Chapter 46

Chapter 46

They both nodded, finally in agreement.

They removed the dress they had been working on and added it to the scrap pile.

“What are you doing with that?” I hurried to the discarded dress.

“It’s all wrong,” the talkative maid said. “The color’s too dark, and it’s not shapely enough. We can do

better.”

“Don’t throw it out.” I held the dress protectively to my chest.

They both looked at me. “Why not?”

“It’s beautiful, and you both worked so hard on it. Let me keep it. I don’t have to wear it to the First Ball, but I’d like to wear it at some point.”

They glanced at each other.

“It’s up to you, Miss Piper,” the talkative maid said. “Everything in here is a gift to you. If you would like to keep it, that’s your decision.”

I smiled, relieved. I really didn’t want such a beautiful gown to go to waste. I went to the closet and hung it inside.

As I admired it, hanging among the other beautiful gowns, Elva came running into the room.

“Mommy! The scary guards are here!”

“What?” I rushed out of the closet. Elva followed, but I made sure to keep her behind me.

Three guards were in the room. One stood at the door while the other two closed in around my talkative maid.

“I didn’t do anything!” the maid called out.

I nodded to the quiet one, who took hold of Elva’s hand, keeping her safely out of the way. Then I hurried forward.

What is the meaning of this? I insisted.

The third guard, the one by the door, stepped forward. “Apologies, ma’am, but your maid has been accused of stealing royal dress materials,

t’s not true, Miss Piper, I swear!”

“She says she didn’t do it, and I believe her,” I said.

The guard seemed sympathetic, despite his harsh words. “It’s not up to you, ma’am. She’ll need to be

investigated.”

“So investigate her. You don’t have to take her away.”

The guards each grabbed one of the maid’s arms and tugged her toward the door.

“We do,” the guard told me. “She’ll need to be interrogated –

“Interrogated! That’s outrageous. You can’t take someone away without knowing for sure they are at

fault.”

The guard shook his head. “We can if it is on palace grounds. These are palace affairs. I’m sorry, ma’am, but this is just how things are done. Please stand aside.”

The maid was pale, with wide frightened eyes. Still, she said, “Don’t get involved, Miss Piper. I’ll be okay.”

“But –”

Tm innocent, right? When they figure that out, they’ll let me go, and everything will be okay.” Her voice trembled. I didn’t know if she believed what she was saying.

I wanted to fight for her, but I didn’t know what to say or do.

“Don’t risk Elva,” the maid said, and I froze.

She was right. If I made too many waves, Elva might be in danger again,

I’m sorry,” I said.

She gave me a sad sort of smile. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

Then the two guards tugged her away. The third guard remained.

“A replacement maid has been assigned to you, with this new absence,” the guard said. He stepped out into the hallway and waved someone closer.

A woman followed him back into the room.