Serial Fun - Installment 11

 It was a busy Sunday, and I didn't get anything done in the sewing room.  Fortunately, tomorrow is a holiday in the US, so I will likely run to the chain fabric/ craft store across town for an appropriate zipper when I go out to get fixins for the family cookout tomorrow afternoon.  That's something, eh?

I might be procrastinating because this project intimidates the heck outta me, lol.  I gotta just suck it up and get on with it...

But, meantime, I've almost posted the whole frivolity.  I really didn't think it would break down into this many pieces...if you missed the earlier installments, HERE's the most-recent-on-top link...

Part Four -- The Deliverance

 

            There was a long line of carriages waiting at the palace entrance for the guests who were departing when Rita slipped into the back entrance, laden with her bundle.  She was again counting on everyone being occupied in the public part of the palace so that she could return to her rooms unquestioned.  It seemed she was right because she saw no one at all on her way in.  She awkwardly opened her door, juggling her load as best she could.  She managed to get inside and kick the door shut with her foot.  She took a deep breath and turned towards her bedroom to get everything back in the wardrobe before Esmerelda came up.

            “Well, well, look what we have here.”

             Rita jumped when she heard her brother’s voice, dropping her bundle.  “Gregory!” she exclaimed.

            Gregory didn’t reply to the Princess as he came from her bedroom into the sitting room, looking instead at the armchair in the shadowy corner where, to Rita’s further surprise, sat the Grand Duke.  Gregory pointed to the bundle and asked Godfrey, “What do you suppose we’ll find in there?”

            Godfrey stood up, walked over to the bundle and crossed his arms.  “I’m just guessing...but I wouldn’t be surprised to find a pink dress and a mask wrapped up in there.”

            Rita’s jaw dropped in shock as Gregory nodded and commented, “My thoughts exactly.”  Then, he finally addressed Rita. “Tell me, little sister, have you been playing Fairy Godmother this evening?”

            Rita stared at him for the moment it took her to find her voice, then bent to pick up the bundle again. “How...how did you know?”

            However, before Gregory could reply, Rita’s door opened again, and the King entered.  He did not look happy.  “Your mother and I,” he began, with an air of restrained fury, “Thought you were old enough to understand the necessity of responsibility and self-restraint; now they tell me you have run off for the evening with no guard or chaperone.” He paused for a moment, and to Rita’s relief the Grand Duke held up his hand and interrupted.

            “Philip, before you scold her too thoroughly, perhaps we’d better hear what happened.”  Godfrey looked at Rita.  “From the beginning.”

            Tears welled up in Rita’s eyes; she had planned everything so carefully and now it looked like it had all fallen apart.  She walked around Gregory into her room as she considered what to reply, dropped the bundle on her bed and returned. “But -- I promised I wouldn’t tell...”  She looked at Godfrey beseechingly.  “I promised...”

            Godfrey nodded.  “All right.  Let me tell you what I know already.  You arranged for a young lady to attend the ball tonight, didn’t you?”  Rita sniffed and nodded, so Godfrey continued.  “That young lady was Isabella Savoy, wasn’t she?”

            Once again, Rita stared at Godfrey, took a shaky breath and asked, “How did you know?”

            Godfrey smiled thinly.  “She took off her mask for a moment and I recognized her.  Now, what did you promise not to tell?”

            Rita swallowed.  “Isabella made me promise not to tell anyone about her.  She’s terribly afraid of her stepmother.”

            Godfrey glanced at the King.  “I’m not surprised, somehow...”  He turned back to Rita.  “How did you meet her?”

            Rita sighed and sat down on the divan, perched on the front of the cushion with her hands in her lap.  She related everything that had happened after she stomped off into the pasture the previous week.  Her father started to speak both times she confessed to going off by herself, but Godfrey restrained him so that she told the story without interruption.

             When she’d finished, Godfrey paced about, shaking his head.  “This is terrible.  I should have checked the whole story out when I got home five years ago.  Something like this never occurred to me.”  He looked at Rita.  “I know you promised, but she needs help desperately.  Why didn’t you tell me this last week?”

            Rita sighed.  “You thought she was dead.  I was afraid you wouldn’t take my word for it and begin an investigation of some sort, and that word would get back to Lady Alicia.  Isabella is terrified that her stepmother will do something terrible to her if she finds out that anyone knows the truth.”

            The Grand Duke sighed.  “I suppose she has good reason to feel that way.  But there’s more to this story than you know.”

            The King looked at him.  “What, Godfrey?”

            Godfrey pressed his lips into a grim line then replied.  “Max left a will.  I was to be executor of his estate, should anything happen to him.  He left nearly everything to Isabella, with Lady Alicia only to receive a small percentage of the estate.  In fact, Lady Alicia was only to be allowed to stay in the manor house if Isabella permitted it.  According to the will, I was to be Isabella’s legal guardian.”

            The King inhaled sharply.  “You never told me that!”

            “There didn’t seem to be any point in it.  I remember seeing a signed death certificate for her -- everything looked in order.”

