Princess of the Silver Woods (Twelve Dancing Princesses) by Jessica Day George Read Free Book Online

over hidden rocks and tree roots had mostly ruined her low boots, which were for riding in a comfortable coach and not foot travel.
    “It’s to the right,” Oliver instructed, sliding down the bank to stand beside her on the road. He started to lead the way.
    “Is it far?” She did a little skip to catch up to his longer legs.
    “Not far,” he said. He pointed at the other side of the road, which was just as dark with forest. “If you go just past the first line of trees, there’s a wall that surrounds the estate’s grounds.”
    “Really?” Petunia peered through the thick trunks but couldn’t make out a wall.
    “It’s made of a brownish gray stone,” Oliver said. “It’s fairly hard to see from here.”
    “Are the grounds quite large?”
    “Very,” Oliver said, and his voice was strained.
    Petunia gave him a quick look. She was hit, suddenly, with how hard this must be for him. He had been disinherited through no fault of his own; he had lived most of his life in the forest, responsible for the survival of dozens of people; and now, because of her, he had to see his old home again, the home that had been given to someone else.
    “If it’s only a few minutes walk, I can go alone,” Petunia said. She gave him a quick smile. “I’m not trying to be rude, but won’t it be better for you if you’re not seen? I can tell them that I got lost and made my own way here.”
    “That
would
be better,” Oliver admitted. “But are you sure that you can find the way?”
    She raised one eyebrow.
    “Yes, all right,” he said with a laugh. “I’m sure that you’re capable of following a road! Well then, just follow it around this bend; the wall comes right up alongside the road. The gates are perhaps a mile along, you can’t miss them.” He swept a low bow. “And so, princess, this lowly earl will bid you farewell!”
    Petunia felt another stab of pity for Oliver, and guilt over her own behavior. She gave him a proper curtsy, as befit an earl.
    “Thank you for all your help,” she told him.
    “The pleasure, I assure you, was mine,” he said, and bowed again. This time Petunia couldn’t detect any irony in the gesture.
    “Please give my best to your mother,” she said. “And convey my wishes for a speedy recovery to your brother.” She gave him a small smile, and then turned, feeling self-conscious, and continued on up the road.
    After a moment, she looked over her shoulder, pretending to fuss with the way her basket hung over her elbow. Oliver was gone, and the road was empty.

Hidden
    Oliver faded back into the forest, putting on his mask out of habit. He kept to the side opposite the estate wall, staring at Petunia. If the princess couldn’t find the gates to the estate from that point, she really was more helpless than a babe, but still he watched. Oliver knew that if he didn’t report back to his mother that he had seen her safely through the gates, he would never be forgiven.
    Besides which, his mother wasn’t the only person who wanted to make sure she was safe.
    He could feel the knot of tension between his shoulder blades beginning to unravel. She was almost there. Now he could relax and just go back to the old hall and be what he was: a disgraced earl with nothing more pressing on his mind than whether to rob the very next traveler on the main road or wait a few days.
    Oliver sidled through the trees. There was a crash and a roar of sound from the direction of the still-hidden gates. Oliversaw Petunia freeze in the middle of the road, her right hand reaching into her basket for her pistol. Why didn’t she move? Oliver knew exactly what that sound was, but she just stood there with her head cocked in curiosity.
    Oliver didn’t hesitate for another second. He ran for the princess. She still hadn’t moved when he reached her, dragging her to the opposite side of the road. They tripped over each other’s feet and fell against the leaf-strewn bank. She screamed, but Oliver wasn’t sure