Chapter Seventeen

Chapter 17 Isobel sat before the mirror as Vi finished arranging her hair in an elegant updo, stopping to weave rose buds and violets into it, the flowers combined with her silk gown of silver shot amethyst made her look like a fairy princess. That morning, the gown and a silk-lined wooden box containing a necklace of pearls and amethysts had been delivered to her room, with the simple note that said “for my little light so that you will outshine them all tonight,” signed A. The past few days had been some of the happiest in her life, Isobel thought as Vi continued to fuss with her hair. Each morning, she had been awakened by Vi with a cup of hot cocoa and helped to dress before going down to join her friends, the countess and Sir Liam, for breakfast. After breakfast, they would discuss plants or horses or sometimes both for an hour before going to explore the countess’s estate. Yesterday the countess had taken them for a ride to her flower fields and they had ridden past acre after acre of flowers, the colors and their perfume had overwhelmed her senses to make her laugh and cry at the same time. Afterwards, the countess had taken them to another one of her processing plants to watch the flowers crushed and then mixed in vats of water to remove the essential oils. Sasha had been fascinated by the water-powered machines used for it and had spent the entire time asking the manager questions. They would join the countess and Sir Liam for lunch on the large stone balcony overlooking the garden and then be allowed to explore as they wished before supper at six, which was followed by more spirited conversations before the countess let them all go. Each afternoon Isobel had run to the garden to meet Alex for conversation and kisses and Bridgette would hurry to the stable to meet with Bowden. Sasha had confessed that she had met Giles at the water wheel the previous afternoon and let him kiss her, and it had been most pleasant. Everything had been perfect until today at three when the carriages carrying the guests for the ball had arrived and the manor had been swarmed by her fellow students and a good twenty young lords. Valencia had said that her fellow students and the lords were just the first wave of guests invited for the ball and that the rest would be arriving right up till the ball itself. Valencia had asked if Isobel and her friends would help her greet her fellow students and the lords, to help make them feel at ease, but Isobel thought Valencia had another plan in mind. Isobel and her friends could not refuse the request after all the kindness Valencia had shown them so dressed in their elegant new day gowns; they stood beside Sir Liam in the shade of the manor to greet the first to arrive. Valencia's servants were amazingly efficient, as soon as a carriage arrived it was swarmed by footmen who unloaded the trunks and helped the guests alight and then a company of maids would escort the guests to their rooms. Valencia surprised Isobel and her friends by introducing them as her special guests and dearest friends. The face lady Laura had made when she'd seen Isobel standing there could have curdled milk. When Laura had been informed by one of the maids that she was sharing a chamber on the fourth floor with two other girls she had wailed loudly and demanded to know where Isobel was staying. Lady Valencia's housekeeper, a large formidable woman named Thistle had informed Laura that Lady Isobel was on the second floor, in one of the chambers reserved for family. Laura had begun to make a scene demanding that she be given a private chamber and Sister Margaret had informed her that she could either take the chamber assigned or return to the school. Laura had grudgingly accepted defeat and followed a maid to the fourth floor. Isobel and her friends had been somewhat surprised when several of the young lords they'd greeted had stopped to kiss their hands and flatter them, asking them to save them dances later during the ball. Sasha in her practical way had said their newfound attention was most likely due to their new gowns, while Bridgette had thought it was due to being introduced as Valencia's friend, either way, it had been startling to have men notice them. Once the first set of guests had been sent to their rooms Valencia had invited Isobel and her friends to join her for a private luncheon, where she told them that in addition to the students and young lords she'd invited fifty of the best families from around the city and country. A few honored guests were staying in the east wing of the manor while the rest would be staying at the local posting houses or at neighboring estates. Valencia's was the first ball of the spring season so it was bound to be a crush. Valencia confessed it was also the first ball she'd thrown in years and it was likely to draw many people who wanted to see the flower mad countess. Isobel had assured her that she and her friends did not think her flower mad, but rather a clever business woman and Valencia had smiled and hugged Isobel. Valencia had also informed them that the gardens were off limits to everyone but them, that she had footmen posted at all the doors, and no one was allowed either onto the balcony or into the gardens other than Isobel and her friends. Valencia had said that she didn't trust some of