Don't Forget to Dream (46 page)

The following days found the ladies resuming their routine. Mistress O'Mara checked on Rhyla's progress daily, examining her bruises and wounds, removing the stitches, adjusting the dressing and ensuring she was eating well. Lady Emelia reassured the head housekeeper that Rhyla was dutifully resuming her
position. Rhyla was thankful to be kept busy and was
not given a free moment to w
orry about her predicament. Together she and Lady Emelia
walked around the lakes
and the gardens and she was kept busy with
Lady Emelia
’
s requests. She
completed the report to Master Stephen and
dispatched it with a rider.
Everything was back to normal and it seemed that
the dreadful attack and that mortifying scene had never taken place.

Mostly Rhyla
dined in the sunroom
with Lady Emelia
but soon she ha
d to face the women's hall. Over
a week had passed since she had seen Callum
. Soon
she would be
for
ced to quench her fear and embarrassment and face
the Queen and Princess
Sophia. Lady Emelia had
elected to dine with her family
.

"I am weary of this chamber," Lady Emelia announced one cloudy afternoon. "Without the sunshine to brighten
and warm the sunroom,
I will tak
e my dinner in the women's hall.
I haven't had a great opportunity to see my daughter with all t
hese problems that have needed my attention at the Black Swan Estate.
”

This simple statement
instantly drove fear into Rhyla.
Her
hand sewing
was
abruptly forgotten at the prospect of an evening evading probing
questions and knowing glances, but what choice did she have.
She
must accompany her lady until
such times as she was
dismissed or sent on an errand.

"As you wish my lady. Will you wish to change before dinner?" Rhyla vaguely heard Elsie ask.

"No Elsie. No need to waste time and laundry. This gown is suitable for the women's hall," Lady Emelia said smoothing the skirt over her lap. "Elsie will you tell Mistress Cobb of my choice and join us there."

"Yes, my lady," Elsie said as she bobbed a curtsy and promptly departed.

Rhyla barely heard the exchange as she was lost in her thoughts and scenarios of humiliation. Finally she realised her distracted state and quickly glanced at Lady Emelia. The old lady held an eyebrow up questioningly but her eyes were soft with concern.

"If you are in a position to set aside your needlework Rhyla, shall we retire?" Lady Emelia spoke so gently that Rhyla blushed furiously.

"Of course my lady. Forgive me," Rhyla replied as she hastily secured her needle in the material and returned it and the threads to her work basket. She crossed from her chair and dutifully assisted her mistress from the room.

The halls were bustling as people made their way to dinner
.
Servants
carried trays to the halls or private rooms. The tide of humanity slowed and stepped aside as Lady Emelia approached, bowing or curtsying in turn before hurrying back to their tasks. Some glanced and smiled at Rhyla in greeting but she had not heard of any gossip spreading since her emergence from her sick bed. No doubt the King and Queen had seen to silencing any outlets before the rumours started.

Passing through the halls Rhyla did not feel the relief she had recently enjoyed but battled with the new anxiety for the evening. She knew Queen Aletta and Princess Sophia would not be unkind to her. It was doubtful they would mention her situation with Callum, but just knowing they now knew made facing them beyond awkward. Even with their slow pace Rhyla and Lady Emelia far too quickly approached the women's hall. There was no need to knock as she escorted her mistress and they entered the warmly lit room
that was
filled with the soft chatter and laughter of relaxed friendship. The women's hall was suitably furnished with several well padded chairs for the ladies to lounge in
. Very comfortable chairs surrounded a modestly sized but ornately carved table on
which they would all dine. Rhyla
had always admired
the furnishings and the beauty of
this room.
The momentary delight allowed
her anxiety to wane a fraction.

L
aughter soon recaptured her attention. Glancing at the women seated comfortably she realised their arrival was not the cause of the other women's mirth. Silently she admon
ished herself for her anxieties.
Few
people in the Palace knew of her feelings and those who did were not spreading the tale. Surely she could be mature enough to dine in the hall with them. She had done nothing
wrong;
falling in love was not a crime. A gentle pressure on her arm urged her to step forward and do her duty to her mistress.

"Mother," said Queen Aletta as she looked to the new arrivals. "I am so glad you have come to join us."

Rhyla assisted Lady Emelia into a chair before curtsying to the Queen and Princess Sophia. They both smil
ed and nodded recognition
but neither spoke directly to her. Lady's Elizabeth and Caroline were in attendance, as was an often occurrence, b
ut to Rhyla
’
s
surprise the Lady's Sarah and Madeline had joined them for the evening. They were frequent visitors to the Palace but she
hadn't seen them
for several months. The pale gracefulness of Lady Sarah always struck her as odd considering her brother Lord Tobias Blake was such a rogue. Lady Madeline had the curves that were
a sharp contrast to Lady Sarah.
She
managed all the courtly manners and dressed in the finest silk gown, but with the current company she was sorely lacking in their gr
ace and beauty. Rhyla wondered at their presence. Did
it h
ave something to do with Callum?
They
were his
most eligible
suitors before Prin
cess Annabel was mentioned. Was it just a coincidence that they were present? Surely they had other
reasons to be visiting the Queen and Princess Sophia.

