The song seemed to be coming to an end. “What’s our new plan?” Maude murmured, trying to keep her voice low, in spite of her swirling emotions.

“I’m not sure,” Jaspar admitted. “Shall we just see how things play out?” he suggested. “I’m sure they will seek us out.”

Maude bit her lip, disliking the uncertainty that came with not having a plan. “You’re right,” she replied. “And Lady Von Wickten saw me earlier. So you’re probably right.” She nearly stumbled a bit from her toes curling with anxiety, but Jaspar helped her smoothly recover.

“Are you okay with that plan?” he asked her, looking genuinely concerned.

Maude bit her lip, but nodded. “I’m just not really looking forward to a direct confrontation with either of them.”

He nodded, as the song finished. “I think it’s a bit unavoidable, unfortunately,” he said.

She grimaced, as he offered his arm and escorted her from the dance floor. She couldn’t help but notice some ladies pointing at them and whispering as they walked by. A couple of the ladies giggled. It took every ounce of Maude’s concentration to hold back a scowl.

Of all of the things that Fronica Von Wickten could say about me, she just had to paint me as a harlot, didn’t she? Maude thought. That woman doesn’t know when she’s lost, or when to call it quits.

“Would you like a glass of champagne?” Jaspar asked her as they got away from the dance floor. The next song was starting, and Maude noticed that both Lady Fronica and Silas had also not returned for a second dance.

“That sounds lovely,” she murmured, as he dropped her off at one of the far corners of the ballroom. I’m definitely going to need some alcohol to get through this, she thought.

“Perfect, I’ll be back in a moment,” Jaspar replied, raising his eyebrows at her. She squinted at him.

Is he using this moment as bait? She considered. I’d bet that he is.

Jaspar walked away, and Maude looked out into the crowd of people, seeing if there was anyone else she recognized. Surely Lady Melissa and Lady Cristyne had also been invited to the crown prince’s birthday ball.

She wasn’t sure what she wouldn’t do to see a friendly face besides Jaspar’s during what seemed as though it was going to be a tortuous ball.

Scanning, though, the crowd revealed no one additional that she knew. I wonder if they are elsewhere, Maude thought. Maybe they are eating some pastries or something like that.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a couple of people approaching her. Fronica? She wondered, not wanting to turn her head to figure out who it was. It would just tip the person off that she knew they were coming towards her. My goodness, I hope Jaspar comes back soon with that alcohol, she thought.

“Maude?” she heard the snotty woman’s voice say. Maude closed her eyes for a brief moment, trying to gather her resolve to calmly deal with Fronica.

If Jaspar was trying to have me be the bait, it worked well, she thought.

“That would be Lady Holloway, to you, Lady Fronica,” Maude replied, spinning on her heels to face Fronica and Silas. Silas seemed to only have eyes for her, so Maude focused her attention on Fronica. “I don’t believe I ever gave you permission to call me only by my first name,” she added.

Fronica scowled. “As if you deserve even an ounce of my respect,” she shot back.

“Hmm,” Maude replied, tapping her pointer finger on her lips. “Yet I am a guest of Duke Rosenberg’s so I imagine it’s to your benefit to be respectful towards me.”

Fronica’s face turned beet red, and Maude wasn’t really sure if it was because the woman was embarrassed or angry. Perhaps it was even both.

“You stole him from me,” she replied, changing the subject. “You stole the man who I was supposed to be wed to.”

People were beginning to pay attention to their conversation. Maude swallowed hard, wishing that Jaspar would come back sooner rather than later with their drinks. Her stomach twisted up at the idea that she was going to have to deal with Fronica alone.

Maude tried to hide her feelings. She crossed her arms across her chest, and raised her eyebrows at Fronica. “If I recall correctly, I have informed you on multiple occasions that your assumptions about the nature of Duke Rosenberg’s and my relationship are incorrect. Where have you become so convinced that you know better otherwise?” she asked.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

She noticed that there were a couple of people paying attention to them who had nodded. Maude felt her heart lighten a little at the idea that there may be at least one or two people who were on her side.

“Lord Silas told me all about your meeting with him,” Fronica informed Maude with a smug smile on her face, as if she could win with that evidence alone.

“And what did he say?” Maude asked, glancing over at him. He was still intensely gazing at her. Maude caught herself before she scowled at him.

“He said that you confirmed you and Duke Rosenbeerg were together,” Fronica replied, wearing a face of victory.

Maude looked between the two of them. “Oh I did, did I?” Maude asked, looking at Silas. “Well that’s news to me. I’m fairly certain that I didn’t say anything and just started walking away when Lord Silas began asking me questions about the nature of Duke Rosenberg’s and my relationship.”

“Saying nothing at all is basically confirming it,” Fronica replied snottily.