the noblemen not to lead the girls into the garden and get up to inappropriate behavior. While the girls from the college were at her home she was responsible for them, and to that end, all of her staff would be working tonight to see that all the young ladies were safe. The girls had thanked Valencia and then as they returned to their rooms to rest before dinner, they had lamented that with the new guests they were unable to meet their suitors, which was disappointing but once the others left they would see them again. Isobel had then taken her friends into her room and told them everything, that Alex was secretly a prince and his friends were all lords, too which Sasha had said she had already decided as much, that most merchants were not as well-spoken or as clean and Alex and his friends. Bridgette had then confessed that Bowden had told her he was of noble blood as was Alex, and then had sworn her to secrecy after again asking her to marry him, to which she'd again said yes. "You look lovely miss, like a fairy princess," Vi said pulling Isobel from her thoughts. Isobel who'd been sitting with her eyes closed reflecting on the day’s events opened them to look in the mirror and didn't recognize the beautiful girl looking back at her. Vi had brushed rose oil into her hair to give it more shine as well as to perfume it and her curls now gleamed. Vi had pulled curls down around Isobel's neck to help frame her face and make her neck look longer and more elegant, and the buds and flowers she'd artfully arranged in her hair made her look like she was wearing a crown of flowers. The necklace Alex had sent her came to rest just above her ample cleavage and helped to set off her dress which Vi had laced so tightly Isobel was sure she'd bust the seams if she took a full breath. "You are a miracle worker Vi you made me look beautiful," Isobel replied as Vi handed her a set of silk gloves in the same shade as her gown. "Thank you but you fib, you’re a lovely girl I just helped show you off, doing hair is sort of like flower arranging, learning how to set each little flower off to its advantage while making the whole thing look nice," Vi replied as there was a knock on Isobel's door and Vi went to answer it. Isobel rose slowly careful not to dislodge her intricate hair and saw her friends sweep into her room, both beautiful in their new gowns and both with elaborate hair do's that set off their features to advantage. Bridgette was striking in a light blue gown, with matching ribbons woven into her hair and Sasha was a vision in a gown of layered rose pinks, with rose blossoms and pink ribbons in her hair. "You both look beautiful," Isobel said. "For once I feel pretty and like a girl, not like an odd-shaped boy as my father calls me," Bridgette replied. "I feel the same, I never felt pretty or truly like a girl till I saw myself in this gown," Sasha said making a sweeping gesture to indicate her gown. "Do you think Giles and Ahern will like me in this, all Giles and I ever talk about are machines and math, I do not think he truly knows that I am even a girl." "He knows trust me," Bridgette replied as a soft knock sounded. The girls turned towards the door to see Sir Liam there, dressed in tight black breeches, black hose, a black jacket with a white cotton shirt and a rose red neckcloth. "Ladies you all look beautiful, Valencia has asked me to escort you downstairs to the ballroom to stand beside us to greet the guests, if you are ready." Liam gave them a broad smile. "Yes, we are ready," Bridgette replied. "Wonderful, we shall take the family staircase down to the ballroom so no see's us," Liam said stepping back out of the room and then taking Bridget and Sasha’s arms to lead them down the hall, followed by Isobel. Isobel felt her stomach begin to churn and she took a deep calming breath, soon she would see Alex and he could openly take her in his arms to dance with, soon everything would be perfect. Alex fidgeted as Marcus made the final adjustments to his dark purple neckcloth; Marcus growled at him and stepped back in annoyance throwing his hands up in the air. “I give up if you will not stand still I can’t make it lie straight, your liking trying to dress a moving hog.” Marcus protested. “At least your hair turned out well, that Hubert fellow who cares for Sir Liam knows his stuff I’ll give him that.” “I am not a hog, thank you very much.” Alex retorted checking his appearance in the large looking glass again. Hubert was Sir Liam’s valet had come the night before to lighten and then cut Alex’s and Bowden’s hair. Alex had wanted to wait till the last moment to change his hair but Hubert had explained that if the lightning went wrong they would have to let Alex’s hair rest a day before trying again or risk it all falling out. Luckily Hubert knew what he was doing and Alex’s once jet-black hair was now a light sandy blonde and cut short. Hubert had also lightened Bowden’s dark hair and dyed it a red-brown before also trimming it short, the result was that neither man resembled the common merchants that they had been portraying. There was a knock on the door and Bowden followed by Giles and Ahern stepped inside, each wearing dress clothes similar to Alex’s but with different colored neck clothes, Bowden’s was light blue and both Giles and Ahern were wearing dark