Out of Bounds (Book II)

IV - Heartache

IV - Heartache

Georgiana awoke the next morning to the sound of rain. She had tossed and turned all night, resulting in a rough night's sleep. Whenever she had felt herself drifting off, Benjamin's bloodied and broken back flashed before her eyes jolting her awake. The image had scorched the backs of her eyes and her mind replayed the sound of the whip hitting raw flesh over and over.

She rolled over in bed and tried to concentrate on the howling of the wind against the castle walls. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and listened.

There was a faint knock on the door before it clicked and swung open. Georgiana opened her eyes and peered at the figure across the room.

"You look terrible, Your Highness."

Georgiana sighed and settled her head back down on the pillow, "Good morning to you too, Kat."  

"Forgive me, Your Highness. Have your ladies maids greeted you this morning?" Kat asked stepping closer to the bed.

"Yes but I sent them away." Georgiana said miserably. Sensing her unusual mood, Kat hurried to the side of the bed and laid a gentle hand on the Princesses forehead.

"Are you unwell, Your Highness? Should I send for a doctor?" Kat went on inspecting her as she asked each question. Georgiana shook her head and threw an arm over her face.

"I'm quite well, just miserable, if that can be considered an illness." 

Kat grew quiet at her statement so Georgiana removed the arm off her face and turned to look at her Lady. "Don't look so worried, Kat. We all have our down days."

"Is it because of what happened to you friend, Your Highness?"

"Partly, yes." Georgiana said.

"What is the other part?"

Georgiana sat up in bed and threw the sheets off her, "It doesn't matter. Why don't I get ready for the day and then we can both go down to the kitchen and see what Evelin has prepared for us for breakfast?"

"Sounds lovely, Your Highness. Shall I ask the other Ladies to join us?" Kat asked as Georgiana slipped out of bed and made her way over to the changing screen.

"Yes, I didn't see them for all of yesterday."

"I'll go and inform them, Your Highness and then I will come back and help you to get dressed." Georgiana nodded and offered her friend a kind smile before she disappeared behind the changing screen.

When the door clicked shut behind Kat, Georgiana found her mind flooded once more with bloody images and her stomach felt heavy with worry. She wondered how Benjamin was, if Abigail would join them for breakfast or would she still be with Benjamin. She also worried about what her brother was keeping from her. What was Francis keeping from her? There was definitely something they weren't telling her.  

As her mind spun with questions almost making her dizzy, she washed her face and changed out of her nightdress and into one of her gowns. She chose a dark purple gown with intricate gold embellishments that covered the corset and trailed down the skirt.

She was sat at her dressing table when there was a knock on her door. "Come in." She called and resumed plaiting her hair when Kat entered the room followed by another girl. The girl was wearing a pale blue dress that flowed over her body like a cascade of water. Her auburn hair was twisted neatly into an elegant bun on the back of her neck. Georgiana watched her in the mirror as she glided into the room, nose poised in the air as she looked around the room distastefully. If it was up to her, Amara wouldn't be one of her Ladies. She had only become one of her Ladies because her mother was a Countess and a friend of the Queen's.