The Switch

Day 1 of Wedded Bliss

"How long have you been Tessa's Lady in Waiting?" Kragan asked Mildred thoughtfully as he noticed that Mildred seemed more watchful of you than anything else.

"Only a couple of years. I've been her mother's midwife, her nursery maid, her babysitter, her teacher, her best friend and confidant all her life though." Mildred answered with a proud smile.

"Was she not sociable with her own peers to have a best friend her own age?" Kragan asked.

"Well that's a bit complicated and not my place to say." Mildred deflected.

"But I would still like to hear your opinion and point of view on the matter." Kragan gently contested.

"Very well, permission to speak freely Sir?" She proposed.

"Please, by all means." Kragan readily invited, which brought a fond but small smile to Mildred's features.

"Well to answer freely Sir- yes and no. Yes- in that she could dumb herself down enough to fit in and be sociable among her peers. But never enough to have a best friend among them. Because frankly, she could never fully trust any of them with her true thoughts and feelings- because none of them could keep her confidence the way she could keep theirs. She found it exhausting in so many other ways too. Proper manners take a lot of mental work to constantly be aware of others and yourself. Both in manners, tone, facial expressions and body language, both for yourself and everyone else. All of which take an extremely sensitive and deft skill to read with accuracy. And then for her it was always a lot of work to glean between the pleasantries and politeness to really grasp what's being said and what people really mean when they talk in social situations and through letters and not one on one." Mildred began to explain.

"I see, which is probably why she prefers free and open and honest conversation so much." Kragan realized.

"She does indeed Sir. And while her mother has prepared her well and educated her well in those respects. My Lady would much rather be doing mathematical calculations for a couple of hours rather than take tea and gossip for the same amount of time. Which has been a chore for My Lady but a joy for her mother and Lady Millicent especially." Mildred confessed.

"And with My Lady playing dumb mentally- it was always a harship for her emotionally. She was over extended and her friends her age would bleed her dry of sympathy and empathy for themselves. Because no one else would give that to them except her. Not their parents or siblings or other friends. And definitely not their marriage mates. My Lady has always been very good at keeping - a confidence, but very wary to give it out in turn. Because those friends who use up her sympathy and empathy love to gossip to her about the others. And so because of that- she knows she can not trust them with anything of a sensitive nature about herself. Because she knows that if she ever did- they'd betray even her confidence even though they love to divulge everything into her." Mildred explained as Kragan listened thoughtfully and intently.

"And once her friends realized that they could confide in her and not have her repeat anything they told her- suddenly everyone both in her peers and above and below her in age- sought her out- both for friendship and for advice. And so she in a way is a popular friend to have if you're a Lady in the nobility and gentry. Especially if that Lady is already married- to exchange letters with or to call on or be called on by her. But not necessarily popular at a ball or a party. Where it's all about appearances and a facade and pleasantries and politeness." Mildred recounted.

"And because of her betrothal to Count Lavine- no other man in the gentry and nobility would dare stand up with her and dance with her at these balls. And usually Lord Saffiro was always with their father discussing business with the other gentleman. And Duchess DeBaringer was always engaged with the other mamah's. And Lady Millicent could have her pick of any man she wanted at the balls and could charm the Prince of Solowards if given half a chance. All while all her friends were busy dancing with their husbands or prospects or socializing or most likely gossiping. So that left My Lady to often spend the evenings simply off to the side and enjoying the art in the galleries instead. So that is why the answer to your question is both a yes, and a no." Mildred finished with a bittersweet smile.