Frederic? I bit the inside of my cheek. Had he done it because of our conversation on the beach? Was he trying to force the viscount’s family to do something to make up for their earlier neglect?
The next morning, I arrived early at the meeting point, not wishing to make the royals look bad after they had honored me with a place on the sail. Celine had informed me that she wanted to swim off the boat but didn’t want to do so alone, so I was obediently wearing my new swimming costume.
I wasn’t surprised, though, to see that the other girls had all come in attractive day gowns. However, surprise did hit me when I saw the rest of the group. Julian, Monique, and Shantelle were all present, of course. Along with Frederic, Cassian, and Celine. And I had expected to see Marcus as well. But Delphine and her oldest sister and brother were there instead of Carmel or any of Monique’s other friends.
I greeted them with enthusiasm, even going so far as to smile at Shantelle, but I kept as much distance from Monique and Marcus as possible. They sent no insults my way and refrained from so much as glaring in my direction. Because the royals had shown me favor? Or was it possible they had actually let go of their former hatred?
A moment’s reflection on their behavior so far made me reject that possibility. So I kept a close eye on them as we all loaded onto the sleek forty-foot catamaran. Its white hulls shone so brightly they looked as if they had been polished, the sails crisp and new. Julian was an experienced sailor, but a crew of two had joined us for the day so the noble would be free to host his guests.
Monique carefully positioned herself to ensure Frederic offered her his hand to help her on board. Celine rolled her eyes at this, clambering on alone before turning to help me. I grinned at her, but the expression fell away when I saw an odd look pass between Monique and Marcus. Her eyes seemed to question him, and the conspiratorial look he gave her in return, one of clear satisfaction, made me want to check if anything disgusting had made its way onto the back of my dress. It had been one of their favorite pranks in the past.
But Celine assured me nothing had gone awry with my costume, giving me a confused look along with the reassurance. So, I forced myself to smile and chat with Delphine’s brother and sister as I accepted one of the drinks that were being passed around. The cool sweetness of the tropical fruit juice blend against my tongue made some of my muscles relax. And soon the added delight of full sails and a warm sun had me laughing along with the others.
A pod of dolphins arrived to form an honor guard around the boat, and we spread out across the deck, no one wanting to go below deck on such a beautiful day. The sun sparkled off the turquoise water, our catamaran gliding sleekly through the small swells. Mesmerized, I watched the white bubbles dissolve back into the smooth water.
“I always wanted a vessel like this,” conceded Frederic’s voice in my ear.
I turned my head to regard him. “You’re the crown prince. If a viscount’s son can afford one, surely you can.”
He shook his head. “Of course, but I have little time or opportunity for leisure sails such as this. It would have been a waste of royal resources to keep such a boat unused.”
“It’s not like people think it is, is it?” I asked quietly. “Being a prince or princess.”
“No,” he said with a sigh, “not exactly. You don’t get to choose your responsibilities or pass them on to someone else. They can never be laid down, either.”
He took a breath and forced a more cheerful expression on his face. “But today is just the sort of day people imagine when they think of being a prince. And I for one intend to enjoy it.”
I thought he was about to say something else, but Monique’s voice called him from the other side of the deck, and he excused himself with a wry smile. I watched him walk away, raising my hand in farewell when he glanced back at me over his shoulder.
It had never occurred to me that I might find myself back here on Catalie, in such company. You would think I would have grown accustomed to the twists and turns life took by now, and yet it still took me by surprise.
Celine and Cassian each wandered in my direction at different times, standing beside me for a while, and Delphine called me to join her further down the rail at one point to observe two calves playing in the waves beside their sleek gray parents. Eventually we reached the other side of Catalie, and the crew threw down the anchor. We could see one of the other islands far in the hazy distance and, much closer, a stunning beach of white sand, surrounded on all sides by thick greenery.
This mini cove was a favorite destination of boats, virtually unreachable by land. On occasion I had even rowed out here from the nearest village in a large canoe with a group of the locals for a full-day excursion of pleasure. Memories like that kept ambushing me from forgotten recesses of my mind. It had been all too easy to forget my many happy memories of Catalie.
With the sails furled and the anchor down, the crew turned into serving men, producing a lavish lunch. When I had eaten my fill, I lay on the deck, shielding my eyes from the sun, too content to attempt conversation.
“Behold, Sleeping Beauty,” said Frederic with a laugh in his voice.
“Perhaps she needs to be woken with a kiss?” suggested Celine’s cheeky voice behind him.
I sat up fast, inducing a head rush, and glared at her. She just laughed and wandered away. Frederic gallantly offered me his hand to help me rise, but I couldn’t meet his eyes as his fingers warmly clasped mine. Hurrying for the opposite end of the boat, I faced the unpleasant thought that I was becoming far too fond of the crown prince’s presence. I had adjusted myself to so many different communities in the past, and here I was doing it again. Forgetting that, just like all the others, this community had no permanent place for me. How many times did I have to learn the same painful lessons?
The crew had packed away the remnants of our feast and raised the anchor. They fought now to bring the sails under control and turn us to the correct heading. I could hear the exclamations of the rest of the guests, who had gathered at the front of the boat to watch a swarm of bright fish pass by in the clear water, but I felt no desire to join them.
Something about the creased faces of the two crewmen as they conversed in an undertone caught my attention. A shiver of fear raced through me. I told myself I was giving way to a flight of fancy. But I had learned to trust my instincts over the years, and I could feel my heart thrumming in my chest.
I looked around for Julian—he would know what was going on—but he was nowhere in sight. I frowned. It seemed unusual for him to absent himself in such a way when he had been so assiduous in his duties as host to the royals during our visit thus far. But then, surely he would be with the crew if there were truly a problem?
I started down the few stairs into the small cabin area. I would find Julian, and he would reassure me—with a look of astonishment at my existence, no doubt—that all was well.
But as I stepped down onto the polished boards of the cabin, the opposite certainty gripped me. Water sloshed around my feet as a terse command I couldn’t quite understand sounded from back up on deck. The boat rocked unnaturally, throwing me against an attached table, as the water at my feet climbed higher.
A louder call from on deck rang out. “Abandon ship!”
Chapter 10
I cried out, nearly falling as I twisted back toward the stairs. The water already reached my knees. But as my grasping fingers found the smooth handrail, a sound from inside the cabin drew my attention backward. I paused.