Page 73 of Villainess's Redemption
“Laurel,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt, “get the carriage ready. I need to meet with Annalise.”
Before Laurel could respond, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and promptly fell like a bag of sand. My legs, weak from two weeks of disuse, immediately buckled beneath me. I crashed to the floor in a most undignified heap, my nightgown tangling around my legs.
Ah yes, how very ladylike. I’m sure this will strike fear into the hearts of my enemies.
Laurel let out a small shriek and rushed to my side, helping me back onto the bed with a strength that didn’t match her slight frame. “My lady!” she scolded, reverting to formality in her distress. “You mustn’t be so hasty! You’re still weak from the poison.”
I sighed—a habit I seemed to be developing lately—as frustration bubbled up inside me. I hated feeling this helpless, this vulnerable. “Fine,” I grumbled, allowing her to tuck me back into bed like a petulant child.
Laurel’s expression softened, her eyes reading me too well. “As for Annalise, she’s sent a few letters while you were unconscious. I can fetch them for you if you’d like.”
I nodded eagerly. “Yes, Please do. It’s not like I have anything else to do besides stare at these walls.”
“Oh, there are a few more letters from your well-wishers too,” she said, her tone suspiciously light. She disappeared from the room for a moment, then returned… dragging an enormous burlap sack behind her.
I stared at the sack, then at Laurel, then back at the sack. “Good heavens, Laurel. Did Annalise write me a novel?”
Laurel grunted as she hauled the monstrosity into the room. “Your letters, my lady. There were too many to keep on the table, so I had to put them in a sack.”
I gaped at the sheer volume of correspondence. It seemed I wouldn’t be bored for the next few days, at least.
“What’s with the sack, anyway? Couldn’t you have used a more… practical method of transport?”
She huffed, finally managing to drag it to the foot of my bed. “You might not know but for us commoners, this sack is very versatile.”
I eyed that sack suspiciously.
“So, let’s get started.”
* * *
I sighed dramatically as I set aside yet another letter, this one from Lady Amberley gushing about her concern for my wellbeing. How touching. I’m sure her worry had nothing to do with the fact that I was now the most talked-about lady in court.
“Laurel,” I called out, waving the perfumed parchment. “Add this to the ‘polite rejection’ pile, would you?”
My faithful handmaiden appeared, taking the letter with a knowing smile. I had been sorting through this pile of letters since yesterday, mostly from my mother. I needed to meet Annalise, her letters had been very insightful. “Of course, my lady. Shall I compose the usual response? ‘Lady Ilyana graciously thanks you for your kind words but regrets she is still too unwell for visitors’?”
“Perfect. Though perhaps add something about looking forward to seeing them at the Spring Festival. No need to burn all our bridges just yet.”
As Laurel began penning the response, I picked up the next letter in the seemingly endless stack. The elegant script on the envelope made me pause.
“Laurel,” I said slowly, “why is there a letter from Lady Seraphina in this pile?”
My maid’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh! I forgot to mention. She came by yesterday, asking about your health. She even brought cookies.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And where are these cookies now?”
“In the rubbish can, where all potential poisons belong,” Laurel replied primly with a straight face.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Good girl. Though I doubt Seraphina would be quite so obvious. Still, her sudden concern is… intriguing.” Especially after the show a certain blue-eyed prince put on that day.
Her concern for me was actually concerning me.As if I didn’t already have enough problems, now another one had landed right in my lap.
Before I could ponder further on Seraphina’s motives, a sharp knock echoed through the room.
“Her Majesty the Queen has arrived!” a voice announced, and I barely had time to smooth my hair before the door swung open.
Queen Felicia swept in, resplendent in a gown of deep purple. I moved to rise, but she waved me back down with a gentle smile.
