The Bravest Princess Read Free Page B

took the wreath and returned to the great hall. She went straight to Marie and explained the problem.
    â€œOh dear,” said the maid. “I see what she means. I don’t know how that got past me. I’ll fix it right away.”
    In just a few minutes, Annie was on her way back upstairs with the wreath. She was only partway down the corridor when she heard raised voices. Peeking into the room, she saw her sister seated on a bench, breathing in short, quick gasps, a look of panic on her face. Her ladies-in-waiting fluttered around her, while Queen Karolina’s ladies clustered around the queen, who was telling everyone to stay calm.
    â€œWhat’s wrong now?” Annie asked as she handed the wreath to a lady-in-waiting.
    â€œMarietta and her mother are missing. Marietta is one of my flower girls,” Gwendolyn cried.
    â€œDoes she have flaxen hair and blue-gray eyes?” said Annie, thinking of the little girl at breakfast.
    Gwendolyn nodded. “That sounds about right.”
    â€œI’ll look for her,” said Annie. While the ladies-in-waiting tried to calm Gwendolyn, Annie left the room and hurried down the corridor. Certain that the castle steward would know which rooms were assigned to which guests, she went to the man’s office. He wasn’t there, so she sent a passing footman to find him.
    Nearly twenty minutes passed before the steward appeared, red-faced and apologetic. “I’m so sorry you had to wait, Your Highness!” he gushed, wiping the sweat from his brow with a silk cloth. “I’ve been running around all morning.”
    â€œI understand,” Annie reassured him. “I’m looking for Marietta and her mother. Marietta is a flower girl in my sister’s wedding. Do you know which room they’re in?”
    â€œI do indeed,” said the steward. “Marietta is Lady Bentley’s daughter. Would you like me to send for them?”
    Annie shook her head. “I think the girl might be unwell. I’ll go there myself if you’ll tell me where to find them.”
    â€œI’ll have someone escort you,” he said, opening the door. He summoned another footman and gave him instructions.
    â€œThis way, Your Highness,” the footman said, leading the way down the corridor and through the great hall. It took only a few minutes to find the right room. When she learned that the girl had a simple stomachache, Annie sent a maid for ginger tea and told Lady Bentley to get her daughter to the queen’s chamber as soon as she was able to. Worried that Gwendolyn might still be panicking, Annie hurried back to her.
    â€œI found your flower girl,” Annie told her sister. “She should be here soon.”
    â€œThen she’d better hurry. We have to start down to the great hall in just a few minutes,” said Gwendolyn. Running her hand across her sleeve, she smiled up at Annie. “Don’t you just love the color of my gown? I think it matches my eyes perfectly!”
    â€œBlue for purity!” exclaimed Lady Clare. “That’s what all brides wear! Now, Your Highness,” she said, approaching Annie with a handful of flowers, “I’m glad you’re here. All the princess’s attendants are wearing flowers in their hair. Hold still while I put these in. Oh dear, your hair is a tangled mess. Lady Patrice, bring me that brush.”
    The youngest lady-in-waiting looked sullen when she brought the brush. No one seemed to notice but Annie.
    In just minutes, Lady Clare’s deft hands had Annie’s normally tousled hair brushed until it shone and had fastened flowers among her curls. “You have unusuallythick hair. Too bad it isn’t a prettier color. Even so, this should do. There, you look very nice,” the lady-in-waiting announced. “Come to the mirror and see for yourself.”
    Guiding Annie to the back of the room, Lady Clare turned her so that she was facing the