Remember When

Chapter 14

"I shall have you know that I'm not a lady in waiting, yet I find myself doing your hair everyday," Catherine said, as she took a thin piece of my damp hair and delicately wrapped it around it a straw.

"Who else would do my hair if not for you? I am but a mere lady in waiting myself," I feigned a pout.

"Oh hush. You're marrying one of the wealthiest men in the entire realm. Soon you will have numerous ladies in waiting at your disposal," she said, chuckling.

Thinking back to Nicholas and Duke Mason, an overwhelming thought occurred to me. Was Duke Mason going to allow me to marry his son after all? Or was this just a ruse to fool everybody in court? I had a feeling it was the latter. They had pushed me directly into the spotlight by having me play the role of Nicholas's fiancé but, in doing so, they had also made me unattainable by any man.

I smiled weakly in response, glad that she couldn't make out the expression on my face.

As the curls set out to dry, Catherine helped me into my gown. It was an immaculate white dress laced with gold embroidery and a dipping neckline that just managed to expose my cleavage without being dubbed a trollop. It was both revealing and refined, and I had no idea what Lady Mason was thinking to dress me in something this promiscuous. I was sure to stand out, and I almost had the gall to remind her that there were going to be two Princes in attendance. But, habitually, both her and her husband were blinded by their son's accomplishments, so much so that they wanted him to stand out, even if it meant me standing out as well.

An excruciatingly long hour later, Catherine undid my curls and pinned them up, adorning my hair with pearls.

"Wherever did you get these?" I asked.

She gave me a bored look, her eyebrow raised in dismay.

"I may wield a sword but I am a lady," she mused.

I laughed. "Then why aren't you attending the ball tonight?"

She grimaced, dramatically shivering. "Because balls are remarkably overrated."

"I don't believe that's something a lady would say," I chuckled.

"Oh?" She threw me an amused smirk. "And you would know?"

I have her a small smile in return. "No, I suppose not."

She laughed at me, suspecting nothing as she finished pinning my hair.

After she was done, she placed her hands on my shoulders from behind me.

"Stand up and face the mirror over there," she whispered excitedly in my ear.

I did as I was told only to gasp upon seeing the reflection.

The woman in the mirror did not look like me at all. She looked confident and regal and refined. She looked as though she was of noble rank and had been so all her life. Not somebody who was beaten and whipped and was scarred, both physically and emotionally.

"You're beautiful, you know," Catherine said, as she smiled from behind my shoulder. "It's easy to discern why all these men are enamored by you."

I rolled my eyes. "All these men," I agreed sarcastically. "Oh hush, I am but a lady in waiting."

But secretly, for the first time in many years, I felt beautiful. I felt as though I deserved one night to play dress up, to pretend I was living a life far different than my own. Not the poor servant girl who couldn't even protect her own mother and didn't have a penny to her name.

"Go dance the night away with your man. But not too much dancing! He has a duel to win tomorrow," she winked.

After thanking her for preparing me for the ball, I walked toward the ballroom with an epiphany of butterflies erupting in my stomach. As I opened the door, a short, stubby man dressed in a dark blue suit greeted me at the top of the stairs.