The Wise Women

Chapter 24

The Empress's apartments are in the North Tower. To get there from the North Entrance, you take the first corridor on the left wall of the Great Hall, next to the portrait of King Dagobert on a horse.

It was cold in the Great Hall. Nesta's neck ached from holding up the tiara. Her footsteps on the black and white chequered floor tiles echoed in the cavernous space. Two more guards stood at the entrance to the first corridor. They bowed, keeping their eyes down, as she passed through into a cloistered walkway that gave onto an inner courtyard.

A serving woman in a black dress was lighting the wall torches in their sconces. She turned to bow at the Empress's approach. Nesta caught a glimpse of her expression before her head went down and saw that it held fear.

Another pair of guards was positioned at the bottom of the spiral staircase that led up to Sapphira's apartments. Nesta turned into the stairway and noticed Lady Lettice making to follow her.

'Dismissed, Lettie,' she said imperiously.

'But Your Imperial Majesty, your riding boots. . .' Her voice lilted indignantly.

'I'll remove them myself today.'

Lettie's face darkened with disapproval. 'Very good, Your Imperial Majesty.'

She bowed her head. Nesta swept past the guards desperate to be out of sight. With one hand holding her skirts and one on the curved stone wall, she trotted up the stairs.

At the top of the staircase was an oak door carved with flowering vines. Nesta pushed it open and stepped through into the royal bedchamber.

She gasped. The room was huge. It's at least twice as large as the whole post office!

She took it all in with wide, curious eyes. On her left a dressing table with a gold-edged mirror and red velvet upholstered chair stood in front of a vast arched window. Through the window she saw a deep balcony ending in a marble balustrade. An intricately carved mahogany four poster bed draped with red damask curtains stood against the far wall. On the right-hand wall hung a more than life-sized version of Sapphira's royal portrait, a smaller copy of which had hung above Ada's desk in Chesterley library. Next to the portrait was another carved oak door which Nesta knew led to the Empress's wardrobe - Lady Lettice's domain.

Nesta collapsed down on the dressing table chair, kicked off the riding boots and let out a long sigh.

Alone at last!

Grimacing, she lifted off the heavy diamond tiara and rubbed at the deep groove it had left in her forehead.  As she laid it on the dressing table, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror and gave a start. Leaning in close, she stared at the unfamiliar features. Heavy lidded green eyes set in a haughty face that looked like it had been carved from marble stared back. Curiously she raised a perfectly arched black eyebrow, wrinkled the majestic nose and pursed the Empress's full red lips, before turning her head to view the royal face in profile.

A timid knock sounded at the door. Nesta jumped in her seat. This would be the Lady of the Bedchamber - Lady Alice Montague, come to do her hair before the welcoming feast for King Otto and his retinue tonight.

'Enter the Imperial Presence!' she said, just as Elaine had instructed. A small red-faced, mousy-looking woman with dark blonde hair in a bun at the nape of her neck entered and curtseyed deeply, her frightened eyes darting this way and that.

Alice Montague – tall, auburn hair, pale skin. This isn't her!

'Who are you? Where's Alice?' she blurted, caught off guard.

'I . . . you . . . you dismissed her yesterday, your Imperial Majesty' the mousy woman stammered. 'I'm Cottia Musgrove, her replacement.'

'Yes, of course,' Nesta recovered her composure. 'Uncle Hector's daughter.' She was about to turn to face the mirror when she noticed Cottia staring at the dressing table, mouth open in surprise.