Ходячий замок
Chapter 1
Sophiehadalwaysthoughtshewasnearlyasstrong-mindedasLettie.Nowshewasfindingthatthereweresomethingsshecouldonlydowhentherewerenoexcusesleft.“Thisisabsurd!”Sophiesaid.“MarketSquareisonlytwostreetsaway.IfIrun—”AndshesworetoherselfshewouldgoroundtoCesari’swhenthehatshopwasclosedforMayDay.
Meanwhileanewpieceofgossipcameintotheshop.TheKinghadquarreledwithhisownbrother,PrinceJustin,itwassaid,andthePrincehadgoneintoexile.Nobodyquiteknewthereasonforthequarrel,butthePrincehadactuallycomethroughMarketChippingindisguiseacoupleofmonthsback,andnobodyhadknown.TheCountofCatterackhadbeensentbytheKingtolookforthePrince,whenhehappenedtomeetJaneFarrierinstead.Sophielistenedandfeltsad.Interestingthingsdidseemtohappen,butalwaystosomebodyelse.Still,itwouldbenicetoseeLettie.
MayDaycame.Merrymakingfilledthestreetsfromdawnonward.Fannywentoutearly,butSophiehadacoupleofhatstofinishfirst.Sophiesangassheworked.Afterall,Lettiewasworkingtoo.Cesari’swasopentillmidnightonholidays.“Ishallbuyoneoftheircreamcakes,”Sophiedecided.“Ihaven’thadoneforages.”Shewatchedpeoplecrowdingpastthewindowinallkindsofbrightclothes,peoplesellingsouvenirs,peoplewalkingonstilts,andfeltreallyexcited.
Butwhensheatlastputagrayshawloverhergraydressandwentoutintothestreet,Sophiedidnotfeelexcited.Shefeltoverwhelmed.
