"Let's go watch, shall we?" Rosanna said, leading us towards the edge of the dance floor again. We took up our positions as the dancers commenced a slow pavane. Andrew and Ella conversed quietly, smiles bouncing back and forth between them. He said something to make her blush prettily, turning her face down so as to look up at him through her lashes. "Good girl," Emily muttered beside me. I glanced over to see a look of smug satisfaction on her face, while Rosanna had clasped her hands reverently again, her eyes following Ella and the prince. I rolled my eyes with a sigh, looking around once more. If this was what I had to look forward to for the rest of my summer, I was sorely tempted to commit some terrible social faux pas and be done with it. The song ended and Ella dropped a graceful curtsey as Andrew captured her hand to kiss it once more. Rosanna looked as if she might faint from happiness while Emily's triumphant smirk had yet to leave her face. "One more dance?" Oliver had appeared beside me, grinning his buck-toothed smile as he bowed. "Oh yes please," I exhaled, relieved not to have to stand here any longer. Oliver flushed, still smiling, and I realized too late that my relief had probably been mistaken for enthusiasm. "You are a wonderful dancer," he said, as he lined me up for the dance. "Thank you," I replied a little awkwardly, wishing I'd been a little more subtle. He was looking at me now like I was the most wonderful thing that had happened to him all night while I was racking my brain for all those lessons I'd ignored in etiquette class; I never could have imagined myself in need of a gentle excuse to dissuade a potential suitor. "Pardon me, if you please," came a voice from beside me. Prince Andrew backed between me and the lady to my left, lining Mary Marquette up next to me before he fell in next to Oliver. I followed him with my eyes as he lined up, our eyes meeting ever so briefly before a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Before I could ask Oliver to change our position in the quadrille, the music started and I cursed inwardly, plastering a pleasant smile on my face. I danced around Oliver before backing into my starting position, Andrew sidestepping to stand in front of me. "So, you're Ella's lady-in-waiting?" he said, this time a question. "Yes, your Highness," I said, wishing the dance would move faster so I could be done with him. "A lady-in-waiting who masquerades as a maid," he continued thoughtfully, before fixing me with a look, "Don't think I don't realize what you're up to," And just like that, before I could even frame a response, our time together was over. I came up to William Weatherington, who gave me a polite nod before taking my hand. The rest of my partners were silent, save for Oliver when he returned to me. "It has truly been wonderful dancing with you, Miss...Elizabeth, if I may?" he asked. I sighed. "Miss Marks-Whelan, if you please," I said, the words falling from my mouth exactly as they had been practiced so many times at finishing school. I didn't miss the way his spine went rigid, his brows knitting together in a frown as he tried to piece together what he had done for me to brush him off. He opened and closed his mouth several times and I was overcome with guilt. Exhaling, I bit my lip. "Oliver, I'm sorry. I was only relieved to be dancing as opposed to standing around watching all the other ladies enjoying themselves," I explained, "I mean no insult, but I am already on tenterhooks with my cousin as it is. It would not do for me to appear to be fishing for a courtier while here to attend to Ella," He was silent for a moment, shocked by my frankness, before his posture relaxed. "I completely understand," he said, before glancing around us conspiratorially, "My parents sent me here as an extra pair of eyes and ears in my brother Martin's hunt for a wife. They would be mortified to see me dancing with anyone who could remotely interest him," "Your flattery is wasted on me, I'm afraid," I said, cocking an eyebrow at him, "Although I do sympathize with your plight. It is never particularly enjoyable to act as someone else's spare appendage," At this Oliver looked down at me, my words taking a second to process before he threw his head back in a laugh. Distracted by our conversation, I'd forgotten the count of the dance and only realized when he released my hands and spun away, still laughing, that the next person to face me would be the prince. "Pray tell what was so funny," he said, glancing over to where Oliver was still guffawing, much to the dismay of his new partner. "Oh no, we spies must keep our secrets," I said before I'd thought my words through, "You wouldn't understand, being the star of the ball and all," Andrew's eyebrows rose as he bed, as if trying to determine whether or not I was joking. "That is what you had assumed, no?" I put in, just before we separated again. I couldn't help the smug smile of satisfaction that settled on my face. That would surely put him in his place for teasing me so. I inwardly congratulated myself as I concentrated on counting the steps until Oliver was before me once again. "At last, another spare appendage," he said, as I turned around him, "And a lovely one, at that," I guffawed in a very unladylike manner. "As I had explained earlier, your flattery is wasted on me," I replied. This time he stifled his laugh but only barely. The song came to an end and we dipped shaky bows to one another, fighting back laughter. "Shall I fetch you a glass of punch?" Oliver asked. "I am not certain my main appendage would condone it," I said ruefully. He was opening his mouth to say something when a soft arm snaked through mine. "My my aren't we having fun?" Emily exclaimed archly, her judgemental eyes settling on Oliver just long enough to make him clear his throat and look away. "And alas, all good things come to an end," I smiled. She shot me a sideways glare. "I am terribly sorry but we need our dear Elizabeth," she managed, her smile faltering ever so slightly. "But of course," Oliver said, bowing before Emily yanked me out of my curtsey. "How dare you!" she hissed, as she dragged me from the floor, all but pitching me towards Rosanna. Even her eyes were sternly unimpressed. "Oh Emily, don't tell me you'd had your sights set on Oliver," I sighed, rolling my eyes, "I'm sure I could put in a nice word for you if I must," Emily sputtered as Rosanna steered us both towards the main entrance, away from the ball. "You danced with the prince again!" Emily spat, wrenching her arm away from Rosanna when she'd hidden us behind one of the tall marble columns. "I danced a quadrille with Oliver Pendleton," I replied, "I hardly see what all the fuss is about," "The fuss," Rosanna started, speaking over Emily, "Is that you both are neglecting your duties!" Her words silenced ours and Emily and I fixed her with sullenly resentful eyes. "We are Ella's attendants, and it appears that due to your bickering, we have left her alone to fend for herself," Rosanna said, pushing between us. Emily shot me a dark look before following Rosanna. I blew out my cheeks before falling in line. Rosanna had taken off across the floor to where Ella was standing in a corner, monopolized by a rambling, elderly aristocrat while the rest of the debutantes were mingling with men their own age. "My lady," Rosanna said loudly, dipping a low curtsey, "You appear to have slipped a hair pin. Allow me to accompany you to the ladies room?" "Of course," Ella said, visibly relieved as she bobbed a perfunctory curtsey, "Please forgive me, Lord Addington, one cannot afford to have a sloppy coiffure in the royal court," "Yes yes of course!" Lord Addington chuckled, a little too loudly. Like ducks in a row, Emily and I fell in behind Ella and Rosanna. As we wove through the room, back towards the ladies recess room, I watched the dance. Andrew's splendid red waistcoat stood out as he twirled Ashley Mayfair around in a waltz. Oliver spun by next, a noticeably nonplussed Emmeline Townsend in his arms. I stifled a giggle, which only brought Emily's hawklike eyes down upon me. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to," she hissed, as a footman pulled the door open for Ella and Rosanna, "You may be related, but Ella is like a sister to me. If you try to sabotage her, I will ruin you," "Oh Emily," I sighed, "There's not much to ruin," She sneered, gathering her skirts as she swept into the ladies recess room ahead of me.