Page 95 of A Prince Among Pirates
I turn to Thomas, who looks resigned. “I can fetch a physician to do it for you, Your Highness.”
“No,” Francis insists. “No, absolutely not! Your father would kill you.”
I smile at Thomas and then turn to touch Francis’s shoulder. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”
He looks exasperated. “Somehow I think people will notice.”
“Won’t that be fun?” I ask with a little grin. “My fatherdidsay I was born to scandal. Let’s prove him right.”
Thirty-Three
You’re certain you want to go through with this, Your Highness?” Thomas asks me some hours later as I stare at the newest addition to my ears in the mirror. The physician tried to refuse; in the end I had to sweeten the pot with a small pile of coin.
I’ve also attempted to use my mother’s eye charcoal, or whatever it is. I haven’t figured out how to use it properly, so it’s a bit of a mess… but I’m enjoying the striking, defiant quality it adds to my features. It makes me look more Turkish than English, and I am proud to display this side of myself. I like seeing my mother in my own reflection.
I like feeling likeme.
“It’s a little too late to turn back now, don’t you think?” I ask, touching one earring with a wince.
“That’s not what I mean,” Thomas snaps at me.
I turn to him with my most charming smile, knowing very well that it won’t work. “What do you think?”
He sighs and tilts his head to admire the pearls as they hang from my ears. “Do they hurt?”
“Very much,” I say cheerfully.
“Good.”
I snort and stand back to let him help me into my jacket. I’ve dressed in dark colors to make it easier to sneak around unseen: black breeches and jacket, with an emerald-green waistcoat. My hair is freshly cut, courtesy of Thomas, to better show off my mother’s earrings—and to prevent them from getting caught in my curls as I sleep.
He left it a little longer on the top than I used to keep it, and it makes me look very dashing andverydisreputable. He knows me so well already.
“All right… Go on to your room for the night. They’ll think you’ve left me to sleep, and you can come back in the morning as usual to wake me.”
I turn to the trunk in front of my bed and move to lift one side of it, grunting softly. Is it me, or is it heavier than it was a few hours ago? I frown and reach for the handle, but Thomas approaches and touches my shoulder.
“Allow me to help you.”
“No, you have to be seen leaving my rooms.”
“Let me worry about that later. The two of us can carry it.”
I want to say no; I’d rather he was not involved in what I am about to do. But I can’t carry this thing on my own—and really,I don’t want to be alone in this moment. I press my lips together and nod. “Thank you, Thomas.”
I nod to the trunk and we step to either side of it, lifting it easily with our combined strength. Nine-months-ago Christopher-Henry could never.
“What are you smiling about?” Thomas asks me.
I look up at him and my grin widens a little. “Just thinking about someone I used to know.”
“This is madness, Your Highness,” Thomas whispers to me frantically in the moonless dark of the London docks.
“Stop calling me that,” I hiss back at him. “You didn’t have to come with me.”
“I couldn’t let you do this alone! And besides, you are a paragon of poor decision-making, and it’smyresponsibility to keep you in check.”
I give a breathy laugh and look at him. I appreciate his coming this far with me, but I would hate for him to take the blame for what I am about to do.
