Katherine watched as the Prince inclined his head in a brief, almost courtly bow. Without another word, he turned away, his scarlet cloak trailing behind him. Rays of sunlight danced along the rich velvet, highlighting every embroidered scale on the dragon crest at his shoulder. For a moment, Katherine's gaze lingered on the back of his broad frame. He did not look back. A handful of courtiers, strolling the gardens nearby, hurried to dip low as he passed, murmuring fawning greetings and well-wishes that he accepted with only the barest nod.

When at last he disappeared around a tall hedge, Katherine exhaled, releasing a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She wondered if, at any second, he might reappear with some new command or observation. But the pathway remained empty. The hush of the gardens settled around her once more—only now she was uncomfortably aware of a presence at her flank.

She turned, heart jolting, to find Maria and three other ladies hovering just beyond a marble bench. All wore elaborate riding cloaks lined with fur against the cold, though Maria's was by far the most ostentatious, trimmed with silver thread that glimmered even in the diffuse morning light. Her companions seemed to shrink behind her, trading glances that vacillated between curiosity and malice.

Maria strode forward, skirts rustling, her chin high. At once, her gaze locked on the pearl net nestled in Katherine's hair. Her lips thinned, and for a moment, she seemed to pale with fury. But she quickly collected herself, summoning an affected smile that did nothing to disguise the venom in her eyes.

"How...lovely," she remarked, each syllable dripping with condescension. "I see His Grace continues to reward your...dutiful service." Her mouth curved into a sweetly poisonous smile. "But then, I suppose a woman who spends her nights like a common street whore is used to getting paid for her services."

The words slapped Katherine like a burst of icy wind. She stiffened, head held high, though she could find no immediate reply to Maria's scorn. Maria's coterie tittered behind her, clearly enjoying the performance. Before Katherine could summon her composure, a familiar voice broke the tension.

"Lady Maria," Rose drawled, appearing at Katherine's side, "you should be careful, what you're insinuating is an insult to both parties involved, and you wouldn't want to insult your sovereign, would you, my lady?"

Maria's nostrils flared in indignation, but she seemed at a loss for a biting retort. With a haughty toss of her hair, she turned on her heel.

"Let's go," she snapped to her companions. "We have better things to do than loiter here." Hissing something under her breath, she swept away, her entourage trailing after her like a flock of ruffled peacocks.

Katherine let out a tension-filled breath. "Thank you," she murmured, regarding Rose with a shaky smile.

Rose answered with a small shrug, though her blue eyes twinkled with satisfaction. "I can't abide hypocrisy," she said lightly. "In any case, you've far bigger concerns than that vain creature."

Katherine glanced toward the hedge where the Prince had vanished, still feeling the imprint of his presence. "So it would seem," she agreed quietly.

Rose's expression sobered a fraction. "You should know, Katherine...His Grace has asked for your company again tonight."

The words sparked a nervous flutter in Katherine's chest, and she curled her fingers over the cold marble of the bench at her side. Another summons—another evening in his domain. "I understand," she said softly, forcing her voice not to waver. "Thank you for telling me."

Rose slipped an arm through Katherine's, giving it a small, reassuring squeeze. "Come," she said gently. "The morning air will do you good—and we can find a less intrusive corner of these grounds to talk."

As they walked away, side by side, Katherine could still feel the weight of Maria's hateful glare etched into the air behind them. But she pressed on, determined to face whatever the night would bring with dignity and, if possible, a grain of fortitude.