A Wild Rose

15 - Bad luck

Chapter 15

Bad luck

I was quite literally running about the room. I didn't know what do to. Should I be sitting? Should I be standing? Should I look like I was expecting? Or should I look as if it were a surprise? I needed to do something, and quickly. I couldn't just look like a prancing idiot. It had only been a week, and yet, now I new about the visit, I couldn't hold back any longer.

George was coming to the palace. Of course, it was to talk about matters with Alexander, he wasn't really supposed to be talking to me at all. I had been told to stay in my room for the whole time. But I had made him promise over the phone that he would do whatever he could to see me afterwards.

I had fully moved into the palace now. I sorely missed my old home, even with its lonely feel. It gave me a sense of space, a sense of freedom. Now, at the palace, I felt like a puppet in one grand show. Everything I did there was watched, I was sure, and certain things I did and didn't do were controlled. And then there was the wedding. It went on as if Suzanna had never existed. I had tried to protest, saying that I couldn't have the same wedding as they had planned for Suzanna. That was just wrong. But I was being forced into it. I was told I was to have the same venue, the same food, the same decorations. Even the same dress. It made me want to vomit at how uncaring they were being.

And I found that I had, once. I had been trying some of the food, which generally I had thought I liked. I wondered how terrible the chefs were, for I had almost gagged on the smallest of bites. And then I had only just made it in time to the bathroom before the rest of it came out. I had told no one, and made sure that those who were there would not tell a soul either.

Now I was recovered, and just waiting. Waiting for the time I could spend with George. It was what kept me getting out of bed every morning and facing the day. It was what kept my hopes up that luck might be on our side.

There was a little knock at the door, and I jumped up from where I had been sitting. Realising that I looked like a soldier, with my arms at my side, my head held up high, I relaxed myself a little, feeling the blush already rising up on my face. "Come in." I said quietly. So the door crept open, and George popped his head round the side.

"Hi." he smiled. As he came in, he shut the door, and then made his way in. The kiss came quickly, but when it ended, I saw that the smile had faded from his face. "Ada, I need to talk to you."

"We can talk later." I said, beginning to unbutton his shirt.

"Ada." I persisted, uncertain what he was making a fuss about. I should have listened. "Ada." He took hold of my wrists, and stopped me where I was. I tried to struggle free, thinking it was some kind of game, uncertain why he would be stopping me. I should have stopped. "Ada, this is serious." His voice hardened, and I froze, looking him in the eyes. They twitched ever so slightly, lost of their dazzling blue shimmer. They were angry. Worried. Petrified.

"George, what is it?"

"It's about this." His tone was icy as he slowly retrieved a slip of paper from his pocket. It was the drawing of us when we were children. "He knows. He knows you know, and he knows I told you why." George hung his head down, ashamed. "I should have known he would ask me questions later."

I was stunned. "But how could he know? I did everything I could to slip out of here unnoticed -"

"Slip out of here unnoticed?" He gave a short laugh. "Everyone is tracked here all the time, especially you now. Alexander will know which room you're in, when you go in there, and when you leave it, all the time. He knew right from the second you stepped out of the door that you had gone." His voice lowered. "And I'm pretty sure he had an idea of where you were going."