The main hallway in the debutante's wing was crowded with giddy girls as Anne navigated us through it. I passed Ella's old room, sounds of laughter coming from within, as Anne led me towards the end of the hallway.

"We've made sure you have the best room, but it will be a little smaller than the rest since you're one of the newer debutantes. Unfortunately only the heritage debutantes have permission to invite ladies in waiting, but we've arranged for you to have your own pair of maids," she said, pushing open the last door at the end of the hallway. We walked into a room that was hardly small - it was roughly the same size as Ella's suite, only with one bedroom instead of two.

A pair of maids were bustling around the bedroom, unloading the multitude of trunks I'd arrived with. Upon recognizing one of them, I gave a yelp of glee and dashed over to hug her.

"Oh now, we'd best not go hugging the help!" Brenna laughed. She'd been my ladies' maid during our trip to Paris and she had a surprisingly quick wit and boundless patience for my antics. She was old enough to be wise but young enough to be spry, with streaks of grey at her temples and soft brown eyes.

"Brenna is to be your personal ladies' maid for the Season," Anne said, as both Brenna and the other maid dipped curtseys, "While Elspeth is to help her,"

"Lovely to meet you Elspeth," I said, smiling at the timid younger woman. She offered me a small smile as she curtseyed again, unable to meet my gaze. Taking in the shy way she kept looking to Brenna for guidance, I decided that I'd befriend her no matter how long it took.

A knock at the door interrupted whatever Anne had to say next and Elspeth hurried over to answer it so the princess wouldn't have to.

"I see I'm not so lucky as to catch the new debutante alone," Prince Thomas said, shooting me a rakish grin as he sauntered in. Anne moved to plant herself in front of him, arms crossed.

"What do you want?" she demanded, "Because Libby needs to get ready for dinner,"

"Then I'll be quick about it," he said, dodging around his sister to stand before me, "I was hoping you'd sit with me at the opera in a few nights' time?"

"She most certainly will not!" Anne answered for me, "She's going with Andrew and you know it, Thomas!"

"Well here's my invitation," Thomas said, handing me a red card with gold calligraphy, "I can't see myself inviting any other debutante, so I'll leave the decision up to you,"

I accepted it hesitantly as Anne pushed her grinning brother towards the door.

"Get out, troublemaker!" Anne said, chasing him out of the room.

"Think on it, Libby. We'd have the most wonderful time!" he called over his shoulder before Anne slammed the door.

"You'd best watch yourself around him," she said, frowning, "Thomas always wants what isn't his to have,"

"Thank you for the warning," I said, toying with the invitation. Anne was studying me.

"I mean it," she said, taking the invitation from me to look down at it with a frown, "He should have given it to Addie,"

My eyes snapped to hers at the mention of the blonde.

"Adelaide?" I asked. Anne nodded, still frowning.

"She's clearly mother's favourite, especially as she's the daughter of her closest friend," Anne said, chewing her lip, "Which is why Thomas should have invited her. She'd keep him in line just like she used to when we were children,"

I wordlessly processed that information, my unease about Adelaide Winters heightening.

"I'd best leave you to begin getting ready for dinner," Anne said finally, placing Thomas' invitation on a side table next to the door, "Try not to get into too much trouble until I see you again. You are here by my invitation after all,"

"I promise I shall try," I smiled, the princess grinning as she shook her head. Brenna and Elspeth curtseyed as she left, the younger maid resuming the unpacking.

"I think we'd best get started on getting you ready," Brenna said, laying an aubergine formal gown on the bed and pulling out the chair to my vanity table for me.

"Couldn't you give me just a few minutes?" I asked, scanning the room for any telltale sign of a service door.

The little library, meet me there...

"You're a debutante now, Miss Marks-Whelan. It wouldn't do for you to be late for dinner or show up without an impeccable hairstyle," Brenna said, nodding once again towards the vanity chair. The invisible tug to Andrew pulled taut as I sighed and sat down. The little library would have to wait.

"Will I have to correct you a dozen more times now that we're back in Highcastle? Because I don't see why you should start addressing me so formally just because we're not in Paris anymore," I said, as Brenna got to combing out my hair. She smiled to herself.

"You certainly are much more of a handful than the princess," Brenna mused.

"And it's only my first day," I grinned. While Brenna started pinning my hair, I riffled through the jewelry box on the vanity set. It was huge, with tiers of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings, but I kept sifting through them, unsure what to pair with the dress Brenna had laid out.

"Perhaps the pearls?" Brenna suggested. I made a face. Pearls reminded me of my fussy grandmother who always smelled of dust and rosewater.

"I have something else in mind," I said, popping open the hidden compartment at the bottom of the jewelry box. Brenna made a disapproving noise at the back of her throat.

"I believe you are only supposed to access that when the staff isn't in the room," she said. I playfully lifted my eyebrows at her in the mirror.

"Well then if something goes missing I'll know who to blame," I said cheekily. She clucked her tongue at me.

"Just as sassy as I remember you," she said, giving a piece of my hair a tug that caused me to wince, "I see I'll have my work cut out for me to keep you in line,"

"Hair-pulling aside," I grinned, "I'm thinking I'd like to wear this one,"

Brenna looked down at the sapphire and pink diamond necklace that Prince Andrew had given me at last Season's masquerade. The necklace had been the cause of my ejection from the Season when my cousin Ella had discovered it and stolen it away, but Andrew had returned it to me along with my invitation to become a debutante.

"It might clash," Brenna said, "But if you insist,"

"I do," I said, fastening the clasp around my neck before she could attempt to convince me otherwise.