pink despite the considerable teasing they had taken. Marcus had found out from the maids serving the girls what color their gowns were and the men had wanted to wear neck clothes to match their ladies color’s as a sign of their intentions. “I almost didn’t recognize you,” Bowden said. “I could say the same for you; with that color hair I doubt your mother would recognize.” Alex gave his huge friend an appraising look and saw him frown then run his finger through his short hair. “Yes well it will grow back and Hubert assures me he can dye it black again, I’m not sure what Bridgette will think of it.” Bowden shook his head while behind him Ahern began to laugh. “And what is so funny, I look like a fox is sitting on my head.” “Nothing, it’s just I never thought I’d see the great Bowden legendary fighter of the northern wastes laid low by the love of a pretty girl,” Ahern replied. “I dyed my hair because of Alex’s mad plan you twit and you can’t deny the fact you care for the lady Sasha.” Bowden fixed him with a look so dark a lesser man would have run in fear, Ahern only shook his head. “No you are right I too have succumbed to the smile of a lovely girl, Giles on the other hand only has eyes for her machine designs, I do not even think he has noticed she is a girl,” Ahern said elbowing Giles in the ribs. “I noticed, she has lovely brown eyes and brownish gold hair, it’s just her mind is so fascinating that when she is near I forget she is a girl.” Giles shrugged. “Yes, well I like her mind too, and her wit but neither will keep me warm on a cold winter’s night, it’s her curves I like.” Ahern made an hourglass in the air. “Well, I like all of her actually.” “Hell we’re all goners,” Bowden grumbled. There was a rapid knock on the door and Hubert stepped inside, he was dressed from head to toe in black livery and was carrying a silver tray on which lay four black silk masks. “Ah good my lords you are all here, I have brought your masks and come to fetch you, you are to wait in the small reading room off the side hall till I fetch you to the ballroom,” Hubert said. “Thank you, Hubert, have all the guests arrived?” Alex asked taking a mask before handing one to Bowden. “Yes sir, it’s quite a crush as her ladyship thought it would be, the last carriage just rolled away and the guests are lining up in the hall and filing in through the doors to the ballroom.” Hubert stepped up to Alex to help him tie his mask in place while Marcus tied on Bowden’s and Giles and Ahern helped each other. “Very well let’s go, the sooner we start the sooner this is all over and I can be with Isobel.” Alex checked his appearance one last time in the mirror and motioned for Hubert to precede him out the door. “Very good sir, this way, we shall take the servant’s stairs so as not to be seen,” Hubert said and began to walk briskly down the wide corridor towards the back of the huge manor. Ahern turned to Giles and held out his hand. “Best of luck my friend, if she does not choose me I hope she picks you, it would kill me if she went to some other unappreciative bastard.” “Challenge accepted,” Giles replied giving Ahern’s hand a quick shake. “Come we had better hurry it wouldn’t do to me late.” Marcus watched them leave and then closed and locked the door after him and made his way through the manor to stop before Isobel’s door where he knocked three times, a moment later Vi opened and gave him a smile. “Would you care to go for a walk in the moonlight Violet, the garden is locked off but not the drive, my master and your mistress won’t need us for hours?” Marcus asked and Violet smiled. “Aye that I would as long as you mind your manners, I don’t want to lose my position,” Violet said stepping out of the room and locking the door after her. “Well no my flower I was thinking of asking you to come back to Glomma with me as my wife, my master shall soon wed his lady and she shall need a maid, so why not you? I know I’m not the brightest man around but I have my own set of rooms in the castle, and I have saved most of my pay these past five years so now I have a tidy sum put aside. What do you say Violet will you take me for your husband; I promise I’ll never lay a hand on you and treat you as my own fair princess.” Marcus asked pulling a small silver and amethyst ring from his pocket to hold it out to Violet who gave him a wide-eyed look of surprise. “You wish to wed me?” Violet gasped. “I do, you’re the prettiest girl I’ve seen in all my life and your smile warms my heart, and there is no other woman I’d like to grow old with. I’m quite sure I love you though as I’ve never been in love before I’m not sure, but I know I need your smile each day, so will you have me?” Marcus asked. “Oh yes, yes I will for I have come to love you too,” Violet replied letting Marcus slip the ring on her finger. “Well that is fine then, I asked the cook to set some cakes and wine aside for me. Being a prince’s servant has its perks. We can celebrate and watch all the fine folk through the window, and maybe I can steal a dance or to with my girl, what do you say?” Marcus offered Violet his arm and she hugged him instead. “I’ll take that as a yes, come my flower let’s go celebrate and see if things go to plan.” Marcus took Violet’s arm and led her towards the servant’s stairs as he could hear the first strains of music.