know the real reason why and what grows in your belly. Or is that a lie so you may snatch the crowned prince?” I pressed,
dropping her hand into her lap forcefully.
I looked her up and down before standing. She may have pushed a nerve, but I didn’t enjoy being questioned about where
or what I’d been doing. If Mother wanted to know, maybe she should come and ask me. Not send someone in her stead.
Taking my leave, I picked up the jacket behind me, no longer bothered if she ran back to Mother and folded it over my
arms. She and her ladies quickly stood and curtsied in response. Already the tension in the air had grown stale.
I wasn’t the type of person to make nasty remarks or even speak unkindly to someone, but I had the impression she was on a
fishing expedition and looking for things to gossip about as well as tell Mother everything.
“You might be blessed after your marriage with the title of a royal, but your blood will never truly belong here. So, don’t
forget your place,” I said with a sneer.
As I began to walk away, I could hear the mumbles and words whispered behind my back. I headed out the rose garden and
into the tree line. The sun was not ready to set for another few hours, and I was not ready to head inside.
I dreaded potentially bumping into Dorian, but even Talia I wasn’t sure if I wished to see now. She was usually the one
clued up in all the court gossip, and if Lady Gelda had spotted me with Lord Cole, that meant Talia already knew, and likely
Mother.
Today was not turning out the way I hoped it would.
Chapter 12
ORNELLA
Stomping through the mud, I headed in no particular direction. I just wanted to put some distance between myself and the
nosey, gossiping ladies of the court. I should have been used to it by now, and yet, it still took me by surprise. Lady Gelda
didn’t seem like one of those ladies when we first met. If anything she seemed very placid—vanilla even.
Reaching the same lilac field, I huffed as I sat down on the fallen log. Cole’s jacket was still in my arms as I looked up at
the daylight sky. The sun’s rays warmed my skin gently while the scent of pine and lilacs covered my senses, calming my
nerves.
“Well, you sure showed her didn’t you. I never thought you had a nasty bone in your body, my sweet.”
I jumped at the sound of him in my head. When would I stop getting surprised by his voice? Yet here it was ringing through
my mind as I looked around wondering if I could spot him.
“She shouldn’t have been nosey,”I said dryly.
“Even I would ask you questions if I saw another man’s jacket resting against your skin.”
A blush rushed to my cheeks as I held onto Cole’s jacket, his scent still lingering faintly under my nose. Was my shadow