The Debutante (Season Series #2)

Chapter 38: Recruiting an Ally

The moment my mother left in the carriage, I set my mind to escaping. She must have expected as much because all of the exterior doors were locked with nary a key in sight. I demanded every servant I happened across to open the front door that instant, but my mother must have instructed them all to ignore me as well. I was loitering by the side garden entrance, awaiting the re-entry of a particularly meek looking maid when someone cleared their throat behind me.

"Begging your pardon, miss, but you cannot stand here," a tall, grey-haired butler said. I didn't recognize him, but that came as no surprise since my my parents seemed to have hired a whole new set of servants when they re-opened the house.

"And who do you think you are to address me so?" I demanded, drawing myself up to my full height as I marched up to him. My nose still only reached to his chest, so I settled for an upwards glare.

"I am the head butler, Mr. Finn, and I am under strict instructions that you are not to leave this house," he said, completely undeterred by my ferocity, "If you would be so kind as to return to your room, you'll find it has been made up for you."

"I am not going to my room!" I managed through gritted teeth.

"Then I will be obliged to escort you," he said, taking my arm. I wrenched myself free, a little scream of frustration escaping my lips.

"I am perfectly able to escort myself!" I shouted, dashing past him back towards the front of the house.

I paced the hallways like a caged animal, all too aware of the time passing. Butler Finn followed me, shadowing my steps and clearing his throat in disapproval every time I jiggled a door handle. When I realized that he wasn't about to let me out of his sight until I calmed down, I flopped onto a divan in the first floor parlour and exploded into loud, theatrical sobs.

My ruse worked. Finn, like most older men, was sufficiently put off by my display of feminine emotion that he cleared his throat once more, muttering something about giving me some privacy as he backed out of the room. When the door clicked shut behind him, I vaulted off the divan, continuing with my fake sobs as I tested each of the windows in the room. Three of them were locked, but the fourth wobbled ever so slightly when I attempted to open it.

I kept my sobs and sniffles sufficiently hysterical as I struggled with the window, my voice muffling the creaking of the old lock mechanism as it gave way. Sliding the window open, I gave up the ruse entirely as I stuffed myself through the narrow opening.

My dress ripped as I squeezed out through the window, wriggling like a fish and cursing my petticoats and their voluminous excesses as I tumbled into the frozen garden. I had no time to bemoan my lack of outerwear as I hurried towards the stables, taking care to avoid the service doors and duck below the windows. The stables were quiet, but chilly, Jonas having departed with my mother. I stole a ratty brown cloak that smelled strongly of hay and horses, wasting no time as I saddled Xavier's old piebald mare. I led her quickly from the stable, climbing astride as a shout rang out from the kitchens. I kicked the mare onwards, flying past Mr. Finn, who had rushed out in an attempt to stop my flight.

I only stopped when I reached the palace gates. Thankfully, I'd made enough of a name for myself that the guards barely batted an eye when I rode up astride, in a tattered old cloak, with hair probably just as wild as my eyes.

"Welcome back, Lady Marks-Whelan," the older one said, with a skeptical look at the frothy petticoats peeking out from the rent in the blue fabric of my dress. I did no more than nod before I urged the horse forward. I slowed my pace so I wouldn't draw too much attention, intending to leave the mare at the stables and sneak in through the servants' passage near Audra's workshop.