Andrew Robinson
Stories
4
Chapters
1,142
Words
1.6 M
Comments
0
Reading
5 d, 16 h
-
"What happened to your hair?!" the countess screeched when her daughter arrived home with a lion's mane and no bonnet. "The wind at the ocean side was very strong, Mother," I said calmly. The only way to deal with her when she got hysterical was to remain absolutely calm. It had not taken long in this world to learn that much. "Yes, very strong," Percy agreed while standing stoically beside me. "Her bonnet flew right off and the pins with it." The countess had no reason to doubt the word of her…-
42 •
-
-
The walk back was pretty quiet until I spotted a familiar name—Carmine's Bakery. That was where Marcy worked. I grew excited at the prospect of checking it out. The pastries there were famous, after all. And I looked like a wreck even after putting my shoes back on (the bonnet was a lost cause with my windblown hair so Percy tucked it under his arm) so no one would guess I was a noble. I could come back later to talk about getting a job with no problem. "Percy, I want to go there! I heard their…
-
42 •
-
-
I heard the ocean before I saw it. Seagulls cawed left and right, even swooping over our heads. One nearly snatched my bonnet and I cried out in delight. How exciting! I'd always hated the thing anyway. Untying the ribbon from around my neck, I also removed the horrible shoes and peeled off my stockings. I handled the whole bundle to my scandalized older brother. "What on earth are you doing?!" "Enjoying myself," I retorted. "Sweet Percy, watch my things for me, I'm going to go wade in the…
-
42 •
-
-
"I'll write to you," I promised Edmund as we hugged each other goodbye. He would be away at school for another year and a half. Out of all my siblings, he would be the easiest to contact once I ran away since the earl and countess wouldn't be around to spy on his mail. "Find yourself a good husband, Katie. Charles seemed to like you, you can't really do better than him!" he said with a wink. I was horrified. Charles?! Duke Orla?! Putting my disgust aside, I managed a sweet smile. "I don't think he…
-
42 •
-
-
Debutante practice continued—I had to present myself before the king and queen, after all, and the countess would stand for no shame to her house from me—until my sixteenth birthday arrived. We were set to begin our journey to the capital three days later. I didn't have any real friends here outside my siblings so I requested a simple birthday tea that was family only. The countess was disappointed since she loved social occasions but eventually agreed to my request since I'd been so compliant in…
-
42 •
-
-
The closer we got to my debut, the more of a slave driver the countess was. She made me spend hours with my dance master every single day and I danced so hard my feet ached constantly. It didn't help that the shoes here had zero arch support. I wondered if I could contact a cobbler about making me some more comfortable shoes. What I wouldn't give for some gel inserts about now. "Percy, I'm going to die long before I debut," I said dramatically as we dismounted our horses after one of our daily rides.…
-
42 •
-
-
"Your Grace, please forgive my discourtesy," I said quickly, dropping the book in my hasty to curtsy. I then realized I wasn't wearing shoes because I'd kicked them off to get comfy in my chair. Even better. "At ease. I will not tell your mother," he said with the ghost of a smile on his face. "As long as you tell me what you were reading." I gaped up at him in shock. This guy was surprisingly persistent in talking to a girl for someone who was nothing but a military counselor in the novel. I tried…
-
42 •
-
-
Dinner was largely a silent affair. I was seated in between my brothers and directly across from the duke. I could feel his stare boring into me. What was that about? Is it just because Catherine is pretty? I hardly said two words to the guy. Edmund kicked me under the table and I jumped. I turned towards him furiously since the countess was distracted and whispered. "What?!" "You've been so quiet since I got here. You're no fun, Cathy." "I prefer Katie these days," I said stiffly as I kicked him…
-
42 •
-
-
"Katie, why are you crying?" Adele asked with a quivering lip. "Don't cry!" She held out a cookie to me as we sat in her nursery having tea. I hastily wiped my tears. I couldn't afford to be melancholy here. My identity as Catherine du Pont had to remain intact. Little slips in my true character—like insisting Adele call me Katie instead of Cathy, like she had been before—were all I could allow. I gave her a watery smile. "How could I cry when I have a sweet little sister like you?" She beamed at…
-
42 •
-
-
King Alpheus II of Annalaias was the man that the male lead of this novel was named after. Third prince Alpheus Randolph McLeod, the love interest of the Cinderella-esque main character, Marcy Grandin—a bakery worker whose craft was praised highly enough for her to get a position in the palace. This couldn't be happening to me. I went on a binge a while back when I bent over and threw my back out so I couldn't move for four days where I read nothing but transmigration comics. And now I had…
-
42 •
-
- Previous 1 … 113 114 115 Next
