The Glittering Court Read Online Free PDF

hundred nobles. I can handle swaggering boys.”
    Cedric’s expression remained dignified. “Glad to hear it. Go to the university’s north office tomorrow and tell them your name. They’ll give you more information.”
    Old Doris’s mouth dropped, and she looked to me for confirmation. I nodded encouragingly.
    â€œYes, yes, m’lord! I’ll go right after breakfast’s served. Thank you—thank you so much.”
    â€œWell, that’s lucky,” I told him, once we were alone again. I certainly wouldn’t say so, but I thought it was incredibly kind of him to offer such a thing, let alone notice her. Most didn’t. “Lucky that there was an open position.”
    â€œThere isn’t, actually,” he said. “But I’ll stop by and talk to the office today. By the time I’m done, they’ll have an opening.”
    â€œMister Thorn, something tells me you could sell salvation to a priest.”
    He smiled at the old adage. “What makes you think I haven’t?”
    We reached the garden and were nearing the exit when he halted again. An expression of disbelief crossed his face, and I turned toward what had caught his eye. My poppies painting.
    â€œThat’s . . . Peter Cosingford’s
Poppies
. I saw it in the National Gallery. Except . . . ?” He trailed off, face full of confusion as he took in the canvas and the pigments beside it.
    â€œIt’s a copy. My attempt at a copy. I have others. It’s just something I do for fun.”
    â€œYou make copies of great works for fun?” Belatedly, he added, “My lady?”
    â€œNo, Mister Thorn. That’s what
you
do.”
    The smile on his face was genuine, and I found I liked it better than the show ones. “Well, I’m pretty sure I could never copy
you
.”
    We’d reached the front gate, and his words made me come to a halt. It was less about their meaning than the way he’d said them. The tone. The warmth. I tried to think of a witty retort, but my normally quick mind had frozen up.
    â€œAnd if you won’t take offense at me speaking openly . . .” he added quickly.
    â€œI’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”
    â€œIt’s just . . . well,
I’m
a little disappointed I probably won’t ever get a chance to see you again.” Perhaps realizing that was
too
open, he gave a hasty bow. “Farewell, and best of luck to you, my lady.”
    One of the guards outside the gate unlocked it for him, and I watched him walk out the gate, admiring the way the velvet coat hugged his body
.
    â€œBut you will be seeing me again,” I murmured. “Just wait.”

Chapter 3
    The plan had been forming in the back of my mind ever since Ada had tearfully signed her contract. I had a chance to outsmart the bad things looming over me. And, as my father had advised, I needed to act quickly. As more and more details became clearer, my excitement grew, and it was all I could do not to shout it to the heavens.
    Mastering myself, I walked quickly—but sedately—out of the garden, back to the drawing room, where Ada sat morosely. I dodged two servants lugging my grandmother’s chaise lounge and was glad Cedric hadn’t seen that. It looked like we were being looted.
    â€œWell, you must be excited,” I said cheerfully to Ada. “Such an exciting opportunity ahead of you.”
    She rested her chin in her hands. “As you say, my lady.”
    I sat down beside her, feigning astonishment. “It’s a great thing for you.”
    â€œI know, I know.” She sighed. “It’s just . . . it’s just . . .” Her attempts at self-control failed utterly, and tears ran down her cheeks. I offered her a silk handkerchief. “I don’t want to go to a strange land! I don’t want to sail across the Sunset Sea! I don’t want to get