"Oh Aletta, we have spent far too much time in the sunroom," she heard Lady Emelia say, "
Working
through the letters from Master Stephen was a te
dious chore for my old soul but
thanks to Rhyla they are now complete and the replies shall be dispatched tomorrow." Lady Emelia indicated i
n Rhyla's direction, which earned her a
brief attention of all the ladies.

"You are too kind my lady," Rhyla replied softly as she took a stool and sat slightly behind and to the side of her mistress so as to be easily at hand.

The young ladies turned back to the circle, quickly dismissing her as they did all the servants. The Queen
’
s g
aze lingered for another moment;
the barest nod of her head and a hint of a smile more than enough recognition for Rhyla. She returned the smile and was surprised to find that her anxiety had faded.

The young ladies chattered on as Rhyla was accustomed to in this hall. Who was set to marry and what arrangements had been made w
as always their favourite topic?
Someone
else was pregnant and another Lady had recently given birth
. This was
also discussed. Lady Sarah enquired as to the
progress of Callum's engagement, causing Rhyla's stomach to instantly knot, but the Queen quickly deflected the question.

"T
he possibility of Callum marrying
in the near fu
ture is unsettled at this time.
We
have a great many things to discuss before any such arrangements are made," Queen Aletta said light-heartedly. "With my youngest son you can never be sure he will be home for dinner or off on another one of his quests. Marriage is
not a topic
in his schedule
. It does not warrant a
discuss
ion, a
typical man." The women all dutifully laughed, but Rhyla did not miss the glance from the Princess.

With their intended focus of information for the evening clearly brushed aside, the courtly trained ladies retu
rned to discussing fashion,
embroidery designs, fabric colours, cuts and hems to the style in which to arrange their hair.
One item requiring a great deal of discussion was
what they would be wearing to the upcoming harvest celebrations. Rhyla was thankful she was not expected to contribute to such a conversation as
being
just another servant
, the ladies would ignore her.
She was even more grateful when Elsie, Marina and the other serving maids arrived and she could help them arrange the table and serve dinner. The evening progressed in the same idle, mundane chatter of topics
that were of no interest to
Rhy
la.
She had witnessed the intelligent and lively discussions Queen Aletta and Lady Emelia often enjoyed, either in idle banter or with more serious matters to attend to. She could only deduce that the tone of the evening reflected the guests rather than the ladies of the house.

The evening gradually drew to a close with Rhyla more than grateful when her mistress determined it was time to retire for the evening. The following day would be filled with the final preparations for the harvest celebrations; a ceremony to be grateful for the
summer
’
s
crops and a mark
for the turning of the seasons.
A
portion of the day would
be set aside
to remember the men who had fallen in the year
’
s conflicts and to award those who had shown bravery and skill. The day would be completed with an enormous feast that would see the Great Hall filled to capacity.

Chapter 17

Lady Emelia relinquished Rhyla's aid for most of the following day at Mistress O'Mara's
request. She was needed to assist the other servants
in the preparation of both the Great Hall and the Royal Hall. After the men had moved the tables aside in the Great Hall for the floors to be swept clean and the furniture replaced
,
Rhyla and the other serving women hung banners of woven vines and flowers around the room. The royal table and those for the other nobility were likewise dressed with fine fabrics and garlands of flowers.

The Royal Hall was then prepared for the ceremonies. Chairs for the nobility
were
arranged below the King's dais upon whi
ch the two thrones were placed. O
rnately carved and gilded chairs for the Princes and Princess
were placed on
either side. The
design of the golden Stallion stood
proud
ly
on the backs of the chairs and on the richly woven banners around the room. There were even two child size gilded chairs for the young Princes to be included in the festivities. Lady Emelia had a place set aside for her just to the side of the dais with a chair for Rhyla next to her. Rhyla queried this with Mistress O'Mara but wa
s reassured it was at the Lady
’
s direct request that she was
close at hand and had been approved by the Queen.

The familiar physical labour made the day a pleasant and distracting event. She found herself physically rather than mentally tired, a sensation she missed since her blad
e training had been halted after
the incident with
Callum. With her work completed,
Rhyla returned to Lady Emelia's rooms to see if she had need of her services before she sought a meal in the kitchens.

"Rhyla I am glad you could spare a minute to visit. How did the arrangements for the celebrations proceed?" she asked once Rhyla had closed the hallway door on her sitting room.

"It looks beautiful my lady. Mistress O'Mara has done a wonderful job with the decorations," Rhyla replied, the tiredness not completely hidden from her voice.

"If I know anything about you my dear I am sure you were an eno
rmous help." Raising her hand in
an indication for assistance
,
Lady Emelia continued, "Before you retire I have something for you, here
,
in my changing room. Elsie," she ca
lled out in a voice that carried
surprisingly well, "Is it prepared?"

"Yes my lady," Elsie replied as Lady Emelia, escorted by Rhyla, entered her sleeping room. Elsie's head briefly popped into view before she disappeared again.

Lady Emelia proceeded straight through to her changing room, taking Rhyla firmly along with her. Rhyla was curious as to what could possibly be in her mistresses rooms that could be for
her. She only had a short walk in which to
ponder the idea of what else she could possibly need from her mistress
; a mistress who had already
been so generous
.
Rounding the doorway she halted mid-step, nearly jarring her elderly mistress. For several moments she could only stand and gap like a foolish ignorant child. The broad grin on Elsie's face
was in
sharp contrast to the confusion and shock on her own.