Madelaine whirled toward the door and blinked. Lady Elizabeth, with her head of curly black hair and light blue eyes, smiled at her. “I’m not disappointed,” Madelaine lied.
“Really? I’d be if I’d thought I was going to be alone for a bit and then my hopes were dashed.”
That was exactly how Madelaine felt, and this was the first time in a year anyone had made an effort to have an actual friendly conversation with her. She could protect herself from further hurt and ignore Lady Elizabeth or she could take a chance and reach for the olive-branch. She was always one for taking a chance. “Did the queen send you to retrieve me?”
Lady Elizabeth grew serious. “Worse. I’m to take you to the tower where you’re to be whipped for insubordination.”
“What?” Madelaine’s stomach plummeted.
Lady Elizabeth moved further into the room and took Madelaine’s free hand in her own. She studied Madelaine. “Yes. Didn’t you know? A lady who cannot properly embroider must be banished from polite society until she can master the skill.”
Madelaine gripped her embroidery box tighter to her side with her left arm and swallowed the catch that had suddenly come up in her throat. “It’s just embroidery.”
Lady Elizabeth shrugged. “Yes, but you messed up the precious pink peony. No more chances for you.” The corners of Lady Elizabeth’s mouth tugged into a smile.
Madelaine slowly released her breath, too happy that Lady Elizabeth had been teasing her to be angry. “I didn’t know you had a sense of humor.”
“I’m terribly funny, once you get to know me. You should have seen your face.”
“I can imagine.” Madelaine pressed her hand to her chest. “For a moment, my heart stopped.”
“Oh dear. I’m sorry. I was only teasing. Come, we better go. Oh, and Her Majesty says to leave your embroidery.”
“Does she now? You expect me to believe the queen means to be kind to me? I may be gullible but I’m not a fool.” She hated how prickly she sounded, but her nerves were already on edge.
“No more foolery. I promise. We’re to take an invigorating walk in the gardens since the weather’s unusually warm. The queen is beside herself at the prospect of pointing out new plants to us.”
“A punishment worse than the tower.” The minute the words left Madelaine’s mouth she froze. Had she gone too far?
“I know!” Lady Elizabeth burst out laughing. Madelaine’s immense relief made her laugh almost hysterically.
“The queen will be most displeased to hear what I just have,” a voice said from the doorway.
Madelaine abruptly stopped laughing and met Grace’s hostile stare. If she pleaded, it would only give Grace satisfaction and make matters worse. She watched as Lady Elizabeth flew across the room.
“Lady Grace, please. She’ll throw us from Court.”
“I imagine she will.” Grace untangled her arm from Lady Elizabeth’s desperate clutch.
“Please, you mustn’t say a word.” Lady Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder at Madelaine. “We meant no harm.”
Madelaine fought the urge to intervene, clenching her teeth on her need to speak.
“It sounded harmful to me,” Grace said.
Unable to stand the helplessness and Lady Elizabeth’s groveling a moment longer, Madelaine blurted, “I’ll buy your silence with my quarterly allowance.”
“How much?” Grace demanded.
“Ten pounds.”
“Not enough.”
“I’ll recommend you to my brother,” Lady Elizabeth pleaded.
Lady Grace’s eyes narrowed. “Which brother?”
“Whichever you prefer.” Lady Elizabeth turned deathly pale.
