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

flattened herself against the wall, hoping to go unobserved, but she had not reckoned with the keen eye of Lord Preston Seaton. He paused before her and gave her a heart-wrenching smile. "Whom have we here?" he asked with interest.
    "Pay no attention to her," said Kathleen Griffin. "She's of no importance."
    Preston gazed into sad blue eyes. "You are wrong, Miss Griffin. I think she is someone very special—for who but one of great import could have eyes that rival a morning sky?"
    Royal drew in a deep breath and blinked in astonishment. No gentleman had ever said anything half so marvelous to her.
    "Preston," Alissa said in an icy voice that revealed her unwillingness to share her brother's attention with Royal, "meet Royal Bradford. She's from the Colonies, I believe."
    Royal watched Lord Preston, waiting for his reaction, but he merely smiled. "Well, Miss Royal Bradford, the Colonies' loss is England's gain."
    With a pounding heart, Royal turned away and rushed down the hallway. She could hear the giggling voices of the girls, and Lady Alissa's voice was taunting. "She has no manners at all. Whatever possessed Mrs. Fortescue to accept such a student?"
    Royal rushed into her room and closed the door behind her. Her eyes were soft as she remembered Lord Preston's words to her. Now she could not blame the other girls for acting such a fool—had not her own actions been far worse?
    Lord Preston Seaton was wonderful—simply wonderful!
    ***
    It was an hour before supper when Kathleen Griffin knocked on Royal's door. Then, without waiting to be invited in, she pushed open the door and looked about her with a curled lip. "How quaint," she said at last, her gaze boring into Royal.
    Royal had been sitting by the window, but now she came to her feet, her eyes blazing with anger. "I didn't invite you into my room, so I don't have to endure your insults. Leave at once!"
    Kathleen shrugged. "It was not my idea to come to see you. Lady Alissa asked me to tell you to come to her room immediately."
    Royal moved to stand before the girl. "I'm not one of Lady Alissa's puppets. I will not go running to her any time she summons me." Her head went up a bit higher. "But I wager you do, don't you?"
    For a moment the girl's dark eyes snapped with anger, then she smiled scornfully. "Is this what you want me to tell Lady Alissa?"
    Royal turned away. "Tell her what you will. If she wants to see me, she can come here."
    "She is lame," Kathleen reminded Royal, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "She won't like this, you know."
    "Go and tell her I refused her summons," Royal said without turning around.
    Malicious laughter filled the room as Kathleen crossed to the door. "Is this your last word?"
    Royal turned to face her tormentor. "No. Don't come back—that's my last word."
    "Very well, but I would not want to be the one to thwart Lady Alissa. I can almost find it within me to feel pity for you—almost, but not quite."
    After Kathleen had gone, Royal could not keep her hands from trembling. Should she have gone to Lady Alissa's room? She turned to the window. "No," she said aloud. "I will not allow anyone to treat me in such a shabby manner. I am Royal Bradford from Savannah, Georgia, and proud of it."
    Royal rushed to the door and down the hallway toward Meg and Fiona MacGregor's room. Fiona answered the door and invited her inside. "You look pale, Royal," she observed. "Has something happened?"
    Meg offered Royal a chair, and when she was seated she looked from one sister to the other. "I fear I have made a powerful enemy today."
    She explained to the sisters about her encounter with Lady Alissa's brother and then about Kathleen Griffin's visit to her room. "I'm not sorry I didn't go with her. I just wish they would leave me alone."
    Fiona's face whitened. "I fear they will not leave you alone now. They will take your refusal as a challenge."
    Meg put her arms around Royal. "We have sad news to tell you that can only add to your troubles. Who