Breakfast and Trouble

"Elizabeth," Georgina was the first to shake off her daze of staring at the handsome man leaning against the carriage.

Her gaze dropped to her sister, bewildered. She ignored what the other man had said; her worry was that Elizabeth had gone there to fail. Oh, most certainly if she had been the one who had gone there, she would have seduced the king. This, she bit her tongue, was her mother's doing, who had trusted Elizabeth to do a better job.

"It is I who was to go," she said loudly, crossing her hand over her chest, ignoring the intent look on the man's face, "You failed woefully, sister."

"Georgina," Elizabeth raised her head, her eyes gleamed with hot tears, "We have to stop. The king is already married and the rumors..." she looked away, feeling guilty that she had spread such things without facts, "The rumors might be false."

There was complete quietness, her two sisters staring at each other, then, to Elizabeth's dismay, they burst into laughter.