it is a weapon used against her. You help her more by not allowing your feelings to rule. Allow her to stand and prove herself to the people who love you for upholding our traditions. Yes, it is hard, but we have all gone through it. Be. Patient. She is trying very hard. Silent support is what she needs.”
I said nothing, bowing my head as she left.
I lifted the paper again before tearing it in half, then again and again, before sitting back down.
Silent support?
How did you know if you were being supported then?
This felt—this felt wrong.
But every time I tried to help her, the press found out and used it as slander, so maybe Mother was right. We still had no clue who was leaking information outside, either. So maybe this was one of the duties of the Adelaar—doing nothing for the sake of tradition.
Chapter 15
“Grandmother is coming?” Eliza exclaimed over breakfast. “She never comes to the garden party or leaves Donaè Castle for that matter.”
“Well, she will be leaving Donaè and coming for the garden party, for sure. She has already sent word for her rooms here to be prepared,” my mother replied, lifting her tea to her lips.
“Aren’t her rooms always prepared?” Eliza questioned.
“She does not trust that they were prepared correctly,” my mother answered with slight annoyance. And it made me wonder that if my grandmother still had not come to like my mother, who by everyone’s standard seemed to be beloved as a model queen, how was she going to like Odette?
I glanced over at the empty chair in front of me, feeling my annoyance rise. “Has no one called for Odette this morning?”
“She has long been called,” my mother replied.
I frowned, watching as she took a slow slip. “What do you mean long been called? If she is up, why has she not come down for breakfast.”
“Miss Wyntor arrived at exactly seven this morning and ate breakfast with the queen at seven thirty-one,” Parsworth, the head butler, answered for her, and I looked between them both before looking down at my watch.
“It is just after eight now, Mother, and breakfast has always been at eight. Why would you have breakfast with her early?” I had even gotten here ten minutes early because I wanted to see Odette before my mother came. Only to find Mother at the table, seated and waiting already. At first, I thought nothing of it, but now? Now I was confused.
“Breakfast is always at eight. However, I made an exception this morning as I felt bad,” she replied gently as if that made any more sense.
“You felt bad?” I repeated, my eyebrow rising.
She nodded, taking another sip, which also explained why she was only drinking tea—she had already had her fill.
“She was in here already going over further etiquette with her assistant.”
“Further etiquette?”
“Where she is supposed to sit, why she sits there, everyone else’s position around the table, why they are there... She also was working on her curtsy and leg placement again as she sat. It was quite intensive for the morning, I must say.” She smiled to herself, clearly proud of this insanity.
“And you just so happened to walk in and had breakfast with her before the rest of us arrived? Are you trying to make sure we never see each other?”
Her eyes shot at me angrily. “I had breakfast with her because her stomach was growling loud enough for all to hear. That, I can only assume, is because she barely ate last night with all ‘Are you all right’ questions you kept asking her. Furthermore, if you and your sister ever bothered to arrive on time or, by God, were early to breakfast, you would know your father and I have always arrived at seven-thirty. It was the only time we could speak before you all came, or the rest of the staff came to whisk us away, which is why I noticed she was here. Therefore, make a better effort in your schedule if you wish to see her instead of finding fault with others.”
“Forgive me, Mother. I misspoke.” I glanced over my plate.
“Yes, you did. And you are forgiven.”
I smirked over at her. “Where is Odette now?”
She looked at Parsworth, who stepped forward again. “Miss Wyntor is with her Ersovian history and etiquette tutors, going over the garden party protocol.”
My mother nodded proudly once again. “Exactly as she should. You are worrying far too much. She is taking this seriously, and that is precisely