Chapter 337

THE PLUSH CARPET SLOWED MY pace on the wide corner and it took a moment of concentrated effort to guide the skirt around. It made me awfully grateful for the mesh top, the lace coverings preserved all modesty and that mesh allowed the air currents Kassie coaxed to cool my skin.

Keeping my shoulders square, I dipped an arm slightly to swing the hoop skirts around, a vivid image of Scarlett O'Hara swanning around Tara in her summer gown strong in my mind, making my lips tremble with laughter for a moment.

The red carpet led the way up to the enormous gleaming white arches of the formal entrance to the castle, covering the stair case.

Perched on the second step, two griffons rose from their seated positions. My eyes fixed on the wide spread, heavy-taloned paws that sunk silently into the deep carpet. Heart racing properly now, I lowered myself in a curtsey which in actuality meant bowing low on both knees in an almost Japanese manner. But as no one could see beneath the layers of skirt