Theresa awoke to the sound of her maid opening the door.
The previous night came rushing back to her and she jumped up, imagining the maid's reaction to Wildwood's presence in the room. The scandal would be most troubling, not to mention Francine's reaction.
Then she realized he was already gone as if he had never been; as if it all had been just a dream.
No, she could see the blanket that he had used to cover himself folded neatly on the edge of the bed. He had been there.
She smiled wryly that he had the presence of mind to leave before they were caught in an embarrassingly compromising situation.
Theresa sighed as she glanced at the maid. She wondered why the maid had come in to bother her so early.
Of course.
The Wedding.
Theresa took a bath and then the maid helped her dress. A lady's maid lent by the queen did Theresa's hair.
Daphne had managed to find a dress in a shade of blue lavender that matched Theresa's eyes perfectly. A matching flower was set in her dark hair.
Theresa inspected herself in the mirror and she realized with some surprise that she looked quite pretty. She had little enough time to consider such frivolities and she would never be as delicate as her sister, but she at least she looked passable.
Not that pretty really mattered when her whole future would be mental slavery, but perhaps she might enjoy this one last day of relative freedom before Francine had her trapped in complete isolation again.
* * * * *
Theresa peeked at the assembled crowd through a crack in the door. She could not believe how many people were attending her sister's wedding. She tried not to think about how Francine was somewhere out there among them.
The queen stood beside her, wearing a golden dress and an intricate crown on her head. There were only a scant few minutes left until the ceremony was to start.
"Good crowd?" the queen asked. She smiled gently.
"I don't think we know so many people," Theresa commented.
"True enough, but your sister needed a good audience, don't you think? Her title might not be great, but a demonstration of my favor will give her a fair amount of power amongst the nobility. It's all about who you know and who knows you, you know?"
Theresa had not realized that the queen's idea to join the wedding as a witness had been to help Daphne. "Thank you." She tried not to sound as if the idea was new to her.
"No need to thank me. It's my hobby. I enjoy meddling in other people's lives. Good naturedly, of course," she said with the wry good humor Theresa was coming to expect from her.
Truly, the queen was nothing like what Theresa would have expected her to be. The queen had a public face, but she allowed it to slip in private.
She supposed that she and Daphne were privileged enough to see the real woman beneath the crown because of their tentative connection to Wildwood. It was yet another thing she supposed she owed him.
Jim led Daphne into the waiting room and she looked utterly beautiful. Her dark brown hair was piled on her head and a veil was set in her hair with flowers. Theresa's heart swelled with affection. She wished that their parents had been here for this moment.
However, beneath Daphne's veil, barely visible, her blue eyes were bloodshot and her face was soaked.
Jim seemed to be half supporting her weight on his arm. He looked incredibly nervous and terribly uncomfortable with the crying young woman clinging to him.
"Why are you crying?" the queen asked quickly. She lifted the veil and mopped Daphne's eyes with a handkerchief.
"I'm just so happy!" Daphne wailed. "And I'm so worried!"
The queen spoke soothingly. "There's nothing to worry about, Lady Daphne. Sir Thomas is waiting for you down at the end of the aisle."
"But what about Aunt Francine?" she asked.
Theresa's heart dropped at the mere mention of the name. She wanted to avoid thinking of their wretched aunt today, but that seemed almost impossible to do.
"Lady Francine will not hurt you. You're legally out of her control," the queen said firmly.
Daphne glanced at Theresa, as if reluctant to say more. If it were so obvious that even Daphne recognized Theresa's peril, it must be dire indeed.
"Now we'll be going out there in a minute and everything will be fine," the queen continued gently.
"But what about after my wedding, Your Majesty?" Daphne asked. "Theresa will probably be leaving with Aunt Francine. Aunt Francine will never let her go. I've been thinking about it and she's only letting me marry Sir Thomas because she doesn't really need me. It makes her look like a loving aunt. No one says anything about it, I think they're trying to protect me, but I'm not blind. I see how things are. I'm going off to safety and Theresa's going back to her! How can I simply—?"
