Free Stolen Splendor by Miriam Minger

most delighted to make your acquaintance."
    Kassandra smiled weakly, her mind racing. Sweet Lord,
now she would never be free of court functions! But she had no more time to
think as Isabel took her elbow and steered her to where a rigidly erect officer
was standing a short distance away. Instinctively she curtsied.
    "It is a pleasure, Lady Kassandra," Prince
Eugene of Savoy murmured in a heavily accented voice that affirmed his French
heritage. Gallantly he held out his hand and helped Kassandra to arise, then
turned to Isabel. "Ah, and Countess Isabel. Your brother, Stefan, has once
again proven an invaluable asset in our latest campaign. His bravery is to be
commended. "
    Kassandra stood at Isabel's side, barely listening as
the countess and Prince Eugene discussed Stefan's valor in battle. She could
hardly believe that this frail-looking man with his swarthy complexion and
sunken cheeks could be the renowned commander of the Imperial army. She felt
awkward, fairly towering over him, while Isabel, a woman of petite stature, was
gazing at the famous general, the most hated and feared enemy of the Ottoman
Empire, eye to eye.
    "Countess Isabel tells me you have yet to meet her
brother," Prince Eugene repeated, regarding her quizzically.
    Kassandra started. "Ye-yes, that is true,"
she stammered, strangely flustered. She could not help but sense that the
general had surmised her thoughts. His dark eyes, the liveliest feature about
him, seemed faintly amused as he turned back to Isabel. Several other guests
soon joined their group, pressing around the general to hear more news of his
recent victories at Peterwardein and Temesvar in Hungary.
    Oh, this was all going very badly, Kassandra chided herself.
Suddenly she felt very warm, her tight stays an
oppressive vise. What she would give for a breath of fresh air. She glanced
over her shoulder, gratefully spying a set of nearby doors that led to the
terrace. She grasped Isabel's arm and gently pulled her aside.
    "Isabel, please excuse me, but I feel a bit
lightheaded. The air in the room is so stuffy. I think I'll step onto the
terrace for a while."
    Concern touched Isabel's delicate features. "Would
you like me to go with you— "
    "No, I'll be fine." Kassandra stopped her,
shaking her head. "Please make my excuses to the general. And don't worry, I'll be back in a few moments." She whirled on
her heel and hurried across the room, nodding to the footmen standing on either
side of the doors, who quickly opened them for her.
    As she swept onto the curved terrace, Kassandra paused
for a long, deep breath of the night air. She did not have her cape, but she
doubted she would need it. So far it had been unusually warm for this time of
year.
    She felt refreshed immediately, the stirring breezes
working like a tonic to cool her flushed face. The rapid beating of her heart
gradually subsided, replaced by a feeling of calm as she looked over the
moonlit tranquillity of the formal gardens.
    It seemed almost a magical night, a haunting night.
Thin banks of clouds hung across the sky, a fine gossamer netting against the
backdrop of blues that arced from the lightest turquoise at the horizon to inky
blue-black at the highest zenith. Myriad clusters of stars glittered like drops
of dew through the translucent clouds, reminding Kassandra of a spider's web.
    The late autumn breeze rustled through the trees, the
crisp leaves that still clung to the half-naked branches shimmering and dancing
like undulating ghosts in the pale moonlight. There was a hushed quality in the
air, broken occasionally by bursts of soft, secretive laughter coming from
guests strolling along the darkened paths. A few flickering torches lit the
marble stairs leading to the gardens on each side of the terrace, glowing
beacons that seemed to illuminate the entrance into a mysterious world of
shadows and intrigue.
    Kassandra moved slowly to the balustrade, her hand
sliding along the smooth polished marble as she walked to the