them on a cloth set beside her plate. Violet felt herself flushing with embarrassment. She had been about to drink the wash water.
As the dinner progressed, Violet could hear the happy exclamations of the others as they tried first one dish and then another. All of the food must have been delicious, but Violet was so preoccupied with trying to eat like a lady that she barely tasted a thing.
She took a bite of beef and nearly choked.
“Are you okay?” Genevieve asked.
Violet nodded and then quietly asked, “What is this?”
“Beef.”
“I know, but what’s on it?”
“I don’t know which spices,” Genevieve confessed, “but they are amazing. If this dinner is a sampling of what the cook can prepare, that alone would make moving here worthwhile.”
Violet glanced toward the head of the table and caught Richard staring at her. She flushed and tried to smile. He raised an eyebrow and she smiled wider, hoping to convince him, and herself, that everything was just fine.
Finally, to Violet’s relief, there was a lull betweendishes, and the king stood up to address his guests.
“Welcome one and all to Cambria,” he began. “We have called you here because it is time for our son Richard to take a wife. With so many beautiful and worthy princesses we realized that choosing one over the other would be impossible. Therefore we devised this contest. The lady who can pass each challenge will demonstrate herself to be the most delicate, the most refined princess of all and will become our son’s wife, the princess of Cambria.”
There were many murmurs of approval from around the table. But Violet noticed Richard looked as troubled by the situation as when they had spoken of it on the farm.
King Charles continued, “The first test is tomorrow. Ladies, I would suggest you adjourn to your rooms immediately after dinner so that you may be well rested. I want to take this opportunity to wish you all luck. May the most sensitive princess win!”
Violet sat in silence, a feeling of unease growing within her. Meanwhile the girls around her chattered excitedly. Genevieve gave her a cheerful smile, and Violet was hard pressed to return it.
More food continued to arrive from the kitchen, but Violet’s stomach was clenched too tightly for her to think about eating any more. She glanced up and down the table, wondering if it would be rude to go to her room.
Did she need to ask the king’s permission to leave? Was she expected to stay until dismissed? Inwardly,Violet groaned in frustration. There were so many things she didn’t know. Her parents had raised her to be honest and hardworking. They knew nothing of courts and kings and etiquette and could never have prepared her for her current situation.
“Is something wrong?” Genevieve asked.
“I don’t feel well,” Violet admitted. She didn’t like sharing her discomfort, but she realized Genevieve was the only one who might help her get the answers she needed.
“Are you sick?” Genevieve asked, leaning away in alarm.
Violet shook her head. “No, just exhausted. I would like to lie down and get some rest.”
Genevieve signaled to a servant, who approached. “Could you tell the king that my companion and I are tired and wish to retire for the evening?” Genevieve asked sweetly.
The man bowed and then hurried to the head of the table, where he spoke to the king. King Charles looked down the table at Genevieve and Violet, smiled at them, and nodded.
“Let’s go,” Genevieve said, rising.
“You don’t have to leave if you don’t want to,” Violet protested.
“Nonsense, I couldn’t eat another bite. Besides, you heard what King Charles said about getting our rest. I have a feeling we’re going to need it.”
As Violet followed Genevieve from the hall, she resolved to watch and copy the other girl’s mannerismsand behavior, since she hadn’t the slightest inkling of how she was supposed to act.
Approaching the staircase, Violet began to look
As the dinner progressed, Violet could hear the happy exclamations of the others as they tried first one dish and then another. All of the food must have been delicious, but Violet was so preoccupied with trying to eat like a lady that she barely tasted a thing.
She took a bite of beef and nearly choked.
“Are you okay?” Genevieve asked.
Violet nodded and then quietly asked, “What is this?”
“Beef.”
“I know, but what’s on it?”
“I don’t know which spices,” Genevieve confessed, “but they are amazing. If this dinner is a sampling of what the cook can prepare, that alone would make moving here worthwhile.”
Violet glanced toward the head of the table and caught Richard staring at her. She flushed and tried to smile. He raised an eyebrow and she smiled wider, hoping to convince him, and herself, that everything was just fine.
Finally, to Violet’s relief, there was a lull betweendishes, and the king stood up to address his guests.
“Welcome one and all to Cambria,” he began. “We have called you here because it is time for our son Richard to take a wife. With so many beautiful and worthy princesses we realized that choosing one over the other would be impossible. Therefore we devised this contest. The lady who can pass each challenge will demonstrate herself to be the most delicate, the most refined princess of all and will become our son’s wife, the princess of Cambria.”
There were many murmurs of approval from around the table. But Violet noticed Richard looked as troubled by the situation as when they had spoken of it on the farm.
King Charles continued, “The first test is tomorrow. Ladies, I would suggest you adjourn to your rooms immediately after dinner so that you may be well rested. I want to take this opportunity to wish you all luck. May the most sensitive princess win!”
Violet sat in silence, a feeling of unease growing within her. Meanwhile the girls around her chattered excitedly. Genevieve gave her a cheerful smile, and Violet was hard pressed to return it.
More food continued to arrive from the kitchen, but Violet’s stomach was clenched too tightly for her to think about eating any more. She glanced up and down the table, wondering if it would be rude to go to her room.
Did she need to ask the king’s permission to leave? Was she expected to stay until dismissed? Inwardly,Violet groaned in frustration. There were so many things she didn’t know. Her parents had raised her to be honest and hardworking. They knew nothing of courts and kings and etiquette and could never have prepared her for her current situation.
“Is something wrong?” Genevieve asked.
“I don’t feel well,” Violet admitted. She didn’t like sharing her discomfort, but she realized Genevieve was the only one who might help her get the answers she needed.
“Are you sick?” Genevieve asked, leaning away in alarm.
Violet shook her head. “No, just exhausted. I would like to lie down and get some rest.”
Genevieve signaled to a servant, who approached. “Could you tell the king that my companion and I are tired and wish to retire for the evening?” Genevieve asked sweetly.
The man bowed and then hurried to the head of the table, where he spoke to the king. King Charles looked down the table at Genevieve and Violet, smiled at them, and nodded.
“Let’s go,” Genevieve said, rising.
“You don’t have to leave if you don’t want to,” Violet protested.
“Nonsense, I couldn’t eat another bite. Besides, you heard what King Charles said about getting our rest. I have a feeling we’re going to need it.”
As Violet followed Genevieve from the hall, she resolved to watch and copy the other girl’s mannerismsand behavior, since she hadn’t the slightest inkling of how she was supposed to act.
Approaching the staircase, Violet began to look
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