I suppose they think this is rather significant. Perhaps they fancy they’re the first to discover a romantic link between Alfie and me. That there is a chance, however small, that they’re looking at the boy who will one day grow up to be their king.

I catch William watching me, and we lock eyes. Of course Father didn’t remember Alfie’s birthday, nor expect that I might not. Not on his own, anyway. It’s not his job to worry about trivial aspects of my life. But it is somebody’s job.

I suppress a sigh and send a subtle, questioning shrug toward William, who shrugs right back, as though to ask me if I’m truly upset. And I suppose, now I’m past the shock of it, I’m not.

William, it seems, has finally figured out how to distract some of our most distinguished subjects from the fact that their future queen caused the death of an innocent boy.

To think, all it took was a thirty-thousand-euro watch.

NINE DANNI

In an all-girls school, there’s no day more awesome than the day your brother school comes to visit. At least, that’s what everyone keeps telling me.

The Ashford boys arrive by the busload not long after lunch and head straight to the field. There’s an inter-school rugby match on today against some school called St. Benedict’s, and even though it’s optional to attend, we’ve all had our timetables cleared for the afternoon. “Optional” is a figure of speech, apparently, because when I ask Molly as we walk over if I can ditch early to get some piano practice in this afternoon she chokes on the air she sucks in.

“You can’t miss the game,” she says. We’re bracing ourselves against an icy wind—it’s been raining all morning. For a while, everyone was freaking out that the game might get canceled due to a thunderstorm, but luckily it let up around third period.

On my other side, Eleanor nods vigorously as she pulls her dark curls into a ponytail. “There are guys. Playing in the mud. In little shorts.”

“Well, sure,” Molly says. “But it’s also a social thing. Everyone goes. You don’t want to be the girl who doesn’t go to games.”

“You could meet the love of your life,” Eleanor says. “I first saw Santi at a rugby game.”

“Oh, is Santi the love of your life now?” Rose asks.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I think he might be.”

“Have you mentioned that to him yet?”

“Not yet, no.”

“Have you talked to him at all yet?” Molly chimes in.

Eleanor crosses her arms over her chest and shrugs. “I’m getting there. I’ve been waiting for a sign from the universe.”

Rose snorts. “Ah. Great plan. Flawless.”

Eleanor gives her the side-eye and doesn’t answer.