            The King was puzzled.  “Who signed the certificate?”

            Godfrey shook his head.  “Lady Alicia’s personal physician -- who has since retired and gone back to Flavia.  In hindsight, it appears I was foolish not to investigate further.  Anyway, since I was convinced that Isabella died before I returned, Max’s will was of no consequence.  As Isabella’s next of kin, Lady Alicia ‘inherited’ the estate.”  He gave a rueful sigh.  “Poor Isabella...I should never have let her go through all of this.”

            For the first time since Rita began her story, Gregory spoke, looking out of the window.  “She pretty much refused to talk about that tonight.  I had no idea it was that bad.”  He paused a moment, then looked at the rest of them.  “What are we going to do about it?”

            Rita decided she could offer some advice here.  “She needs someone to swoop down on the manor house without warning and take her and her mother’s things away to a safe place, out of her stepmother’s reach.”

            Godfrey frowned.  “Do you think I could just go and fetch her?”

            Rita looked hopeful.  “Could you just march in and take her away?”

            The King crossed his arms and paced a few steps.  “It would be better if we could catch Lady Alicia completely off guard.  If you just went in with a detachment of soldiers...well, you’d probably have to arrest her and we’d have a trial.  It would cause quite a scandal.”

            Gregory groaned.  “A scandal is the last thing we should subject Isabella to.”

            The King nodded.  “Just what I was thinking.  We need some way of taking care of it quietly.”

            Suddenly, Godfrey looked up at Gregory.  “I think I’ve got an idea.  Gregory, do you remember saying something about trying that glass slipper on every girl in the kingdom?”

            Gregory frowned.  “Vaguely, but I was only joking.  Besides, we know who the mysterious masked lady is.”

            Godfrey nodded.  “We know -- but Lady Alicia doesn’t.”  He quickly explained his idea as the King, the Prince and the Princess listened carefully.

            When he’d finished, there was silence as they considered his idea.  Finally, the King nodded.  “It might work.  It would certainly put her off her guard.  You might even be able to get Isabella out without any opposition.”  He looked at Gregory.  “What do you think?”

            Gregory shrugged.  “I think it’s probably the best idea we’ll come up with tonight.  I’m in favor of it.”

            Rita knew of a problem with the plan.  “You’re giving the impression that you’re taking Isabella off to marry her,” she objected.  “Isabella has told me that she won’t marry anyone just to escape her stepmother -- she insists that she won’t make the mistake of marrying someone she doesn’t know well enough.”

            Gregory smiled.  “She’s made of strong stuff, isn’t she?” He observed to no one in particular.

            The King looked at Gregory with slightly raised eyebrows, started to speak, stopped, then finally spoke. “Well, Gregory...what will you do if she says, ‘Thank you, but no’?”

            Godfrey interrupted.  “Look, we’ll just say he’s trying to find her -- we won’t need to say anything about marriage.  When Lady Alicia is forced to admit who she is, then I can take her away as my ward.  I don’t think Isabella will object to that and it will accomplish the same thing -- we will take her with us when we go.”

            The King had another thought.  “Isn’t the rest of Max’s will valid as well?  What can we do to protect Isabella’s property?”

            Godfrey frowned.  “I need to review the provisions in the will...and maybe check on some legal precedents as well.  I can do that first thing in the morning.  I believe you will have to issue a decree, Philip, but I think it can still be handled discreetly...unless Lady Alicia wants a scandal, which I doubt.  Under the circumstances, I think that, given the right incentive, she would be willing to return to her relatives in her native country.”  Suddenly, Rita yawned and Godfrey laughed.  “The Fairy Godmother is fatigued.  I’d say she has done a fair night’s work and should be allowed some rest.”

            The King nodded.  “Gracious, yes, she needs to be in bed,” and yawned himself.  “We can discuss the details in the morning...or at least, after some sleep.”

            “Just a moment...there’s something I want to clear up first...” Gregory gave Rita a knowing look.  “Little sister of mine, just what did you have in mind when you sent Isabella to the ball?”

            Rita blushed and looked at the floor.  “Well...I hoped you’d like her and take her away from her stepmother.”  She looked up at him and said as innocently as she could manage, “Aren’t princes supposed to rescue damsels in distress?”

            Before Gregory could reply, the door opened and Esmerelda entered, then stopped as she saw that the Princess was both present and occupied with visitors.  “Well!” she said brightly.  “Do we know who the girl in the mask was now?”

            The King sighed.  “Esmerelda, this young lady has been most naughty this evening...but as it appears that her motives were pure and the results desirable,” he couldn’t resist a glance at his son before continuing, “We will not be unduly harsh with her.  Get her in bed as soon as you can, but don’t ask her too many questions.  Everything will be made right in the morning.”  With that, he gestured to Godfrey and Gregory, who preceded him out of the door.  He himself kissed Rita lightly on the forehead and said “I will explain everything to your mother…Good night” before he left.

            Relief washed over Rita as she returned her father’s good night kiss and realized that she wasn’t going to receive a scolding after all.

To be continued...