"Don't worry, you won't be the last to arrive. But James is beside himself with worry that Sable went and took you jumping," he said. "She most certainly did," I replied, following him deeper into the woods. At my words, the prince turned around in his saddle to face me. "You jest!" he exclaimed, running his eyes over me as if to search for injuries. I couldn't help but laugh at his expression. "Are you calling me a liar, your Highness?" I demanded, a smile on my face as I reached down to pat the mare's neck, "Ask Sable, she seemed all too inclined to keep jumping if I hadn't stopped her," "As I said, she's a willful beast, but thankfully a gentle one," he said, "Which reminds me that I must thank you for the endless entertainment your own horse provided for us this afternoon," the prince grinned, a glint in his eye as I glanced over at him. I laughed despite myself. "Now that I do take offence to! That horse was one of your own, your Highness!" I protested, "It was extremely chivalrous of Lord Amberly to offer up his own, but I'd have managed even if the gelding was my only option," "You would have broken your neck!" he laughed in earnest this time, "James is the best horseman I know and he very nearly broke his today," "And I'd take a broken neck over another afternoon of sheer boredom at the palace," I replied. Andrew shook his head in disbelief, that same lopsided grin still on his face. "What exactly would have been so mortally boring at the palace?" he persisted, as the trees around us thinned out. "Gossip, cards, embroidery, backgammon...any number of mind-numbing pastimes that ladies fill their days with," I said. "I have it on good authority that most ladies quite enjoy such activities," Andrew said. I looked over at him, quickly schooling my features to hide my disgust. He laughed again. "Most ladies, perhaps," I offered mildly, scolding myself for speaking so brashly to the crown prince. Surely the "good authority" he was speaking of were his mother the queen and younger sister, Princess Anne, two exceedingly well bred ladies. The tittering of ladies floated across the breeze and I ripped my eyes from the prince's, yanking back on the reins without meaning to. We were still shaded in the canopy of the forest, but the reality of emerging alone with the prince slammed home as Sable danced beneath me. Andrew turned when I didn't keep up with him, opening his mouth to say something when there was a crashing noise behind us. I had been of half a mind to turn and hightail back into the forest when the massive gelding I'd been assigned crashed out of the forest next to me. "My what a challenge!" James puffed, his face shiny with exertion as the gelding danced beneath his firm hold on the reins, "Good to see you're still in one piece. Let's have a picnic, shall we?" The gelding trotted off in front of me and my eyes met the prince's. "You didn't really think I'd sneak off alone with a lady in waiting, did you?" he grinned, shooting me a wink. I puffed my cheeks in a sigh of relief, suddenly grateful that I hadn't managed to pick all the leaves and twigs out of my hair and incredibly thankful for James' timely appearance to spare me a scandal. When the ladies caught sight of the prince, the volume of their chatter escalated, dainty laughs echoing all the more through the clearing. They fixed me, however, with the darkest of glares. When I dismounted, I studiously avoided their eyes as I found my way towards Ella and Emily. "What on Earth happened to you?" Sarah Thornbury demanded before Ella could speak. "I got lost," I lied, "I ended up in a thicket and if it hadn't been for Lord Amberly and His Highness I'd still be finding my way out," "It doesn't do for ladies to get lost in forests," Ashley Mayfair sniffed, "You really should keep a closer eye on your ladies, Ella," My cousin's cheeks flushed as she studied her tea and my stomach turned in a knot. I couldn't collect my thoughts quickly enough before Ashley and Sarah's ladies in waiting muttered in agreement. "Although getting lost in the forest would be an excellent way to get a few moments alone with the prince," Ashley said, fanning herself as if not to swoon while the rest of the ladies tittered and squealed. "Naughty!" Sarah giggled, batting her own fan in Ashley's direction. I watched miserably as Ella's shaky hands brought her tea to her mouth, thoroughly ignored by the other girls as Sarah and Ashley dominated the conversation "You are in so much trouble," Emily whispered gleefully from beside me, unable to keep the smirk from her face.