“Is it?” Jaspar’s voice asked from behind Maude, as he gently handed her a flute of champagne. “I’m fairly certain that Lord Silas just jumped to conclusions about Lady Maude who wouldn’t leave Aulbert with him to go get married.”

Maude smiled coyly at Fronica. “Is it really my friend’s business anyway?” she asked. “Lord Silas and I were never engaged. And he was asking me to run away with him from Aulbert. I couldn’t forsake the people of Aulbert in that manner.”

Fronica looked frustrated. Already feeling satisfied with their work, Maude took a drink of her alcohol.

The people who were paying attention around them were nodding at Maude’s words. I know it probably won’t put a stop to all of the rumors, but it should at least help a little bit, Maude thought.

“I think that same rule would apply to you and I, Lady Fronica,” Jaspar replied to Fronica’s frustrated look. “We were never engaged to be married, and yet when I arrived at the ball tonight, I received news that you have been saying terrible things about my guest, Lady Holloway. Care to explain yourself?”

Maude had to bite her lip to hold back a giddy smile. His words will cut her more than mine, she thought. But one thing I do know is that I don’t ever want to get on Jaspar’s bad side.

Fronica glared at Maude. “She stole you from me,” she accused, pointing a white gloved hand at Maude. “There is no other explanation for why you would break off the engagement we’ve been talks about for nearly our whole lives.”

“So your behavior towards a guest of the Rosenberg Duchy is not a reasonable explanation as to why I might break it off?” There were murmurs in the crowd that was spectating. “I know all about you cornering Lady Maude at the tea party when the two of you first met. Don’t try to play games with me.”

He knows about that? Maude wondered. I don’t think I was the one who told him about that…

Maude thought back to the first tea party, and who was there. Jaspar had trusted her so much less back then. Was it possible that Jakob had overheard her conversation with Fronica?

Maude looked over at Silas, as the second song of the ball was ending. He was still looking at her. He didn’t seem to be all that concerned about what Jaspar and Fronica were talking about. His gaze was starting to make Maude feel uneasy.

“Not going to say anything?” Maude asked him sharply. “Cat got your tongue?”

Silas blinked and shook his head as if he had been in some kind of trance. “Sorry, I…” he shook his head more vigorously. “I was just a little shocked and surprised to see you dressed up so nicely for a ball.”

Maude scowled at his comment. “So I’m not allowed to wear dresses or something because I’m a sword saint?” she asked.

“No, no, no,” he replied, crossing his arms. “That’s not what I meant at all, it’s just…” His face grew redder. “I just don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress before…at least, not since we were children.”

Maude widened her eyes. I suppose that’s probably true, she thought. It’s not as though I was allowed to go to any balls or anything like that, so I suppose he really would have never seen me in a gown.

“I was just surprised at how naturally you wear them,” he stated. The music in the ballroom paused, signifying the third dance was about to begin. “Would you care to dance with me, Lady Maude?” he asked.

Maude frowned. Do I really want to dance with Silas? She asked herself, considering all of the grief he had caused her in her new life. For old time’s sake, I suppose, she decided.

“Alright,” she agreed, putting her gloved hand into his outstretched hand. Beside them, Fronica and Jaspar were still conversing. Maude noticed that both of them looked even more frustrated and flustered than they had before.

It doesn’t seem like he’s getting through to her all that well, Maude thought as Silas escorted her to the dance floor. I wonder if I’ll have any different luck with Silas.

They arrived at the dance floor, and Silas bowed. She curtsied. As the music began, he gently placed one of his hands out for her to hold, and the other on the small of her back. She grabbed his hand, and put her other hand on his shoulder. The music began, and off they went, Maude paying extremely close attention to every single one of her steps.

“You’re a good dancer for someone who never learned,” Silas remarked.

“Thank you,” she replied. “I’ve spent a tremendous amount of time practicing during my time in Aulbert.”

He nodded at her, and she narrowly missed stomping on his foot. Dancing with Jaspar is so much easier, she thought. I wonder if it’s because I’m used to dancing with him, or if its because he’s a better dancer than Silas.

“Can I ask why you’re doing this?” Maude asked.

“Why I’m doing what?” Silas replied, peering down at her face.

“Why you’re chasing me to balls in Aulbert,” she replied sternly.

“You’re being held against your will,” Silas answered, his eyes turning round and puppy dog like. “I know that you would have left and come with me if that wasn’t truly the case.”

Maude felt her lips curl backward. “And what makes you so convinced that’s true?” she asked.

“We met before the war,” Silas replied. “And we promised that if we came back alive we would get engaged. You seemed pretty excited by the idea.”

Maude grimaced, but nodded. “I was at the time. But I didn’t come back alive from the war,” she said.

“But you are alive,” Silas commented. “Doesn’t that mean you still want to be my woman?”