The councilman smiled and gave a nod and a warm cuff on his shoulder, then left them to continue on.
When they were alone again, Norah turned back to Alexander. “Are you courting? You and Ismene?”
Alexander couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped him at the forwardness he knew so well. He should have known she wouldn’t let the conversation go that easily. But he had no secrets. “If your grandmother has her way.”
“She’s arranged you?” she asked, wide-eyed. “Are you to be wed?”
Another lord stepped forward with well-wishes for them both, and Alexander took the moment to collect his calm. While he’d answer anything Norah asked, it wasn’t a comfortable topic.
The visiting lord bowed and departed, and they came together again.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “That was rude of me, and intrusive.”
“You’re no intrusion,” he said quickly. “And”—he brought his eyes to meet hers again—“I have no intention of marrying. It doesn’t mean your grandmother won’t try.”
She gave a smile. “No, I suppose it doesn’t.”
At the mention of her grandmother, he glanced around the room and found Catherine looking back at him. He wondered how long she’d been watching, and how much she’d seen. His shoulders tightened.
Music picked up through the air. If he stayed, he’d ask her to dance. If he asked her to dance, he’d hold her hand in his, and if her skin touched his, he’d lose himself. So he couldn’t stay.
“I’ll say good night, though,” he told her, “and not monopolize your time, as there are many who’d like to talk to you.” Although there was no one who could want to talk to her more than he did.
A ripple of objection flashed in her eyes, but she didn’t voice it. It was better that way. He gave a small bow. “Good evening, Regal High.”
And she smiled a smile that he’d think about the rest of the night.
Chapter seventeen
“You’re upset with me,” Norah said.
Catherine sat in the side chair, petting a gray, long-haired cat in her lap as she watched Rebecca hold up dresses against Norah for approval.
“Disappointed,” she replied. She flicked her hand, and Rebecca dropped the purple dress she was holding on to the bed and picked up a yellow one.
Norah bit the inside of her cheek. Catherine hadn’t said but a few words to her since the coronation the day before, when Norah had named Alexander as her lord justice. “I know you didn’t want me to choose him—”
“No, I didn’t,” she said sharply. “But it’s not about that, Norah. We agreed we would meet with the council and decide.”
Norah huffed a short breath, her frustration rising. “I didn’t agree. I was told. But I am the one to choose my lord justice, and I chose Alexander. He was good enough when you chose him. He’s clearly done a fine job, and he’s the only one with James’s support.”
“The selection for lord justice doesn’t require James’s support.”
“You say that now only because he didn’t agree with you about Lord Branton.”
Catherine’s mouth fell open, but she didn’t come back with another retort.
They sat in silence.
Finally, Catherine said, “I wish you would have told me that was your decision, instead of catching me by surprise.”
Norah sighed, the fire inside her snuffed with guilt. “I do too,” she admitted, her voice coming softer now. “I was just… afraid that you’d talk me out of it, and I didn’t want to be talked out of it. I’d made up my mind. I know Alexander. I trust him. James trusts him.”
“James doesn’t know the implications.”
“And what are the implications?” Norah asked, the heat returning. All this cryptic talk, she couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Oh, Norah. Are you really so naive?”
And she certainly couldn’t stand people continuing to talk to her like she was foolish. Even her grandmother. Her skin burned.
A knock on the door interrupted them, but Catherine’s eyes didn’t move from Norah. “Finish dressing. It’s time to meet the council.”
While Norah hadn’t forgotten about the state, one benefit of being overwhelmed by the world was that it desensitized her to the crushing weight of other things sometimes. But her mind turned back to the meeting with the council, and her stomach twisted. It had been delayed to move up the coronation, but she had to face it now.
Catherine lowered the cat gently to the floor and stood. Then she moved for the door but paused and eyed the dresses. “Wear the blue. I’ll see you in the judisaept.”
Norah pushed out another breath, brimming with frustration as the door closed behind Catherine. She wanted to scream. Did Catherine think she could decide everything?
Rebecca reached for the blue gown.
“No,” Norah told her. “I’ll wear the green.”
The council was already in the judisaept when Norah arrived, as were her grandmother and Alexander. She had thought her nerves had calmed as she had walked through the morning air, but the anxiousness came flooding back as soon as she saw them. The iron gaze of her grandmother didn’t help. Perhaps she should have worn the blue dress. She felt childish now, which did nothing for her confidence.
While Catherine hadn’t spoken to her much since the night before, she had worked to prepare her as much as possible for this meeting. Norah had her planned responses—her very vague and very short responses. They’d focus on the alliance with Aleon and the marriage. Norah would rather talk about anything else, but she reminded herself of the circumstances: the state of Mercia, the plight of their people, the threat of the Shadow King. She knew what she had accepted by taking the crown. It didn’t make it easier, though.
The councilmen were so deep in a heated conversation that they barely noticed her entrance.
“Councilmen,” Alexander called their attention when he saw her.
Edward turned. “Ah! Queen Norah.” He bowed. “Forgive us. We were caught up in some disappointing news. But let’s get started. I’d like to welcome you to your first state.”
“What news?” she asked.
He paused in surprise but quickly recovered. “Nothing for you to worry about. These matters are why you have a council.” His tone held an air of condescension that brought a heat to her cheeks. “Now, as Lady Catherine reminded me, you’ve not spent much time with the council, even before your… leaving. And it would be good to get reacquainted.”
A small whisper of relief filled her lungs. That was very smart and very much appreciated. She glanced at Catherine, her earlier morning frustration forgotten, and her grandmother gave her the faintest of nods. But the mention of disappointing news still needled the back of her mind.
Edward motioned to each council member around the room. “Councilman Alastair, Henricus, Elias, Charles, and of course you know James.”
Each councilman gave a respectful bow of his head as his name was said, and James smiled reassuringly. Catherine had walked through their descriptions with her before, and Norah felt solid on them now.
“We know you’re stepping into a role that can be overwhelming for any person,” Edward said. “And we’ll guide you through each challenge.”