Chapter 6:
The White Palace
JUST AS THE SUN began to set, Fiona and Giles arrived at an elegant castle of pure white that stood by a tiny lake, surrounded by lush green trees. This was the palace that would host the night’s ball. Their carriage entered a long, slow procession of lavish carriages extending from the front gate to the palace doors. All of the ball’s attendees were arriving on the same day, so there was a long line.
The driveway was lined on each side by sprawling gardens. The castle grounds contained old buildings said to have been there since the palace was first built. Even the front garden was filled with sights to see.
Wait a minute. That marble statue by the tower that we just passed—wasn’t that a Brandon? And that rose window… Was that an original from the era?
“Fiona,” Giles said.
“Y-yes!” Snapping back to attention, Fiona whirled away from the window at which she’d been eagerly perched and sat up straight. Fiona had said very little during the drive over, her nerves having gotten the better of her, but once they entered the palace grounds, nerves were the least of her problems. She wasn’t all that knowledgeable about architecture, but her heart was so drawn to the historical significance of the old buildings that she had been practically falling out the carriage window to look at them.
But she was there for the royal ball, not to sightsee or study.
“There will be plenty of things to see inside the palace too,” Giles told her. “So please, just for today, let go of the idea of seeing the Brandon or the rose window.”
“Um…was I thinking out loud just now?”
“You were lost in a dream for a while there yes.”
Oh. Oh, I could just die! Her cheeks burning from her early blunder, Fiona shrank into a ball on the carriage seat. “I… I’m so sorry…”
“No, it’s quite all right. This is a special night. You should enjoy yourself.” From the light chuckle in Giles’s voice, it was clear that Fiona had reacted precisely as he’d imagined she would. Still, for all his reassurances that she needn’t worry, Fiona was dying of mortification. Giles added, “I know that seeing old paintings and buildings will relax you far more than chatting with me.”
“Oh dear, but I didn’t mean to—”
“I know. And that’s fine for now.”
For now? Fiona looked up at him, curious about his wording, and found him looking straight at her. She stopped breathing. He was much closer to her than she had expected.
“You finally looked at me,” Giles murmured.
“Lord Gil…”
“Your head was in the clouds. You haven’t looked at me all day.”
“Oh, um… Well, that’s because…” Fiona floundered. Giles’s expressions had become far richer as of late. He would smile one minute, then sulk the next, which made Fiona feel strangely guilty. He’d always been surprisingly straightforward with his emotions around her, whether he was happy or angry, but recently—ever since the day she opened her uncle’s paintings—he had been even more open with his feelings.
By no means is he doing anything wrong…but this is bad for my heart!
The Impenetrable Icy Scion. It sounded complimentary on the surface, but Giles couldn’t have been happy to be called that. Fiona ought to have been pleased to see the change in him, but seeing him so vulnerable made her emotional, regardless of how he appeared on the surface.
And of course, if that weren’t enough, Fiona had an eventful evening ahead of her.
“Because what?” Giles prodded.
“I just can’t help but be nervous,” Fiona said.
“Just think of this party as a friendly visit with my godmother and sister. Everyone else is just set dressing.”
Giles dismissing the queen’s royal ball as “set dressing” made Fiona smirk. How easy her life might be, if only she could see it that way! Her family had sent her off warmly, bidding her to enjoy herself, but she just couldn’t enjoy the palace’s dreamlike ambience.
“Attending the party tonight is our most important objective,” Giles assured her. “Don’t worry yourself over social interactions.”
“But—”
“It’s just like any other party.”
Um, no, it’s definitely different! She refrained from saying so aloud, but in her mind, Fiona was adamantly shaking her head no.
Besides, nerves weren’t the only reason she hadn’t been looking at Giles. She stared at the ground and mumbled, “Also, Lord Gil… You’re just so beautiful, it hurts to look at you.”
“Fiona.” Giles lifted her chin, gently and effortlessly, with just one finger.
Urk! See, what did I say?! He’s practically glowing!
“I think that’s my line, not yours.”
“Wha…?!”
He trapped her in his serious gaze, and any words Fiona might have said back to him vanished from her mind. She felt herself flush all the way to her neck. Then the carriage came to a halt, and somebody told them it was time to get out.
Thank goodness, Fiona thought with a sigh of relief.
Giles removed his finger from her chin. “Feel more relaxed now?”
Fiona’s eyes shot open. Oh… Oh, he got me! Apparently, it had all been a tactic to get Fiona to relax. Well, no harm done; the ordeal had made her uncomfortable, but somehow, it wasn’t a bad discomfort. Fiona sighed heavily, a genuine smile spreading over her face as her blush receded. “Thank you very much.”