ARABELLA

Chapter Ten: The Escape

Somehow Arabella had managed to get through the entire meal without noticing Prince Philip at the table. Being a Prince, he was entitled to sit near the head of the table as well, but the very corpulent King Gregory, Glorianna's brother, was between them. So the Prince was well hidden from Arabella's view.

Arabella sat through the compliments and nodded her head in all the right places, giving gratitude when thanks were due. All the while, she noticed through the large windows, the full moon was rising. It was so beautiful and compelling, and she longed to be among her roses, sharing the moment with her flower friends. Not here in this drafty Hall with these self-centered nobles, who saw her as little more than entertainment for their meal.

At last, the guests began to drift into the Ballroom, where a waltz was already underway. Stefan and Glorianna had the first dance, of course, so they would soon be occupied when Arabella made her escape.

She excused herself politely, begging ill to her mother. Glorianna was faintly disappointed, but satisfied. More than one Prince had heard her daughter sing tonight, and had seen how beautiful she was. She had seen the smitten looks on their faces. There would be more than one suitor coming to the castle before the week was out.

The Queen conceded, and Arabella made the perfunctory bow to the guests, and left the room quickly.

Philip had heard the Princess speak to her mother, and had become concerned for her. Now, looking out of the window, he saw her familiar form moving about in the courtyard below.

"Aha," he thought. "Ill indeed." He smiled, and without so much as a glance from his father, Hubert, who was busy bantering with Gregory, Philip dashed down the stairs and out into the twilight.

There. She had stopped at the bench against the far wall. If she turned to sit down, she would most likely catch him watching her. But no, she gathered her fine skirts and stood on it, gazing over the wall.

Philip realized that this must have been how she had been able to see him over the wall that day. Could she be…? He dared not to hope that she was actually looking for him.

Arabella sighed. "Of course, he isn't there," she said to her roses. "I suppose I shall never see that man again. I must have frightened him away for good that day."

Yes, she was talking about him now. Philip had never been surer of anything in his life. He broke into a smile and stepped from the shadows into the moonlight.

"Princess Arabella."