Chapter 13:
Celedia Leginbarth
“I DON’T RECOGNIZE HER, BUT SHE SEEMS about our age,” Beatrice murmured.
Milliaria put her cheek in her hand. “She certainly wasn’t at our debut in the spring.”
“That’s Lord Leginbarth, yes?” Luna said. “He’s unmarried, I thought, and without any young relatives.”
After a moment of conflict, Lect said, “That is Lady Celedia, His Lordship’s daughter.”
Melody looked up at him. The knight stared back. Hard.
“Celedia,” Anna-Marie said. “Celedia is her name, Sir Lectias?”
“Correct.”
Anna-Marie was slipping, saying things without thinking. Not Cecilia? Why? Is she not the heroine? But she has to be, if she’s Count Leginbarth’s daughter. Wait, of course! Cecilia already exists, and she spoke with the count at the Spring Ball. It would have been awkward to name her after a stranger, so he went with Celedia. Gah, this is so hard to keep track of! This is what happens when the main character’s fashionably late!
Leginbarth and his party vanished into the crowd before the lady could settle her thoughts. In the meantime, the others got to gossiping.
“Luna’s right. Lord Leginbarth is unmarried,” Beatrice whispered. “Who’s the mother?”
“Maybe she was born out of wedlock,” speculated Milliaria. “But then why hasn’t anyone seen her until tonight?”
“If she’s here, she must be of age. Do you think she’ll attend the academy?” Luna wondered aloud.
The vice-chancellor was well-known inside and outside the palace, as close to a celebrity as one could find in noble society. The ladies couldn’t help but theorize.
“It isn’t our business,” Anna-Marie snapped at them. “And it’s disrespectful to the count to question it. His Lordship bringing her here means he has every intention of legitimizing her and treating her as his own. Consider that, and then consider how such baseless conjecture against a Leginbarth might reflect on you.”
Beatrice nearly jumped out of her skin. “Y-you’re right. Terribly sorry.”
The rest of the gossipers followed suit.
“Apologizing is the first step,” Anna-Marie said. “Doubtless His Lordship knows he’ll be subject to far worse murmurings tonight. Be mindful, should any of you speak with him.”
“Of course,” the ladies replied, hanging their heads.
Anna-Marie smiled, and the tension finally lifted, but just then a servant approached.
“Pardon me, Lady Victillium.”
Just when she thought they’d get back to their friendly chat. “Yes? Can I help you?”
“His Majesty has summoned you. I’m told it’s urgent.”
“Well, I wonder what I’ve done to earn that honor.” Never letting her ladylike poise falter, she addressed her company. “I do apologize for this, but I must take my leave.”
“You can hardly keep His Majesty waiting,” Luciana said. “Please, don’t mind us.”
“I wish we could have talked longer. Lord Maxwell, be a good escort and don’t let your partner out of your sight. Not that you want to, I’m sure.”
“Naturally,” the lord replied.
“Now then. A pleasant evening to you all.”
Anna-Marie excused herself.
“A summons from the king,” Melody muttered in her wake. “I wonder what it could be.”
“Something to do with the princess, like as not,” Beatrice said. “But goodness, so much hustle and bustle, and the ball hasn’t even formally commenced. What do you all say we find somewhere to rest before the opening address?”
“That sounds perfect,” Milliaria agreed. “Shall we relocate to the lounge area?”
Luna and Luciana were on board with the idea, but Melody had other plans. “Sir Lectias and I ought to pay our respects to Lord Leginbarth, shouldn’t we?”
“Yes, I suppose we should,” Lect replied reluctantly.
As his direct lord, and the one who had ordered his attendance in the first place, it was only proper that Lect and his partner say hello.
“Should I join you?” Luciana said.
“No need, thank you,” Melody said. “We’ll only be a moment, so please, relax and enjoy yourself with your friends.” Another reason to see to the obligation sooner rather than later. Cecilia had come to support her lady, but Luciana would manage in the maid’s absence, surrounded by her friends. “Lord Maxwell, I leave Lady Luciana to you.”
Maxwell puffed a short chuckle. “First Lady Anna-Marie, now you. Lady Luciana’s certainly not wanting for love.”
“She is very lovable, after all.”
“That, I cannot deny.”
“Can I help you?!” Luciana fumed, steam near to billowing out of her crimson ears.
“We’ll return shortly,” Melody said.
“You better!”
With a bow, Cecilia and her escort wandered off toward the count.
“I believe I saw him go this way.”
Lect let Melody lead the way. He needed the time to steel his nerves. Who are you really, Lady Celedia? My lord’s daughter is Melody—Celesty, rather. He glanced down at her. It seemed like just yesterday. Her silver hair, her lapis lazuli eyes, her perfect, luscious, bare skin… Back! Away, demons!
“Lect? Why are you shaking your head?”
“S-surveying the ballroom. For His Lordship.”
“You’ll make yourself dizzy that way.” Melody giggled. “Silly way to look for someone.”
The knight’s cheeks reddened to a shade similar to his hair. Stay focused, Lectias. Stop letting your mind wander.
Right when he was in the middle of a sigh, someone called out to him. “Lectias!”
“Oh. Brother.”
“Brother?” Melody said.
Viscount Lyzack, patriarch of House Froude, was the spitting image of his younger sibling, if his younger sibling was skinnier and a tad softer around the edges. “This must be the fair maiden I’ve heard so much about. Greetings and good day. I am Lectias’s older brother, Lyzack.”
“A pleasure to meet you, my lord. I am Cecilia McMarden. Sir Lectias was very kind to offer me the opportunity to attend such an illustrious event.” Melody curtsied in her trademark, flawless way.
Lyzack noticed and his eyes narrowed. “You’re very learned, for a woman of your standing. Where did you study?”
“Under my mother, my lord.”
“Then a very learned mother she is.”
“She was a lovely woman, and your praise would have surely honored her.”
“Right, well…” Lyzack trailed off, intuiting that the mother Melody spoke of was no longer with them.
An awkward silence followed, one Lect freed them from. “Brother, have you seen His Lordship?”
“Just that way.” He pointed in the general direction of a throng of people, but it was enough to go off of.
“Thank you. We were just on our way to pay our respects.”
“If you’ll excuse us, my lord,” said Melody. She bowed and made to leave.
“A moment, madam,” Lyzack said suddenly.
“My lord?”
“Might you be interested in an education at Royal Academy?”
“I-I beg your pardon, my lord?”
“Wh-where did this come from?” Lect said.