Theresa felt a rush of affection for her little sister and she broke in with a firm voice. "Daphne, it will hardly help me if you fall back into her power as well. I'm glad that you'll be somewhere safe."
Still, Theresa wished that Daphne had kept her concerns inside. She had been doing her best not to think about all the problems ahead for this one day.
The queen interjected, "If Theresa does go back it will hardly be as it was before. We will be watching for anything odd. If Theresa has any new wicked spells cast upon her, we will know and we will investigate. You two are no longer alone. Francine will have to operate far more carefully than she has in the past."
"It's hardly the same as it was," Theresa agreed, although unfortunately different was not the same as better. She was not sure that anything that the queen and king could do would be equal to Francine's wickedness.
At least the queen believed her allegations, but it was a cold comfort. Francine was already attempting to control Theresa's life again and she was not using magic alone to do it this time.
The music started. "That's my cue." She glanced at Daphne. "At least your veil will hide your eyes on the way up. Don't cry any more, please," the queen suggested in a voice that sounded suspiciously like an order.
She breezed from the room. Theresa heard the appreciative mutters run through the crowd as the royal witness walked down the aisle.
At the proper time, Theresa followed her. She could see Wildwood in formal clothing beside Thomas and for one second she imagined how nice it would be if it were she getting married to him and being taken away from all her troubles.
Of course, even if he did want to marry her and that was by no means certain, Francine would never allow her to live happily.
Francine would likely kill him before she let that happen. It was a horribly sobering thought. Going back with Francine was the best, safest thing for everyone. She did not look at him again while she walked.
Theresa reached the end and took her place carefully. She felt stiff, as if she were frozen.
She watched as her sister walked down with Jim and heard the appreciative sighs from the people in the audience. Poor Jim looked like he would have preferred to have caught a deadly plague than to have been pressured into participating in such a ceremony.
Important people would remember her sister now and Daphne would be all the safer for it. If something terrible happened to Thomas or Daphne, people would remember and remark.
It would not be as easy for Francine to harm them, especially if Theresa gave her no reason to want to.
Her sister's expression was joyous and Thomas looked like a man struck by lightning, with eyes only for Daphne.
With a sinking heart, Theresa knew that she could never jeopardize Daphne's happiness. She would have to pacify Francine and secretly pray for her aunt's death.
She held Daphne's flowers and watched while Jim passed her off to Thomas and escaped. She passively listened to the ceremony. She heard her sister and her soon-to-be husband say their vows with obvious emotion.
She heard the cheer which erupted when everything was completed and Thomas and Daphne kissed. She could see the bounce in Daphne's step as she went back down the aisle with Thomas, tears forgotten.
Theresa walked back with Wildwood beside her. "The worst is over," he said quietly to her.
The worst of the wedding was perhaps over, but after the wedding things would get infinitely worse.
The guests were to depart for a buffet luncheon in the greater dining room and the wedding party and families went to a more private luncheon in the small dining room. The idea was to give everyone time to relax before the wedding ball.
Francine was unfortunately family, so Theresa suspected that she would not relax at all.
She stayed between Wildwood and Daphne and could feel her aunt's eyes upon her from the other side of the table.
Theresa picked at her food. She risked a quick glance in Francine's direction. Francine was chatting amiably with a man next to her.
Theresa recognized him as her cousin James, who would be her guardian if Francine were to meet a terrible and much deserved fate. He had a round face and a jovial mannerism and it was hard to imagine how the king could even suspect him.
He was the one who Francine suggested framing to remove the suspicion from her. He looked completely unable to deal with her aunt's machinations.
"Are you well, my lady?" asked Wildwood. He glanced at her plate.
She shrugged helplessly. "It's just all the excitement."
"Forgive me, but you do not appear to be excited."
"I'm just tired," she lied and she moved the food around some more, trying to pile it in such a way so as to give the illusion of having eaten more than she had.
"You don't need to be afraid. Stay with me and I'll protect you," he said in an even tone.
