Lady Rosalia Rose was a lovely person. Cinderella had no doubt about this fact. She was beautiful and kind. She was funny and loving. It was clear she adored her husband and children and she was not the type to see harm done to anyone.
And yet the silence and stillness that rippled around her once Cinderella finished explaining about the poisoning portrayed a very different type of person and that person had Cinderella leaning back in her seat away from Rosalia who just looked at her with a calm, gentle expression – and eyes as dark as night.
Slowly, Rosalia got to her feet and swept to the balcony edge, folding her arms, looking out across the dramatic gardens her rooms looked down on.
"If I offered to take you into the palace and away from that woman, would you accept?" she asked, her voice low and steady.
"I..." Cinderella's brow creased, "I don't think I can, I need to know that the fortune won't fall into her hands, or at least the house. I promised my parents that I'd protect it."
"Your parents would sooner lose the house then you, surely you know that," Rosalia said, turning back to her.
"I know, but I don't believe she'll kill me."
Rosalia leant back against the stone balustrade, folding her arms again.
"I do believe her when she says if she wanted me dead, I'd be dead. But I don't think she'll go that far, how can she explain such a thing away? She wanted to warn me, it's a threat but nothing more."
"The woman is not stable and thus one cannot be so sure of her actions," Rosalia said, her folded arms tightening as she looked to her right, a breeze catching tendrils of her hair as she looked towards the next balcony over. "Trust me, I have met with unstable women, one cannot make assumptions about them."
Cinderella watched as Rosalia's fingers pressed in against her waist as her brow creased but before she could say anything about it, Rosalia looked at her again.
"I'm not your guardian," she said, "I am not you mother, sister, aunt or godmother. I have no authority over you otherwise I would not give you the choice." She swept back again and leant down, gripping Cinderella's hands tightly and locking her staggering green eyes on her. "But I am begging you, my dear, do not tempt fate. She is not one to be toyed with and neither is your stepmother. Some people are not like you or I, they are not predictable."
Cinderella stared up at her, eyes wide. "Do you think she'll let me return to court?" she asked, her voice smaller then she wanted.
Rosalia straightened up, looking down at her, examining her. "I think she will," she finally said, then shrugged. "You have your uses in court."
Cinderella stared at her and Rosalia smiled, gently resting her palm against her cheek.
"Once you return to us, once you come into your inheritance, come away from that place. My home is always open to you. Beldon's home is always open to you. Any one of our siblings or our father would take you in." She smiled. "I'm sure your Jazz would quite happily open his home to you."
Cinderella blushed. "He's not 'my Jazz,'" she said quickly.
"Of course," Rosalia said, stepping back.
Cinderella looked down at her tea, then looked up again, opening her mouth to ask why Lord Kaydy had reacted so strongly to her when she had said 'Jazz'.
However, at the moment, the doors to the parlour burst open and a little girl with streaming black hair, dressed in frills and bows, came racing in, launching herself at Rosalia – who caught her with barely even a glance, swinging her easily up into her arms and looking at the door as two boys came in, followed by a harassed-looking nanny, out of breath and wheezing, clutching her corseted bodice.
"Young Miss!" she cried, panting, "A lady does not run about like a wild animal."
"I told you she's more monkey then girl," one of the boys said. They were completely identical; Cinderella couldn't tell how anyone would tell them apart.
"And you're more pig then boy," his brother sniggered, locking his hands behind his head and rocking back on his heels, laughing at his twin, "I saw you scoff the last of the cake yesterday."
"Young Masters! We do not throw insults at each other!"
"Alright, alright," Rosalia said, walking to her sons, adjusting her daughter in her arms, "Let's try and be nice to each other."
"Mama! We want to go on a picnic!" her daughter cheered.
"Argh, no, we want to go riding with Uncle Grey," one of the twin cut in.
Cinderella quietly got to her feet as the twins argued with their sister, who was hissing at them like a cat from her mother's arms while Rosalia laughed and their nanny despaired.
Slipping over to one of the maids, she beckoned her aside.
"I was hoping you might help me out of the castle," she whispered, "After that display, I probably shouldn't be seen walking around by myself and I need to find my original uniform."
The maid nodded then looked over to Rosalia. "Do you not wish to say goodbye to the Mistress.?"
Cinderella glanced back at Rosalia who was soothing all three of her children and the nanny and organising a plan for the rest of the day – first order of business being to pack a lunch and find her husband so he could join them.
"I'll see her soon, I don't want to interrupt," she whispered.
The maid flicked a look towards her, then nodded and quietly opened the side door that led into the next room before they both exited the quarters and made their way out into the main castle.
~~~~
Cinderella returned just in time to ready the tea things for the guests Lady Constantia would be entertaining that afternoon.
The rest of her family were none the wiser to her morning adventures, having slept in late and were still getting ready. Giselle was calling on a friend and Jezabelle was meeting a friend at a gallery so they would be gone for the rest of the day, leaving the house for Lady Constantia to entertain her own friends with a spot of tea and gossip.
Spot on two the first of the guests rolled up and the stream continued from there until there were ten women swanning about in the main room, settling down, admiring each other's clothes, despairing over their sons and daughters, discussing the festival and the scandal that was Prince Andrew and Princess Catolina and, of course, the celebration of Lady Constantia's engagement.
All the while, Cinderella and Dia slipped between them, serving tea and various sweets, unnoticed.
Always unnoticed.
