Pauper Princess

Chapter Five

The several minutes of 'bonding time' in the daytime nursery were tense, even with Miss Lancing's watchful gaze. Any time I reached for a toy, Elizabeth would suddenly be there, lurking near me or snatching it just before I could close my fingers around it.

It didn't matter where I went. When I crossed the room to play with the puppet and little theater, she rushed to get there first. When I picked up the spinning top, she picked up the whip that I needed to make it spin. When I reached for one block, she would hoard the rest of them, making it impossible for me to build anything.

Miss Lancing's attempts to engage us in a multi-person game failed. Instead, I sat on the windowseat, admiring the one thing she could not take from me- the doll I had been gifted. A mean, wicked part of me was glad that I could sit here and flaunt this doll in front of Elizabeth when I knew that she was jealous of it.

I liked that part of me. It was amusing.

Soon enough, we were called to dinner. That proved to be a hassle within itself. Nothing I did was correct, and Miss Lancing spent the entire meal hovering nearby, correcting my every move.

Amelia, do not use your hands. Sit up straight. Return the napkin to your lap immediately. No, no, not that spoon- the little one. Elbows down, Amelia, this is your last warning.

When I reached for the fruit on my plate with my fingers rather than the tiny fork one time too many, Miss Lancing had had enough. She snatched my hand away, turning my palm to face up and brought down a leather strip that seemed to come out of nowhere. It left a lash of fire across my hand, but she was not done, bringing it down a dozen more times in rapid succession as I screeched and wailed.

"That is enough!" Miss Lancing told me sharply, just loud enough to be heard over my tears and just quiet enough to still be considered polite. "Sit up straight and pick up your fork before I take you to the parlor for a proper lashing!"

"Well," Lady Baldwin mumbled, cutting her meat into perfectly neat slices. She didn't seem surprised by the Governess's harsh lesson. Lord Baldwin was watching, as well, and while he looked more sympathetic than his wife, he didn't speak. At least the son's of the house were away for the evening, watching a horse race with a neighboring family.

The real reaction I focused on through my blurry gaze, though, was Elizabeth's- the smirk on her face as she bit her lip to hide her laughter at my painful chastisement. She reached for her cup, taking a sip as her eyes met mine. They were alight with amused glee.

I hated her.

Despite the stress I felt, it was hard to deny my excitement at the several-course meal. Each and every course was larger than any amount of food I had ever seen. And they seemed to keep coming. I wished somebody had told me about 7-course meals before- from the first nibble of appetizer to the last scrap of dessert, it was fully worth the resulting stomach cramps.

I had never had pudding before. I decided it was my favorite food- though all food tasted the same if you were hungry enough.

After what must have been close to an hour, Lord Baldwin finished his meal, which seemed to be a signal that the whole table could be dismissed. As he patted the corner of his lips with the napkin and then threw it down on to his plate, both his wife and Elizabeth stood. I hurried to follow suit as Elizabeth curtsied to her Father.

"Father, will you read to me in the Parlor before bed?" Elizabeth asked hopefully.

But Lord Baldwin shook his head, and her face fell. "I've not the time , Elizabeth. Miss Lancing will though, I am sure. You and Amelia can go on upstairs to your nursery and get washed up and prepared for bed. You are dismissed."