“I need to tell you something. My stepmother is . . . unkind to me. She is the reason I had to stay away from court for so long.”
“Unkind? How?” His brow furrowed.
“Lady Catherine doesn’t allow me to leave the château very often, beyond going to the market. But she can’t dare mistreat me as long as I agree to court your brother. I couldn’t say no.”
His eyes flashed. “She mistreats you?” The anger in his voice was sharp.
“It’s all right; I can handle it,” I told him. I didn’t want him to worry, and I was telling the truth: I could handle it.
He sighed and raked his fingers through his hair, mussing the dark brown locks completely. I moved to the left and motioned for him to sit on the stool. He raised his eyebrows and sat down. There was just enough room for both of us to fit, though our shoulders were pressed close together.
“I know you can handle anything. You were always full of spirit. I’m sorry about your stepmother. And I haven’t even had the chance to give my condolences for Lady Françoise.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that very much.”
We sat in a companionable silence for a few minutes before he asked quietly, “You didn’t answer my question.”
“You didn’t answer mine,” I pointed out. “Why were you so upset the other day? And what were you doing in the stall that made you fall over and curse so vulgarly?” I asked, my voice high and tight, betraying my nerves.
“I was . . . ah . . . reading,” he said haltingly.
“Reading? I didn’t realize reading was so difficult for you that it sends you into convulsions.”
“Oh, yes. Very funny. I may be dense in some respects, but I’m not that dense.” He laughed.
Miscalculating his strength compared with my size, Auguste bumped me with his shoulder and nearly knocked me off the stool. I would’ve fallen face-first into the dirt if he hadn’t caught me and dragged me back up just in time.
We burst into a fit of laughter that lasted so long, my sides started to ache and my eyes watered. The stables were a smeary blur of browns and creams. The only thing that was clear was Auguste. One of my arms and legs was flush against his, but I had no desire to move away. Auguste didn’t move either.
“So what made you fall?” I asked.
“I’d been sitting on the floor, reading, and when I tried to get up, I stubbed my toe on a horseshoe someone left on the floor and tripped.”
“Is that all? A stubbed toe?”
“It hurt! That horseshoe was made of steel.”
I smirked and said, “Maybe you should have been more careful. It is a horse stall. I would expect there to be horseshoes in a horse stall. Why were you reading there, anyway?”
He sighed. “When I’m feeling bad, I like to hide in the stables to calm down. I’ve been doing it since I was a child. It’s a place where no one would find me if I didn’t want to be found. It’s held up pretty well. Until you, that is.”
Auguste must have noticed the surprise on my face. “What? What is it? Too strange for you? I know it’s a little odd.”
“No! I mean, it is strange, but not to me. I do it too. Hide in the stables when I’m upset, that is. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I guess I’m just excited to find out that I’m not the only person who likes to hide in the smelly stables on piles of hay,” I said. “It wasn’t nothing. And you’re still upset, which is why you had to come here today.”
“Yes,” he finally admitted.
“What were you upset about?”
“Do you really not know?” he asked huskily.
I noted suddenly how terribly close we were to each other, the warmth of his thigh pressed against mine and the few inches of space that separated us. And when he turned down to look at me, his face was so close to mine that if either of us leaned forward . . .
“I might have a guess?” I whispered.
He chuckled softly, sending shivers through my body.
His lashes are so long, I thought, closing my eyes as I felt them brush my cheek as he leaned closer. The press of his lips against mine was soft and warm. This was not like the time we almost kissed—so quick that it was over before it started. This was different. My whole body trembled as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me up against him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, relishing how soft his hair felt. The kiss was sweet and unhurried, a careful exploration, growing stronger and more urgent until we were both breathless.
When we parted, I opened my eyes and found his were still closed. I touched his lashes with the tip of my finger. They were as light as butterfly wings.
His arms were still around me when a clatter from somewhere close by in the stables startled us, and I noticed that I was sitting on his lap. We pulled apart and jumped to our feet. As reality came crashing back in, I realized that we’d been kissing in full view of anyone who walked by the stables.
“Is someone there?” Auguste asked, his voice echoing through the seemingly empty hall as he took a few steps forward. “Hello?”
“I’m back, Monsieur,” said a little voice, high-pitched and excited.
Etienne appeared from around the corner, a bounce to his step, with Lady Françoise’s coachman in tow.
“I found him! I found him! Do I get my reward now?”
Auguste glanced back at me and began riffling through his pockets again. “Of course, give me just a moment.”
I pressed my fingers to my lips. They were swollen and tender to the touch. My dress was slightly askew, and I had no idea what the state of my hair was. Would the coachman be able to tell what Auguste and I had been doing? Did they see anything? That clatter had been awfully close by.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t waiting for you like I promised, Lady Cendrillon,” the coachman said. “One of the king’s men asked me to move. I couldn’t refuse. Are you ready to leave?”
“Yes, I’m . . . I’m ready. I’ll see you soon, Auguste.”
Walking past Auguste, I started to follow the coachman out of the stables.
“Cendrillon, wait!”
I stopped to get one final glimpse of Auguste. He appeared the same as always, except for his eyes. There was a heat in them as he looked at me that I’d never seen before.
“Goodbye,” I whispered, turning away. But when it was clear we were alone in the corridor, Auguste pulled me to him once more.
“We should say goodbye properly,” he said, and kissed me, his hand grazing my cheek.