Astoria

f o u r t e e n

"Meredith?"

Meredith looked up at Isabella, who was standing there, watching her carefully, holding her trowel in one hand and one of the small flowers she was replanting in the other.

"Yes?" she replied, sitting back on her heels and tilting her head slightly to the side.

"I want to ask you...I mean..." She trailed off, looking unsure. "I was wondering if you'd be my lady's maid?"

Meredith frowned, and Isabella seemed to think that her asking had offended her, or that Meredith was unhappy with the request, for she hastened on.

"If you don't want to, I understand. I've never had a lady's maid before, even when Mother thought I should. I've always been just fine with taking care of myself, for the most part. And that's not even what I want you to do. I just want...I want you to be my companion. I've enjoyed spending this time with you. You're...I want you to know that I consider you my friend. I want you to talk with me, and go to dances with me, and I want to give you more pay for your family, and new dresses, and you can use my library and have your own set of rooms connected to mine via the parlor. Oh, if it isn't to your liking, don't say yes! But you're the first friend...a girl...that I've ever really had! It would make me ever so happy..."

Meredith had slowly stood during the duration of this speech, and now turned to face Isabella. So many thoughts were rushing through her head. This was a Princess, a Princess of the House Westerholme. It would be against everything she'd come to think about the House. But Isabella was her friend. She knew that, deep down, during the sleepless hours of last night, she had realized that she thought of the Princess the way she would think of a friend.

And it would be more pay...

Evan would probably be proud of her for rising through the ranks so quickly...Usually only the most senior maids were considered for lady's maid positions.

And so she nodded, and Isabella looked happier than ever.

"Come!" she said. "We must finish this row of flowers, and then I want to take you into town to buy you some dresses. You shall pick whatever you like!"

The Princess Therese took a sip of her tea, leaning back on her sofa. She sighed heavily as she set down her cup. Her nephew was so exasperating sometimes...

But couldn't he see, couldn't Isabella see that she only wanted what was best for her? Her only daughter? She did not want her to be lonely all her life. She wanted her to be happy, and to ensure that she was provided for once Therese died. She should have a husband and perhaps even a child by now, but yet the twenty-two year old Isabella had neither and, although she was exuberant at home, she was unutterably awkward around men and girls her age. Not shy, really...just awkward.

She worried. What if Lord Andrew was put off by her daughter's awkwardness?

Then she frowned and shook her head.

If Antony and Isabella had their way, it would not matter what Andrew thought of her daughter.

She then smiled, remembering the one bright spot of the discussion.

At least she had gotten Antony to agree to spend some time with the Lady Adelaide.

Adelaide, she remembered, was a charming girl, and very beautiful. She was not the richest lady there was, but Antony did not need the money. He was, after all, to be King of Astoria.

No, what he needed was a girl who was beautiful and poised, someone to rule alongside him as Queen.

Lady Adelaide of Westchester was perfect.

She took another sip of tea, feeling somewhat mollified in knowing that, even though she had lost one battle, she had gained a small victory in the other.

Meredith and Isabella returned to the palace that day with three new dresses, and the promise of multiple others. Meredith had always wanted new dresses, but had never been able to afford them. Now, she was going to have these three, more, and she had been allowed to buy fabric for a ball gown that she had requested that Isabella allow her to make herself. Aside from that, her pay had almost tripled. Now she could set aside an entire third, and still have more money to send home than she had ever had. Perhaps Mother could even stop working!

Meredith was not the only one who was gleefully happy. Isabella seemed not to have stopped smiling since Meredith told her that yes, she would consent to be her lady's maid.

Upon their arrival back at the palace, Isabella showed her her own suite, and then the set of rooms next to it that Meredith would have, all for her very own. Meredith felt as though her mouth was hanging open as she took in the beauty of the rooms Isabella was giving to her. The color scheme was white and pale pink, the canopied bed was plush and piled with lavish pillows. Ruffled curtains draped about the windows. A desk for writing sat in one corner, and there were several bookshelves and a sofa for lounging.

Isabella interrupted her admiration of the room.

"Now," she said, setting down her pile of fabric on the desk. "The coronation ball is in only a few weeks! You'll have to hurry if you're to have your dress done in time." She smiled at Meredith.

"Thank you, again, for being my companion."

"You do mean Lady's Maid, don't you?"

"That sounds as if you're simply some slave of mine, to have no fun of your own. No, you are my companion."

Meredith smiled.

"You're a different lady from anyone I've ever met, Isabella."

A knock on the door from the adjoining parlor startled them both.

"Wait here," said Isabella. "I'll see to that."