Chapter 10

"Your Highness," A maid bowed as she entered the opulent room. The lady of the house was seated in front of a large mirror attached to the wall. Gold leaves had been painstakingly engraved around the mirror frame by skilled craftsmen that showed off the lavish lifestyle this woman had. Two other women, her most trustworthy ladies-in-waiting, were busy doing her long graying hair into an intricate and sophisticated hairstyle and adjusting her makeup.

The elderly poised woman looked briefly at the maid that still had the bowed pose before saying "You are the one assigned to the Dowager Consort am I right?"

"Yes ma'am." The maid acknowledged. "The Consort has the same question as yesterday. Will you meet with her, Dowager Regent?"

"A new dawn is nearing," The elderly woman muttered more to herself thoughtfully as she was still looking in the mirror. "Whether that dawn is a blessing or a curse is another matter entirely."

"Your Highness, may I speak freely?" The young maid asked as she looked towards the floor. There was an expensive hand-woven red carpet under her shoes so she focussed on that. Not even noticing that the Ladies-in-waiting had stopped their ministrations briefly at the audacity of this young maid.

"I will allow it," The Lady of the house said not even fazed.

"Your Highness, I fear that the Dowager Consort will stay as long as it takes for her to get a meeting with you. Would it not be prudent to get this matter over and done with? She seems like a very determined person." The maid nervously voiced. "Why you simply did not meet her yesterday in the parlor baffles me."

"Tell me dear girl. Would you meet with the woman that had caught your husband's wandering eye?" The Dowager Regent expressed coldly. The young maid stammered, trying to say something but the woman held up a hand to silence her. "But you are right. I should meet with her soon. Relay to her that I will have the garden prepped for afternoon tea. She is free to join me in the western gazebo."

"I shall do so immediately, your Highness," The young maid said and quickly fled the room. Once the maid was gone the Ladies-in-Waiting voiced their opinions.

"Your Highness, why would you even meet with HER?!"

"Haven't you always despised her?"

"Surely nothing good can come out of this meeting! Lady Theodora, please reconsider."

"Despise is a strong word Gwendalin," Theodora answered.

"But she stole your husband from you!" Gwendalin replied while looking worried.

"As did Lady Lewison," Theodora's eyes were cold.

"I'm sorry your Highness, I did not mean to bring up unpleasant memories." Gwendalin apologized after she caught both the look from the Lady and her colleague. She should have known better than to bring up Lady Lewison. "I just worry about your Highness."

"Gwendalin, Sasha, you two fine ladies have been with me for years but you don't know some of the darker secrets the Royal family has and I pray that you never find out." Theodora was firm in her stance. "I will meet with Lady Hofferson for afternoon tea. Please tell the maids to prepare the gazebo. The lady in question is still a guest in my home and I will not shirk my duties as host."

Come tea time the ladies were seated in the western gazebo surrounded by aromatic flowers. There was tension in the air as the maids poured the tea and presented the snacks on an ornate three-tier tray for the table. There were scones and biscuits, cookies and small cakes as well as finger sandwiches. "Leave us," Theodora dismissed both her Ladies-in-Waiting as well as the maids while nonchalantly pouring in a dollop of honey into her tea. The staff still casted furtive glances at the ladies but left as ordered.

When all prying eyes had left, Theodora reached into her skirts to pull out an ornate hip flask that caused Evelyn to raise her brows in surprise. "Rum, I think we'll need it for this conversation." She said and then proceeded to pour a generous amount in her black tea before offering it to the other woman who did the same.

"You've changed Lady Theodora," Evelyn commented. "I'm sad to say that I slightly miss the brash hot-tempered lady of old."

"It's been two decades since we've seen each other, Lady Evelyn." Theodora commented with a smirk while taking a sip of her tea. "It seems that you have finally acclimated to the fashion of this kingdom."

"Reluctantly," Evelyn stated. "The clothes still itch at times and it's difficult to walk with such long skirts."

