Chapter Two
Kim looked up as Mairelon entered from the hallway. His hair was mussed and his face was pink, as it might be if you had been out in the cold wind. Kim glared at Mairelon suspiciously. Why would he have been out so early? Or had he been out all night?
"Good morning, Mother, Aunt Agatha, Kim," Mairelon said, coming closer to the table. "Now what's this about asking Renee something?" He looked straight to Kim for an answer.
Kim stirred her oatmeal absently with her spoon and didn't answer. She didn't want to think about it. Lady Wendall answered, "About Mlle. D'Auber being Kim's Maid of Honor, Richard. There are still many things we need to decide upon."
"Oh, no need for that," Mairelon answered with a grin as he went to help himself to breakfast. "I've already made arrangements. Andrew will be my Best-Man, naturally, and Renee's already agreed to be Kim's Maid of Honor. Shoreham will perform the ceremony and it will be held in the main audience chamber of the College. All that's left is to set the date and then all those things that you enjoy organizing, Mother."
Kim bit back a cry of emotion she didn't feel she could explain. Mairelon had gone and made a decision without her opinion. For some reason, it bothered her. Was he going to just keep deciding things for her?
Mrs. Lowe frowned and said, "Richard, I really think a church would be more appropriate than the Royal College of Wizardry."
"I'm sure it will be fine, Agatha," Lady Wendall said placidly. "The main audience chamber is larger than a church, and with as many people as we'll be inviting it is only natural to need something that size. It's also commemorative of Kim and Richard's social status as Wizards recognized by the Royal College." Lady Wendall trailed off, considering.
Mairelon sat down at the table next to Kim and grinned at her. She scowled at him but kept quiet. On impulse, she stood abruptly. "Excuse me," she said shortly and then left. When she reached the hall she sighed. Wilson came up behind her silently. Kim ignored her. She went up the stairs to the library and sat down in one of the chairs to think.
Mairelon joined her sooner than she expected him to. In fact, she hadn't really expected him to follow her at all. He had brought the remains of his breakfast with him. "Is there something on your mind, Kim?"
Kim hesitated and then sighed again. "I know I ain't, I mean, I'm not exactly the Queen of Sheba when it comes to arranging gentry affairs, but oughtn't I to get some say in my own wedding? You've gone and made a decision without asking me if that's what I want again. Just like with my come out ball. No one asked me what I'd like at all."
"Are you saying you don't want Renee as your Maid of Honor?"
"Well… no. I just wish I could've been the one to ask her or something. Who knows, I might've had someone else in mind. Jenny Correy, or someone that I've known most of life."
Mairelon frowned.
"I know – friends from the street aren't acceptable. It doesn't matter; none of them really knew me. I played a boy to them all." Kim fell silent, looking and feeling depressed. Why am I acting this way? Who cares if they decide things for me? Kim blinked furiously to keep from crying.
Mairelon produced a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her, which Kim took but didn't use. She just played with it between her fingers. "Why does this bother you so much," Mairelon asked quietly with concern.
"It's like I ain't – I'm not in control of my life anymore."
Whatever Mairelon was going to say in response to that was cut off by Mrs. Lowe calling, "Kim, it's time to go."
Kim stood up and pushed Mairelon's handkerchief back into his hands as she passed him. She didn't want to go to the dressmaker's, but she also didn't want to sit alone with Mairelon. Something inside her hurt and she didn't know why. She had even forgotten to ask Mairelon about where he had been.
When Kim reached the entryway, Lady Wendall looked at her with concern. "Are you alright, Kim? You look ill."
"Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine," Kim said trying to smile. She accepted a shawl from the footman and said, "Shouldn't we be going?"
"We'll leave as soon as Richard joins us. He said he had a few errands to run, and since we were going out, he would ride with us."
"What!" Kim nearly shrieked in alarm.
Lady Wendall looked at Kim in concern. "Are you sure you're not ill?"
"No, I'm fine," Kim repeated, trying to reassure herself in the process. Footsteps sounding on the stairs made Kim look up.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Mairelon said calmly coming down the last few stairs. He was wearing his normal gentry togs. They suited him perfectly and for some reason, that was what was annoying Kim. Mairelon held the door for her and the other ladies and joined them in the carriage, sitting next to Kim.
Everyone was quiet. Mairelon was dropped off with Hunch, whom Kim had not noticed, at the Royal College. Mairelon said he had a few things to finish discussing with Lord Kerring about the Mannering situation. His goodbye felt strained to Kim and she avoided looking at him as he swept a bow to them all before disappearing inside. Kim almost wished to be at the dressmaker's where she would be ignored and could puzzle her emotions out in peace.
