Free Forever My Love (Historical Romance) by Constance O'Banyon

myself."
    Intrigued, Royal looked across the invisible line that divided them from Lady Alissa's table. Royal judged her to be older than she was, perhaps fifteen or sixteen. Her hair was so light it was almost white, and she had the saddest eyes Royal had ever seen.
    Royal glanced at the wheelchair, and she felt pity for the girl. It did not matter if Lady Alissa was acknowledged and spoiled by everyone—it could not be easy being lame.
    At that moment Lady Alissa met Royal's compassionate glance, and she glared back at her. With a toss of her head, she obviously dismissed Royal as unimportant.
    ***
    Royal lay in her darkened room, unable to sleep because the sounds outside her window were unfamiliar and disconcerting. She tried to think of something pleasant, and suddenly Damon Routhland's face came to her. It seemed that when she was troubled she always thought of him and was somehow comforted. She tried to imagine what he would be doing tonight. Probably entertaining some beautiful woman, she thought.
    She slipped out of bed and lit a small candle. Sitting down at her dressing table and taking up pen and paper, she began to write:
     
    Dear Mr. Routhland,
    I plead with you to bring me home. I do not wish to be troublesome, but I must make you understand I do not belong here, and I am most disheartened. I know my father would not have wanted me to be unhappy. If you will allow me to return, I promise to be no trouble to you. I beg you to consider my plight. I miss my friends and Savannah most dreadfully. Knowing you will consider my unhappiness, I will await your reply.
    Your obedient,
    Royal Bradford
     
    Royal vented her loneliness in the letter to her guardian, then she folded it and put it away. She must not send a letter begging to come home—not yet, anyway.
    Now at peace with herself, she crawled into bed and immediately fell asleep.
    ***
    It had been a morning when everything had gone wrong. Royal had lost her slipper and finally found it beneath the folds of the bedcovers. Then she'd spilled water on her gown and had to change, which had made her late for class. Just last week, one of the teachers, Miss Mallory, had humiliated her before the class, making her apologize to everyone personally for what she'd termed "Royal's thoughtless behavior."
    Royal moved up the stairs. When she reached the upper landing, she heard voices in the hallway below, one of which she identified as Lady Alissa's.
    When a deep male voice spoke up, she moved to the railing and peered down to see who it was. "My dear sister," the man said, smiling at Alissa. "It's my hope that you will write to Mother and inform her I have been a dutiful brother in paying a visit to you."
    "Lord Preston," gushed one of the girls, "would that my brother was half so attentive."
    So, Royal thought, that was the brother Meg had spoken of so favorably. He was indeed handsome and most dashing. He wore buff trousers and a cream-colored coat. He wore his hair powdered and pulled back in a queue.
    Royal glanced down at the faces of Lady Alissa's ever-present entourage. It appeared each girl hung on to every word Lord Preston spoke and worshiped him with adoring eyes. Their slavish adulation filled her with disgust; never had she seen girls behave so foolishly over a man. Her gaze moved to Lady Alissa's face, and she saw a softness reflected there. Apparently Lady Alissa was fond of her brother.
    Lord Preston picked up his sister in his arms and carried her toward the stairs. "You have had enough excitement for one day. Perhaps you should rest this afternoon," he told her.
    Alissa wound her arms around her brother's neck. "Must you go? I had hoped we would spend the whole day together."
    He carried her up the stairs while the other girls followed. "Would that I could, Alissa, but, alas, I have another appointment that I dare not break."
    "Redhead or brunette?" she asked petulantly.
    His laughter was spontaneous. "You know me too well, little sister."
    Royal had