When Brenna finally declared me fit to leave, the hallway had already filled with the sounds of the other debutantes making their way down to our first dinner with the royal family. Per the social calendar Elspeth had helpfully laid out on the table in the sitting room, tonight's dinner would be for debutantes only. Tomorrow was the first ball and the next night was the opera outing to which Thomas had invited me.

I hesitated at the door before leaving, Brenna scooting me out with some encouraging words. As much as this afternoon's tea had been my first introduction into being a debutante, tonight would be my first event while all dressed up and pretending to be a real lady. Seeing the other debutantes giggling and tittering together in the hallway set my stomach to roiling. The feeling that I didn't belong here started wheedling its way under my skin.

I hoped Xavier was already in the dining room. I needed a familiar face to calm my nerves. While I made my way down the hallway, however, I stumbled upon a familiar face I didn't expect at all.

"Libby?"

I'd barely looked around at the sound of my cousin's voice when Annabelle came bounding out of Ella's suite and threw her arms around me.

"You little troublemaker, I love it!" she whispered in my ear.

Annabelle was the black sheep of her side of the family, but far better at acting ladylike than I was. I liked her well enough, but she was always quick to pin the blame on me whenever we'd gotten caught in one of our pranks together as youngsters.

"I'm glad to see you're well!" I said, squeezing her back with a smile. Over her shoulder, Ella, Rosanna, and Emily were hovering in the doorway, a trio of murderous glares fixed upon me.

"Oh the chickenpox were terrible! I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I felt like I wanted to scratch my skin off!" Annabelle said, linking her arm with mine, "Let's hurry down to dinner before we're late,"

I blinked as her words translated in my head.

"But isn't Ella the debutante?" I asked, shooting my other cousin a look. Ella's face had soured into a vile sneer, her fingers curling into quivering fists at her sides.

"Not since she and James have been courting," Annabelle said, tossing a glance back towards her older sister, "Now she's left all the fun to me. Two princes for the plucking, how exciting!"

Ella turned on her heel and disappeared back into the suite, Rosanna following her to console her. Only Emily remained in the doorway, looking as if she was about to breathe fire.

"That's all, Emily. You may retire now," Annabelle said, staring the other blonde down. Emily, however, had eyes only for me - hate-filled eyes that held the promise of destruction. I smiled at her, which seemed to be enough for her to slam the door in our faces.

"Hateful little thing," Annabelle shuddered, "I don't know how you got along with them. Rosanna's a dreadful goody-goody and Emily's a spiteful little witch,"

"Why on Earth did the family demote Ella?" I asked again, as Annabelle pulled us along with the tide of debutantes.

"Father decreed that she'd had her chance last Season, so now that she's netted Lord Amberly she needn't be a debutante anymore. Personally I think it's because he wanted an unattached daughter available to make a favourable match," Annabelle said, tucking a loose strand of her strawberry blonde hair back behind her ear. "Unfortunately for me, the Winter Season was announced so hastily that Ella had to become one of my ladies-in-waiting along with the two other horrors she selected,"

"She must be green with envy," I said, shooting a look at the opulent dress Annabelle was wearing. She followed my gaze and paused at the top of the stairs to do a little twirl to show it off.

"Oh she is! Especially since there are two princes in the pool now," Annabelle grinned, "Now tell me, is it true what Emily's been going on about?"

"What's she been going on about?" I asked, casting a look around to see if anyone was listening to us. Ahead of us, Penelope was talking intently with another debutante who shared her brown hair and pale blue eyes, their attention too focused on whatever Penelope was talking about to be listening to us.

"That you and the prince were caught sneaking around together," Annabelle said slyly, giving me a little nudge as she added, "On multiple occasions, no less!"

"She's been saying such things?" I demanded, to which Annabelle laughed.

"Do you really think I'd let her spread such nonsense about my favourite cousin?" she asked, "Ella might have let it go because we all know she's far too prim and proper to have ever really liked you, but I'm the family's new debutante now and I won't stand for it,"

"Well that's a relief," I said as we paused in the hallway outside the dining room. Each debutante was being announced as they entered, escorted to a predetermined place at one of the many tables scattered around the room. Annabelle gave my arm a little squeeze before she was announced.

"We'll chat later!" she called over her shoulder as a butler whisked her off to her table. I nodded, swallowing as I took in the glittering dining room. The tables were impeccably set, with glowing candles and overflowing floral centerpieces. Polite chatter floated through the air as those already seated conversed with their neighbours. It was a scene eerily reminiscent of the stuffy, uptight parties my parents used to throw at the Draughton house. I was snapped out of my daze when my name was announced to the room.

"Lady Elizabeth Marks-Whelan,"

Being announced as a lady was almost too much for me to handle without splitting my face into a massive, idiotic grin, but the room's stifling atmosphere helped me maintain my composure. I racked my brain for everything I'd ever been taught by a manners mistress at one of my many finishing schools, since tonight would be when I needed such training the most. No elbows on the table, chew quietly and slowly, use the silverware from the outside first, drinking glass is on the right...

Still running over my etiquette lessons in my head, I spotted Xavier standing to pull out the chair next to him for Annabelle. The two of them smiled, exchanging quiet greetings. Georgina was already seated at the same table, chatting quietly with Oliver Pendleton, the buck-toothed yet charming inductee I'd shared my first dance with last season. Oliver stood as Xavier seated Annabelle, introductions being made all around.

I very much resented the butler when he ushered me towards a table at the opposite end of the room. Much to my dismay, the only two people already seated at the table for six were Lord James Amberly and Adelaide Winters.