The doors shut and Arabella breathed free, allowing her posture to relax. It was though a veil had dropped and the Duchess could, for a brief moment, act as herself. Lucy, hearing the sound of the doors appeared to hand the child, Beatrix to her mother whose arms were outstretched and so willing. "Thank you, Lucy." Arabella smiled and moved to sit upon the edge of the bed, just watching her daughter as she rested so peacefully, so quietly. In truth it amazed her. The Duchess had heard the society women discuss their children, and how they all detested how noisy they were, but no, not her Beatrix. Beatrix was a sweet babe, born with her mother's temperament some might dare to say.
"Help me, please." The Duchess requested, standing for a moment, and Lucy quickly understood and went to help the Duchess disrobe until her slip was accessible. Maneuvering herself out of the top half of her slip, a rather loose garment, the Duchess was now able to raise the child to her breast. Arabella was a natural mother, as her child fed she spoke. "I am to be Queen. A blue blooded H.M." The Duchess took her time and enunciated each letter, H followed by M. "Yes your Grace." Lucy replied rather casually.
"You needn't do that... when we are alone you can call me Arabella." The truth was, the Duchess had no friends. Yes, she had friends in the society sense, all of the nobility looked up to her. Even prior to her impending marriage, she was the top of the heap, the woman to be. She had no shortage of ladies who wrote her regularly for advice, who sought to be invited to her parties. Once the former Queen had died, she was as close as it got. Ironic. "I'm going to put my trust in you. You have served me well."
"Yes your Gr... Arabella." A part of it was odd, to hear her name spoken by someone she was not related to. "So many girls dream of being Queen. Not just any Queen, but the Queen of England. And yet... here I am, and it is to be my nightmare." The Duchess laughed lightly, carefully to hold Beatrix steady, and when the time came, delicately re-dressing herself. "Does it have to be?" Lucy asked as she came to kneel before the Duchess, resting comfortably and looking up at this beautiful, yet sad figure before her.
"Aren't you clever?" Arabella asked before laughing and squeezing ever, ever so gently on her daughter. "I'm in my twenties, and I have lost... So young to be so tragic." Arabella, for once had a rather clear view of her situation. "I've spent my life preparing to be this. A Duchess. I was a cruel child, to Alexandra especially. I hurt her every chance I got. I was jealous. So petty, so pathetic." It was an odd but cathartic feeling to simply let it all come out.
"I was the paragon of piety. I followed the laws to the letter, and in that I found great comfort and happiness. I was lucky. I happened to be a woman who fell in love with her husband. So desperately, madly in love. And yet, I was so cruel still, in the name of God, and I was wrong. Alexandra opened my eyes, and all I can see now is regret." Her cheeks flushed, reddened as her eyes welled up, full of tears which then began to fall. "And then God took him from me. He took all of my joy, all of my good. When he took Richard he took my heart. And now... I must plot and scheme.." Lucy, seeing the fragility in the Duchess rose to take Beatrix into her arms and continued to do what she did best which was simply listen. "How do you mean?" The maid asked.
"The King will not tolerate Beatrix. He will seek to kill her quietly, or have her sent to some convent. As though she never existed. She is Richard's daughter. And that she is... all I have left of him. So, to keep her safe, I'll have to give her up. She'll never know that her mother loved her. I don't care if she knows I'm a Queen or a Duchess... I just need her to know she is so very loved."
The Duchess wiped her tears, and smiled softly. "I will take to the gardens. Mustn't go against good advice." The Duchess nodded to Lucy. "Defend my daughter. I'll return soon." Arabella opened the doors to her rooms and stepped out, taking a look at the two guards, one on either side. "Let's go boys." She understood that where she went, they would follow, and rather than fight it, she embraced it for the time.
--
Arthur was waiting as the carriage arrived at Marlborough, at least here he felt at ease and comfort. He smiled brightly as it came down the way.
Alice nodded at the Princess. "None of it is silly. You are no fool. I suppose one day I might understand if I too have the chance to fall in love. I would like that some day. So perhaps you are right and you would be so kind as to help me. I am grateful." Alice concluded as the carriage came to a halt.
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