Page 78 of A Torn Allegiance
“Yes, my lady.”
Mother wrapped her arm around Elsie’s shoulders. “And what brings you in here at this hour? Good news, I hope?”
“I’m going to Lady Annabeth’s dinner party this evening.”
“Did I hear Prince Hayes mention it?”
“Yes, that is the only reason I’m going.”
“Come now, this could be a new beginning for you and those girls. Give them a chance. Perhaps they were just intimidated at first and now they are ready, with a little more confidence, to be your friend.”
“I hardly think their gaining confidence will benefit me one whit, but I must make the best of things.”
“Use this opportunity to reach out to them. I cannot imagine someone as lovely as you, your father’s daughter no less, reaching out to any one of them and them snubbing you. No, it just wouldn’t happen.”
“They won’t snub me outright, of course, but these aren’t my friends. Not a single one of the Books for Change ladies will be there. I’m sure of it. I doubt very much they received an invitation.” She sucked in her breath. “Did we?”
“Of course.”
She breathed out in relief. “They don’t like me, Mother.”
“I’m saying they might. No one wishes to be forever at odds. Give them another chance. Put on your friendliest face and smile. It might make all the difference.”
Elsie hoped so, for she agreed with her mother. No one wanted to be forever at odds.
“Then, here is my second problem.”
“What is it?” Mother searched her face.
“I’m afraid I slept ill and woke with evidence of it. My eyes, my skin.” She flopped down on her mother’s bed. “All I wish to do is sleep, and I fear that if I do, there won’t be time for Abigail to work a miracle on me.”
“Oh, darling. First of all, no miracle is required. You just need to be yourself to be loved in any situation, particularly with Prince Hayes. Is he not already in love with you?” Her smile was encouraging, but she did not know of the eavesdropping mishap.
“He has said as much.” Her smile started to grow as the words left her lips.
“Oh, that’s marvelous. Did he really? What did he say?”
“Mother, I don’t know. He said he loved me and that I’m everything he has sought for in a wife and a queen.” She reached for her mother’s pillow and squeezed it to her. “How can I be a queen? I’mnoteverything he said I am, and as soon as he comes to know me better, he will realize it and then”—she hiccupped—“then I will lose any esteem he had for me.” The fear tumbled out of her. “How could he still love me if he knew of my tendency to jump into things or my rash thinking or my eavesdropping or the mad manner in which we spied on the man?”
“Now, Elsie, my dear daughter. He will love you, of course. Relationships come with all sorts of realizations about one another. You will find he is not perfect either. But the two of you will work together to make an admirable whole. You will be outstanding together—I can tell already.”
Elsie just moaned into the pillow.
“What has happened? Why are you questioning his feelings for you now?”
She peered out from underneath the pillow. “Have we lied to him, Mother?”
“Lied to him? Certainly not.”
“But we have offered the guise of friendship, only to spy on him. I feel... like I don’t deserve him.” She looked away, her most poignant fear now finally shared.
“Ah. I see. I can well understand your concern. Perhaps there will come a time when we can tell him. But for now, I see you have done no wrong. Have you not always been genuinely interested in him?”
She thought for a moment. “From almost the moment I met him, he has intrigued me.”
“And would you not have welcomed his attentions either way, even if he hadn’t been suspect in your father’s eyes?”
“True, I would have.”
