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I waited for her to tell WSM who I was, but instead she whispered, “It isn’t fair, Mamá. No one will notice me at all!”

I let out a sigh of relief. A few minutes later a servant introduced me as Lady Savannah of Herndon, and I walked into the ballroom. I don’t think a single person heard him. Between the musicians that played in the loft, the dancers that swept across the floor, and the crowds chatting by the food table, no one was paying attention to latecomers. I stood for a few moments trying to catch sight of Tristan’s blond hair. I didn’t see him, although I caught sight of Prince Edmond dancing with a young woman in the center of the room.

He looked exactly as I remembered from when I was Cinderella—tall and broad shouldered with glossy brown hair and chiseled features—straight out of a Hollywood leading-man catalog. He moved gracefully across the floor dressed in a purple tunic with gold trim.

We looked like we’d coordinated our outfits, and I supposed Chrissy had.

I moved past him, glad he hadn’t seen me, and looked for Tristan. Princess Margaret danced in the middle of the floor with some nameless nobleman. She wore a cranberry velvet gown and it gave me a guilty sense of pleasure that my dress was nicer.

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I walked around the edges of the room, still searching.

Every once in a while I noticed men staring at me with smiles on their lips, but I didn’t recognize anyone. The thing that struck me the most as I walked through the crowd was how good everyone smelled. It wasn’t just the perfume, the smell of the rich was the absence of stink.

I caught sight of Jane talking to Prince Hugh in one corner. She looked out of place in my Snow White dress—it was nicer than the clothes the peasants and servants wore—clearly a lady’s dress, but not fancy enough for a ball.

As I walked up to her, she shook her head at Prince Hugh apologetically. I wondered where Hunter was.

“Jane?”

She turned and her mouth opened with surprise. “Savannah, how did you get here?”

“Compliments of Chrissy. The inn is now short twelve mice and a turnip, and don’t ask what happened to the innkeeper’s dog.” I gave a quick curtsy to Prince Hugh, then turned my attention back to Jane. “Where’s Tristan?”

But Prince Hugh wasn’t about to let me ignore him.

“You’re Savannah?” he asked incredulously. “The lady I spoke to on the stairs?”

“Yes,” I said.

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Jane gave an “oh!” of understanding, then turned to Prince Hugh. “You thought I was my sister—that’s why I didn’t know what you were talking about.” The prince’s gaze ricocheted between us for a moment longer, adding up our similarities and differences, then he held out his hand to me with a smile. “Your sister tells me that she prefers not to join in the festivities, but I can see you came to dance. Would you do me the honor?”

He wasn’t really giving me a choice, but I didn’t take his hand. “I’d be happy to dance as soon as I find my friend. I’m afraid it’s urgent.” A flash of annoyance went across the prince’s face.

“Sir Tristan is outside with his friend waiting to see if the Black Knight will answer his challenge. I doubt he’ll come. It’s bad form to fight during a ball. Any knight of worth is inside dancing.”

He raised his hand to me again and this time I took it.

Over my shoulder to Jane I said, “Tell Tristan I need to talk to him. Make him promise not to eat or drink anything. Someone may be trying to poison him.” She looked as though she wanted to ask more questions, but the prince had already pulled me away from her. She turned and disappeared into the crowd.

I was out on the dance floor and in Prince Hugh’s arms before it hit me that I didn’t know how to dance 348/431

any medieval dances. It wasn’t like modern times where slow dancing consisted of huglike swaying to the music.

This dance actually had steps. I opened my mouth to tell him I didn’t know how to dance, but as I formed the words I realized my feet were moving. I was dancing already.

I looked down at my feet and remembered what Chrissy had said about the shoes—they were dancing slippers—and apparently magic. Cinderella must not have known how to dance either, so her fairy godmother had to give her special shoes to help her out. No wonder the glass slippers didn’t disappear when everything else did at midnight. Really, these fairy tales made a lot more sense now that I’d been here.

“You fear that someone is trying to poison your friend?” Prince Hugh asked. The smile on his face told me he found the idea amusing.

“Yes.”

“Who?”

I couldn’t very well tell him I suspected his sister and yet I couldn’t lie. The Black Knight could be in this room. Prince Hugh had just said that any knight of worth was inside dancing. If he heard me lie, if I even did it in his presence, would my tongue burn? I looked around the room even though I knew I wouldn’t be able to recognize him.

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“You don’t know?” Prince Hugh prompted.

“I don’t want to discuss it.”

His eyes searched my face and he nodded. “Every lady has her secrets.” He leaned a bit closer and added, “I imagine you have several.”

“I have my secrets,” I answered.

He smiled at me and two perfect dimples formed in his already perfect face. He surveyed me another moment and said, “You look remarkably like your sister.”

“And you look very much like your brother.” A bit of cynicism twisted his smile. “Yes, except he is more handsome.”

“That’s not true at all.”

“As long as Edmond wears the crown, he will always be more handsome.”

I hadn’t thought of that. Prince Edmond would inherit the entire kingdom. What did the second sons of kings do in the Middle Ages? I’m not sure history class had ever covered this topic but apparently whatever it was, Hugh wasn’t pleased with it. I felt a pang of sympathy for him.

“Jane is my older sister. She’s always done everything better than me. She’s a straight-A student.” I realized that didn’t mean anything to him so I added, “She’s the smart one.”

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He looked at me as though he didn’t believe it, which made me smile.

The song ended, and although Prince Hugh released me from his arms, he didn’t move from the dance floor.

I supposed that since we hadn’t danced long, he wanted to dance a second song as well. As we waited, Prince Edmond appeared at his brother’s side.

He nodded in my direction then turned to Prince Hugh. “I’m afraid I must ask to cut in.” Prince Edmond’s attention turned back to me and he sent me a dazzling smile. “I find I can’t go another moment without meeting this enchanting woman.”

Hugh glared at him, which Edmond didn’t see as he was busy staring at me. Then Hugh said curtly, “Edmond, may I present Lady Savannah to you.” I curtsied, and when I looked up again Hugh was gone, making his way through the crowd.

The music started and Edmond took my hand and pulled me into dance position. I looked over his shoulder at Hugh’s retreating back until I couldn’t see it anymore.

I could feel Prince Edmond’s gaze on me. He leaned toward me and spoke softly. “I’m quite pleased to make such a fine lady’s acquaintance.”

“Thank you.”

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We danced, and I was glad for the shoes that effortlessly moved me across the floor.

“From what part of the country do you hail?” he asked. “Do I know your parents?”

“You don’t know them, your highness. I come from a land very far away.”

I waited for him to ask me more questions about myself, dreaded it actually, since most of them I wouldn’t be able to answer. But he seemed content to hold me in his arms and watch me dance. Another minute passed.