Chapter 11
An ecstatic hum buzzed among those who had gathered at court to follow the procession. I wove my way through the ornately dressed crowds of gentry, stopping here and there when someone recognized me, mostly the women of wealthy houses who sought my approval of their gowns or my suggestions for an autumn wardrobe. It felt an eternity before I found the cool sanctuary of the workroom. The memories of the times I spent playing in this room while my father worked threatened to overwhelm me, but I resisted the lure of the past.
A single window, long and wide, looked out over the stables. The noise of carriages, horses, and shouts from grooms and coachmen carried up on hay-scented breezes. The sun continued to shine and I relished the light coming in through the open window. It woul