Cinderella wouldn't be surprised if she arrived at court and not a single person who had ever visited the house recognised her as the serving girl dressed in rags.
She glanced up from another tea she was preparing, watching as one of the women very nearly slapped Dia in the face as she waved her hands around in broad gestures, animating a story, making the ladies laugh but no one noticed Dia swerving out of the way.
She looked away again and moved the strainer to the next teacup.
Maybe she could give her stepmother a significant percentage of the fortune and one of the other estates under the family name when she came into her heritage.
Lady Constantia didn't have to live in the family home. There were other unused properties under their name. And if she was after the money – well, the estate was still making money. Cinderella just needed enough to keep up the running of the main house and to keep staff for it.
She didn't need the extra luxuries.
She didn't need her clothes made by the greatest designers from the continent. She was well versed in making clothing. She didn't need to order in the best food or hire a master chef. She knew how to cook good quality food for a single diner or an entire dinner party.
She could tend the gardens.
She could manage the horses.
She paused as she poured the final cup and looked up, watching her stepmother. Then had to stop herself from snorting with laughing and shook her head, looking away.
"What is it?" Dia whispered, joining her to put the cups on a tray.
"I just came to a realisation," Cinderella whispered back.
"Oh?"
"I suddenly realised, I know how to run an entire estate because of how my stepmother treats me." Cinderella glanced at her a smiled, her brow creasing. "Who know I might have something to thank her for."
Dia raised an eyebrow at her. "I still think she's a witch," she concluded and Cinderella hid her snigger as Dia walked away.
It was coming up on half three when the conversation turned to Lady Constantia's stepdaughter.
"Will she be joining us at the final ball?" Lady Lockland asked, choosing a small cake from the plate Cinderella held out for her.
"No," Lady Constantia said calmly, taking a sip of her tea, "I do not want to overwhelm the poor girl. Remember she has been away from good society for a time."
"I do hope she has kept up with her lessons," Lady Wentworth said haughtily, "The girl must be accomplished if she is to re-join this household."
Cinderella looked around, eyes wide, shocked anger flashing across her face. Re-join?! She was the last surviving member of the original family. Her stepfamily had been the ones to 'join'.
Lady Constantia shot her a look that told her to calm down then looked at Lady Wentworth again. "I assure you, she is most accomplished," she said, "She shall be a fine young lady. Her only flaw is her grief."
"And her ill-health," Lady Heyer added.
"She's actually improved recently," Lady Constantia said, smiling, "perhaps finally agreeing to come home has heightened her spirits. I'm looking forward to seeing her really. Assuming she has no relapse, she will make a fine addition to court life. I think you shall all like her very much."
"She'll give you competition," Lady Wentworth continued, "If she's anything special, you'll have to see that your daughters marry off well first. You are not running a charity after all."
Lady Constantia's smile seemed to strain a little. "I assure you," she said, "Marriage is the furthest thing from my mind for her at the moment. My sole focus is the successful introduction into court. She shan't be turning the head of any prince or lord."
At that moment, a knock at the door interrupted them and Gozer looked in.
"Pardon the interruption, Ma'am," he said, inching into the room.
"Yes, what is it?" Lady Constantia said with a sigh, beckoning him in, "This had better be important for you to not wait."
"Sorry, Ma'am, but a letter just arrived by urgent post. I thought you would want to see it right away."
Lady Constantia's brow creased and she held out a hand. Gozer brought the letter to her and Dia collected the letter opener from a side draw.
The other ladies waited with barely disguised curiosity as she sliced open the letter and pulled the parchment out, unfolding it and reading it.
The shock that filled her face was instant and her hand flew to her mouth as she drew in a gasp so sharp it made her cough, horror shattering in her eyes as tears bloomed between blinks.
"Constantia!" Lady Heyer cried in shock as all the women shot to their feet, rushing forwards, all trying to get a look at the letter but Lady Constantia stood up and pulled away from them, backing away, her hand still pressed to her mouth, trembling violently.
"No!" Lady Constantia cried, falling back against the wall, her legs too weak to hold her. Gozer ran forwards, holding her arms to help her stand as she let out another sob.
"What is it? Is it your fiancé?" Lady Wentworth asked.
Barely able to speak, Lady Constantia thrust the letter to Lady Heyer and she and the other ladies piled around it like vultures.
There was an audible intake of breath from all of them.
"Oh Constantia," Lady Lockland whispered.
"Oh no, oh my dear, I am so sorry," Lady Rolland said, staring at her.
"Such misfortune," Lady Wentworth muttered, "With both husbands and... my dear, I am so sorry."
Lady Constantia drew in a shaking breath, gripping Gozer with an iron hold, struggling to straighten up, eyes wide and dazed. "I... I fear I seem to have... taken ill, ladies," she said, her voice weak and hoarse, "I think it best if I... take to my room... let us continue this another day. Dia... I think I am in need of a strong tea."
"Take all the time you need dear," Lady Wentworth said, "We shall see you at the next ball. Be sure to not miss it."
Lady Constantia just took the letter back as she past, clutching it tightly to her chest as she walked out, guided by Gozer.
Cinderella and Dia quickly helped the ladies with their things and saw them out before Dia hurried away to make a strong tea and Cinderella cleared up, both left wondering, like everyone else, what had been inside that letter.
~~~
Next Up: Thursday
Art By: Lee Avison / Trevillion Images
Happy New Year Everyone