The Second Queen

Chapter 26

Lady Isabella -

I was hoping that you would do me the great honor of having a private dinner with me around seven? If you accept please send a response back to me with a footman. I will be waiting for you in the main hall at seven.

King Edward I

I quickly jot a response on the back of the letter and give it to Anna to give to a footman. I watch as she opens the door and disappears into the hallway for a few minutes before returning. "Theodosia, would you please prepare the pomegranate gown I wore for my birthday. I need it for this evening."

"Of course, miss."

Theodosia sets her mending down and walks through my chambers to the closet. I return my attention to the letter I was writing.

I have been invited to have dinner with His Most Royal Majesty, King Edward. I will be attending and fear not, I will try my hardest to be a likable person.

I pray you remain in the best of health, that you will continue to write and that you stay happy and relaxed while you are on your vacation.

All my love,

Your daughter,

Victoria

I take a blotting paper and dry the ink. I fold the letter, address it, drip wax on the back, and then place my family seal into the wax. I place the letter in the mailing tray and leave my desk.

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"Lady Isabella it is five forty five, you need to come to the dressing room now!"

I walk off of my balcony and close the doors behind me. Anna grabs my shoulders and pushes me into the dressing room. Theodosia begins to untie the laces of the grey dress I am wearing. Anna pulls the gown off of me. I quickly sit and pull on the pair of fancy boots that are on the floor next to my feet. When I am finished, I stand and Theodosia quickly swoops in checking the laces of my corset. She quickly pulls on them and begins to pull the pomegranate gown over me. She straightens the skirt and then begins to tie the white laces closed. When she is finished I sit on the chair in front of the vanity and Eliza spoops down on me and begins to unbind my hair. A brush is pulled through my wavy hair. Eliza sets the brush down on the vanity in front of me and lifts a silver and diamond circlet out of a jewelry box on the vanity. She sets the circlet on my unbound hair. Then she takes sections of hair from the front of my head and pulls them over the circlet and braids them together. Then she looks in another jewelry box for a moment before grabbing the silver, amethyst, and ruby necklace King Edward gave me and clasps it around my neck. Then she hands me my mother's silver and ruby ring, which I slide onto my left middle finger. Eliza hands me my silver pocket watch and I slide it into the hidden pocket in my dress. I quickly thank Eliza, Theodosia, and Anna and leave my chambers.

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I walk through the halls, passing portraits, maids, servants, nobles and palace guards. I stop in front of the main hall and pull the silver pocket watch from the hidden pocket in my dress. 6:56. I take a deep breath and begin to walk down the main hall, looking for the king. As I reach the midpoint of the hall a figure comes into view. The man turns around, revealing the face of the king, I walk up to him and curtsy. "Thank you for inviting me, Your Majesty."

"I thank you for coming, Lady Isabella. As I told you before, the title Your Majesty is not needed all the time. We're alone, you may call me Edward."

"Of course, Edward."

He offers his elbow to me, "Shall we?"

"We shall."