“A muffled voice startled them both."When are you going to kiss her?"They pulled away. In the ballroom windows, noses and hands pressed against the glass, were the girls. They stood among the prickly rosebushes, beaming wicked little grins. Delphinium and Eve whispered and giggled to each other; Bramble wore a magnificent grin on her face and a spark of light in her yellow-green eyes.Another figure stood among them. This one had his arms folded across his chest, stiff and firm and formal......Yet he did not look displeased.”

“Before anything," he said as he brought her around to face him, "I want to give you this."Fumbling in his suitcoat, he produced a small package wrapped in brown paper and string, and gave it to Azalea. Curious, she tugged at the strings of the light package until they unkonotted. The paper fell away.It was a silver handkerchief. Supple and soft, just as Mother's had been. In the corner were the ambroidered initials A.K.W.Azalea laughed and cried at once. She threw her arms around Mr. Bradford's neck, wanting to embrace him so deeply she could feel his soul."Yes," she cried, "Yes! Yes, yes, yes!""Well-I-never even said anything," he said.Even so, he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her. Azalea pressed her cheek into his collar, rumpling it, and breathing into his cravat. It smelled of fresh linen. She felt Mr. Bradford's cheek pressing the top of her head. His lips touched her hair.A muffled voice startled them both."When are you going to kiss her?"They pulled away.In the ballroom windows, noses and hands pressed against te glass, were the girls. They stood among the prickly rosebushes, beaming wicked little grins. Delphinium and Eve whispered and giggled to each other;Bramble wore a magnificent grin on her face and a spark of light in her yellow-green eyes.Another figure stood among them.This one had his arms folded across his chest, stiff and firm and formal......Yet he did not look displeased."Those rotten little spies!" said Azalea.”

“I suppose he'll try to court and marry Az. He likes her best.""He arrives at the palace doors, on a fine black horse," Delphinium prompted, picking up Bramble's lost thread, and Eve spun her again, "silver flowers in his hand-""And the King opens the door-" squeaked Flora, who caught Azalea.And then,everyone stopped.Azalea's skirts twisted, then settled. It occurred to all of them what would happen next."And boxes Keeper straight in the face," Azalea finished.Everyone managed to giggle, though it as true. Azalea shook her head, smiling."Well," said Eve as they gathered the sleeping girls up from their cushions. "It would be odd if you married him anyway.""Aye," said Bramble. "Your children would be dsappearing all over the place.”

“What's kissing like?""Mmm-like dancing,actually." Bramble pushed her prridge to Ivy and grinned. "You know, the part after a spin, when the room turns about you. What do you think, Clover?"Clover shook her golden head."I think it more..when the gentleman catches you in his arms, that warm feeling that makes your toes sort of curl."Bramble's face twisted. "No..that's not right. Well, dash it, if we knew more dances-”

“You forgot my birthday, too.""And mine."The girls looked miserable. The King opened his mouth, then shut it."Sir!" whined Lord Teddie. "You forgot my birthday, too!"Bramble gave a surprised laugh, then slapped her hand over her mouth, as though shocked at letting it out. The tension broke. The girls laughed sheepishly, and Lord Teddie beamed. He probably did not have many ladies think him funny. In fact, he probably got slapped by a lot of them.”

“Bramble had taken another pencil from Delphinium, and Azalea's napkin, and wrote something new.You're afraid of the King. Admit it.Azalea grimaced at her untouched food, burning in humiliation as Lord Bradford took the napkin and read it. This time, he looked to be discreetly writing something back beneath the table.Fairweller blinked at the King for a moment, in which Lord Bradford handed Bramble her napkin. She opened it and turned a rosy pink.My lady, it read,who isn't?Bramble pursed her lips and kicked Lord Bradford beneath the table-hard. His face twitched befre regaining its solemn expression.Azalea buried her face in her hands."All we ask is for you to consider it. That is all," said Fairweller."Oh." Lord Bradford's voice was slightly strangled. "Yes. Thank you."Bramble threw the pencil-smudged napkin onto her plate. "I'm done," she said. "May we go to our room now?”

“Keeper," Bramble said in a syrupy voice, grinning. "Have you met anyone so blasted handsome?""Hush," said Azalea through her teeth. "He can probably hear you!""And so dashing," said Bramble, though her tone was a touch lower."And so perfect.""I've never seen anyone with such...fingers," said Goldenrod.Everyone paused."Well, yes, his fingers, too," said Bramble.”