"I envy you," Theodora stated. "Your tenacity and your bluntness. Perhaps that is what drew in Selwyn."

The ladies were quiet for a while until Theodora broke the silence by saying "The pleasantries are nice but we should discuss what it is you came here for."

"Right," Evelyn said as she set down her teacup.

"I wish to ask if you would watch over my granddaughter." Evelyn finally stated. "I have very little political power as opposed to you. And as you know today is her Coming of Age. You might have guessed this will create a political storm in the background."

"It is very bold for you to ask this of me," Theodora's eyes narrowed. "What makes you think I will agree?"

"The Libertine faction in this Kingdom will try to snap up the new Marchioness once she is an adult. You as a prominent member of the Conservative faction can put a stop to this." Evelyn stated.

"You wish for your granddaughter to become a Conservatist?" Theodora raised a brow inquisitively.

"No, No I don't. I wish for her to live freely. Something that her mother never had." Evelyn argued. "You and I both know what happened when my daughter received the Marchioness title. The Libertines swooped in and made her a figurehead whether she liked it or not. She might not have shown it outwardly but behind the scenes she hated being their puppet. She was a strong and independent woman, yes, and that is what drew the Libertine faction right to her doorstep!" Evelyn's fist banged on the table angrily. "They sowed discord and paranoia in her and tore the relationship we were finally mending apart." Evelyn was quiet for a moment. "And then she died. I was at her funeral and it broke my heart to not comfort the crying child she had left behind. It broke my heart because I knew that if that child had any connection to the Royal family at that time the Libertines would try to worm their way in and brainwash her to their cause."

"Please Theodora, I'm afraid that they will turn her into another Romilda. I know you hated her but even you could feel some sense of pity right."

"I should correct your misconception here." Theodora stated as she eyed Evelyn. "I did not and never will hate Romilda Lewison."

"I was frustrated with her, yes. But I never hated her." She stated. "All three of us were the King's wives. You became one at the height of Romilda and mine's fight so you couldn't have known."

"Know what?"

"The Royal family of this Kingdom is strongly Conservative. The King has his job as do his Queen and Consorts. Tradition is strongly emphasized. As the Royal family is the only one allowed to have multiple partners for the sake of heirs it had become a political move for the King to marry a Noble lady from each faction. I was the natural candidate as my family, the Markisons, were strong proponents of the Conservative faction. The Lewisons were the family spearheading the Libertines." Theodora stated as she took another sip of her alcohol laced tea. "Naturally everyone in the Royal court expected a clash of ideals. Romilda was a spitfire when voicing her opinions on a utopian ideal society where men and women would be equals. And as I was the most high-ranking definition of a Lady in the society she hated, she targeted me mainly."

"I never blamed her for it. I knew I would be a target when I had signed on for a political marriage with the King. In fact I readily agreed with her ideas of modernisation." The elderly Theodora confessed.

"You agreed with her?" Evelyn now questioned.

Theodora thought for a moment. "It is a common misconception that the Conservative faction rejects all ideas of modernity and that we cling to traditions over rationality. The reason the Conservative faction cannot stand the Libertine faction to this day is that they project a vision of a utopian society based solely on abstract principles and a general blueprint without consideration for traditions. It is often stated that the Libertines prioritize rights over duties but the Conservatives prioritize duties over rights." She took a breath here and then said "But we are getting off track. You wish for me to keep the bugs with more extremist ideals away from your granddaughter, no?"

Meanwhile, at Hofferson Hall, Astrid was in her room dressed in only her undergarments as Atali brought in the dress she had bought. "Miss, are you sure about this?" Atali asked as she presented the dress to Astrid. It was a delicate sequined evening dress with a small train in the back that embodied the colors of a hummingbird. A dusky blue combined with a foam green and encrusted with gold along the sleeves, hem and skirt.

"I intend to make a splash Atali, especially since Rosalinda will try to upstage me anyways." She stated firmly. "Whatever may come of tonight I intend to enjoy it."