The Diamond Slipper by Jane Feather

Author:Jane Feather [Feather, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Historical, cookie429, Kat, Extratorrents
ISBN: 0553575236
Publisher: Fanfare
Published: 1997-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

“WHERE’S MATHILDE?” CORDELIA stared at the red-cheeked girl in her bedchamber. The girl was bobbing curtsies, her cheeks growing redder by the minute.

“I don’t know, m’lady. Monsieur Brion said I was to look after you. Shall I help you with your gown?” Nervously, she came toward the princess, who continued to stare at her as if she were some unknown member of the animal kingdom.

Cordelia spun on her heel and marched into the salon, which was lit only by two candles on the mantel. “Monsieur Brion!” She called for him at the top of her lungs. And when he didn’t immediately materialize, she yelled again. She paced the Turkey carpet, from window to door, her hands gripped together so tightly that her knuckles were white.

“Princess. Did you call?” Brion appeared from the kitchen. He was still fully dressed in livery and would remain so until the prince had gone to bed. He looked anxiously at the princess.

“Where’s Mathilde? What’s that girl doing in my chamber?” She rapped out the questions, so filled with dread that her voice was a high-pitched staccato rattle, bearing almost no resemblance to her own.

The majordomo pulled nervously at his chin. “The prince told me to summon Elsie to attend Your Highness,” he explained.

“Where is Mathilde?” She took a step toward him and involuntarily he edged backward.

“The prince said Mistress Mathilde had to go somewhere.” Brion was wringing his hands apologetically as the white-faced Fury, eyes ablaze, advanced on him.

“Where? Where has she gone?”

Unhappily, he shook his head. “The prince didn’t say, my lady.”

“But Mathilde. She must have said something.” It was unreal to imagine that Mathilde would disappear without a word.

“I didn’t see her, my lady. She was in your bedchamber last I knew, then the prince came up before the banquet and spoke with her. I haven’t seen her since.”

Cordelia was beginning to feel as if the world had tilted into insanity. This couldn’t be true, it couldn’t be happening. “Her belongings. Has she taken them?”

“I don’t believe so, madame.” To his relief, he saw that the princess was beginning to calm down. The light of madness was slowly dying in her eyes, and her voice had resumed its normal pitch and volume.

“Have you been told to send them on anywhere?”

He shook his head. “Not as yet, my lady.”

Cordelia nodded slowly. “Very well. Thank you.” She turned and went back to her own room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Elsie still stood where she’d left her in the middle of the room, gazing anxiously at the door through which her mistress had disappeared—and now reappeared.

“Should I help you now, my lady?”

Cordelia didn’t appear to hear. She resumed her pacing, nibbling at a loose thumbnail. Why would Michael send Mathilde away? How had he done it? Mathilde would not have abandoned Cordelia willingly or easily. He must have come up here before the banquet had begun, after she had defeated him so soundly at the card tables. And he’d said nothing to her the whole evening.

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