pearls.
The princess's dress was also covered in pearls, some of which hung loosely from her body in chains hung loosely from her body and swung back and forth with every movement.
She wore a white lace stole around her shoulders and her gaze was sublime.
You would have thought an experienced queen was standing in front of them and not a princess barely as old as they were.
The princess sat down on her chair
and now the other ladies could sit down again. This seemed to officially open the tea party.
A fine tea and small sweet delicacies were served. The Grand Duke's food had already been heavenly, but the royal food was on a whole other level.
"I am delighted to see that you were actually able to come, Lady Fleuret," she addressed the princess and she had to take her eyes off the food.
"How could I not accept an invitation from the princess of our country? It is an honor to be here."
The princess smiled reservedly. "I'm glad to hear it." Then she took a sip of her tea.
Inwardly, Celia was completely dissolved and wished she could speak her thoughts out loud. This was just perfect!
For days, the duchess had been complaining that she was putting her cup down too loudly or holding it the wrong way. That's how she knew that she had just witnessed a perfect example. I wonder how long she had been practicing this?
"I'm surprised that you say you couldn't refuse a royal invitation," Lady Chernin suddenly intervened in the conversation between her and the princess. "I heard you even received a proposal from the prince. Didn't you turn it down?"
Celia was astonished that a simple count's daughter knew about this. She had assumed that this vain wretch would do anything to ensure that no one found out.