She glanced up at him in surprise. His deep eyes looked serious. Her heart skipped a beat.
She did not know what to say so she simply nodded and took a bite of her food. She really wanted to believe that he could protect her and that he actually wanted to do so.
* * * * *
After the luncheon, the ladies all went to freshen up for the ball. Theresa went to Daphne's room. She did not want to be alone and suddenly she was terribly aware that it would be a long time before she would see her sister again, if ever.
They had lived together their entire lives and now after today Daphne would be going home to Harding with Thomas and his parents.
Theresa would soon be leaving with their aunt.
It would be their first time apart.
"I'm really going to miss you," Theresa said with impulsive honesty.
"I'm going to miss you too," agreed Daphne, but she still looked radiantly happy. "It seems most odd that we'll be apart. If you think about it, the longest we've not been together was that time you were wandering the woods as a cat."
Theresa smiled to console Daphne.
"I wish you could come with us."
"I do, too," Theresa agreed with heartfelt sincerity. Of course, she could not do any such thing if she wanted everyone to remain safe.
Two maids came into the room and they fussed about and Theresa and Daphne let them. When they were done, the sisters moved to a salon where they would meet the rest of the party.
The men were already there and only the queen and king were absent. They arrived shortly after and they walked to the ballroom. A herald announced their entry as they entered and were seated at the high table.
Theresa sat in her appointed spot beside her sister. In the corner a group of musicians played lively music.
Theresa listened passively while she looked around the room. She did not see Francine and felt relieved. Perhaps she had caught a plague and was dying in a corner somewhere, she thought vindictively. Servants came up and filled the goblets on the table with wine.
"This doesn't feel real," Theresa heard Daphne say to Thomas.
"It is, though," Thomas agreed.
"I'm so happy."
"I am as well, Lady Daphne."
"I think, perhaps, when no one is listening, it might be acceptable to use only our given names," Daphne suggested.
"Of course, Daphne," he said, sounding a bit embarrassed rather than his usual overconfident exuberance.
"Thank you, Thomas," she said in a sweet voice.
Theresa felt embarrassment flood through her as she listened to their excruciatingly sweet little conversations. It was a shame her human hearing was acute enough to hear their words.
She took a large drink of the wine in front of her. It was light and pleasant. She could hear the queen, who was giving instructions to a servant.
"Have the band play something romantic. There's no reason not to see the celebration properly begin."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the servant said as he sped off.
Shortly thereafter the music slowed and Theresa looked around the room while her sister and new brother-in-law danced.
The room had been decorated beautifully with flowers and ribbons. There were hundreds of candles at strategic places. Only some were lit, as the sun was still casting red light in through the high arched windows.
Another song began and Wildwood offered her his arm. She took it and followed him and the royal couple out to the dance floor. They began to move with the music. Theresa felt surreal. Other couples came out and joined them.
When the song ended, Theresa escaped to the side. Wildwood followed her and sat beside her.
"It's beautiful," she said, trying to think of something to say.
"It is," he agreed, not even bothering to look away from her.
"Daphne and Thomas look happy."
"They do." He did not seem upset. Perhaps Daphne had been entirely right, although that left Theresa with some new questions to ponder.
Theresa did not feel like making inane conversation, so she did not attempt to think of anything else to say. It was nice just to sit beside Wildwood and relax and not worry. Or rather, try not to worry.
He was still watching her. "Are you well?" he wondered.
She wondered if he could see the dark circles formed under her eyes from too many restless nights. "Yes," she lied. She rather hoped she looked good to his eyes.
If not, he should be used to seeing her at less than her best by now. Had he even seen her in any other condition? She felt weary, but she did not want him to worry. She raised her glass to her lips.
"Would you like to dance again?" he asked.
"I'm not really feeling up to it."
"You should try to enjoy yourself tonight," he pointed out, but he did not press her further. She remembered that she had thought to do the same thing herself.
He was right. Theresa smiled. "Very well. I should like to dance."