Chapter Seventeen
1358 Words
Chapter Seventeen
I awoke, dressed in a fine nightgown, surrounded by pillows. I sighed and stood from the bed, grabbing a robe and heading out back to get pails of water for a bath, since it was rather early in the morning. I carried two pails back to my room and light a fire to heat the water, leaving with two other pails to get more. After four trips, I was able to have enough water for a bath. Perusing the soaps, I tried to find the least expensive one, before giving up and choosing a lavender bar. I cleaned my hair and my skin quickly before the water ran cold, and wrapped a towel around myself once I had stepped out. I was looking through the gowns in my closet, wishing for the simpler ones Bennet had gotten made for me, when the door was knocked on.
“Come in,” I said, continuing to look at through the dresses.
“Oh, miss you weren’t already supposed to have taken a bath,” a younger woman than myself had slipped through the door and was looking around upset. “I will come earlier tomorrow.”
“Please don’t,” I said and she looked surprised. “I don’t believe I will be staying up here much longer anyway.”
“But Ma’am said…”
I sighed, “It’s alright, I will let you do my hair and help me into a gown.” She grinned and walked to my closet, picking out a yellow gown that looked too fancy for the daytime, at least to me anyway. She gently pulled me over to a vanity, sat me down and began brushing through my wet locks. “What’s your name?”
“Rosaline,” she answered shyly as she began to plait my hair. She let the plait hang down my back, tying it with a yellow ribbon. Rosaline then helped me into my dress, tying the ribbons that held the back together. She fished through the closet and found matching yellow slippers that she put on my feet before declaring me ready for breakfast.
“I am not sure if the Ma’am and Sirs will be down for breakfast yet, but you can go down and wait for them,” she said as she exited my room, leaving me to contemplate my decision. After a few moments, I gathered my courage and headed toward the dining room, my speech to get myself back to my old position forming in my head. I sat in the middle of the eight-person table, believing it to be acceptable as I began to rehearse what I was going to say.
“…and I am not fit for such finery. Please allow me to return to my previous position as part of the staff,” I finished, smiling at how it sounded.
“Beautiful,” I turned and saw that Arthur had been standing in the doorway and I turned beet red. “That was quite a speech.”
I stood, brushing my skirt as I dipped my head towards him, “Good morning, Sir Arthur.”
“Now, now,” he walked into the room and dropped into the seat beside me. “Although that speech was eloquent, I do believe you have joined the family, Sister. No need for the formalities.”
My eyes widened at his declaration, but he seemed to ignore it as he continued on, “I am not sure if Mother will let you go, and Livvy seems quite attached to you as well.”
“Ah! Looks like Arthur and Amara beat us to it this morning,” Matthew came into the dining room holding Olivia in his arms.
“Amara?” Olivia wiggled from Matthew’s arms and ran over, sitting on the opposite side of me. She hugged my side and I placed a small kiss on the top of her head.
“How is it being home?” I asked and she grinned.
“It’s magnificent! And now I have you as a sister too!” she exclaimed and I looked at Arthur who smiled and shrugged.
“Like I said, part of the family.”
“Good morning, darlings,” Valencia glided into the room with Vincent trailing her. Vincent had large dark circles under his eyes and he held in a yawn, sitting beside Matthew who had seated himself directly across from me. Valencia took the head of the table between Matthew and Arthur and as soon as she was seated, Harvey and another young woman brought food to us. It was delicious, but my heart ached as I thought of Bennet and his informal breakfasts. Olivia poked my side and I turned to her.
“You’re thinking about him again,” she whispered not so quietly. The conversation around us stopped as everyone looked at me.
“Who is this him?” Matthew narrowed his eyes playfully at me. “As your eldest brother, I have a right to know.”
Before I could say anything, Olivia jumped right in, “His name is Bennet and he’s a prince. Well, Amara and I though he was a Lord, but apparently, he’s third in line and he doesn’t want to be a royal…” Olivia blabbered on about how nice he was to her and how he took us in. Everyone listened quietly until she ended with, “And, he calls her RaRa!”
Valencia’s eyes sparkled as I looked at her shaking my head, “He is just kind, that is all.”
Arthur raised an eyebrow, “From what Olivia has said, it sounds much more than ‘just kind’.”
“Did you kiss?” Vincent asked and I flushed as I couldn’t look any of them in the eye.
“No-o.”
“They so did,” Vincent exchanged smirks with Arthur.
Matthew was a little more reserved, “When will we meet him?”
I looked up confused, “Why would you?”
“To make sure he is good enough for you, Sister,” Vincent replied and they all smiled at me.
“Oh, we aren’t courting,” I said, trying to defuse the situation. “I don’t want to see him.”
Valencia stood quickly, her face a mixture of sadness and happiness, “Come, Amara.” I followed her from the room, leaving my siblings behind. We exited the house and she linked arms with me as we slowly strolled through the decaying garden. “Next year this garden will be beautiful and healthy again,” she said. “Do you know why?”
“Because you will take care of it?” I answered, wondering why she pulled me alone to speak about her garden.
“Exactly,” Valencia sat down on the side of a fountain and looked me in the eye. “Flowers can whither when mistakes are made, but if you give them enough time and love, they will thrive.” She looked at me expectantly and I nodded, still confused.
“But why are you telling me this?”
She sighed, “You and Bennet, darling. He’s made some mistakes, nobody is perfect. But he has been trying to love you and you push him away.”
“Because I am not worthy.”
Valencia grasped my hands in hers, shaking them, “You are more than worthy of his love. You are kind, protective, and intelligent.”
Tears sprung in my eyes, “I do not know if I could be a royal.”
“He doesn’t want to be one either!” She exclaimed. “Do you love him?”
“I-I...”
“Do you love him?” she asked more sternly.
With little tears dropping on to my new gown I uttered the word I knew was true, “Yes.”
- Writer
