Villainess Loves

Part 23

Mary bursts into the room suddenly, pushing a cart filled with food.

"I brought your meal, my lady! ....What's going on?" Mary stops and looks at me and Henry in shock. I immediately sit up and catapult myself away from Henry's lap. He coughs in innocence. I clear my throat, looking as if that didn't just happen.

"What's up Mary? My dinner's here? Thanks!" I speak quickly, standing up and dragging Mary and the cart to the table in my room. Henry slinks away and stands awkwardly against the wall.

"...Yes, I brought enough food for all of us. I assume you would like to eat together..." Mary says slowly, processing what she just saw.

"What happened to your hair, my lady? It looks like a rat's nest!" Mary notices, looking at me in horror.

"Ah, sorry, I was rolling around in the bed earlier." I laugh sheepishly. Mary raises her eyebrow.

"Rolling in bed? With Sir Henry?" She questions, whipping her head to stare at Henry.

"Mary! No! I was trying to sleep earlier-before Henry came!" I quickly added. Henry nods his head rapidly in confirmation of my statement.

"Hmm." Mary looks suspiciously at me and Henry. She sighs and then goes to set the table.

"Are you feeling better, my lady? Figured it out?" She asks me, setting the silverware for three people. I nod.

"Yeah, I figured it out. Sorry for worrying you." I said. She smiles.

"That's alright." She pats my shoulder and then turns to look at Henry.

"Sir Henry, I must inform you that Lady Annelise is still considered engaged to Prince Orion. I would prefer you hold off on being intimate with my lady!" She crosses her hands and scolds. I choke on the glass of water that I just poured. Henry looks flustered.

"It is a misunderstanding Mary. I would never think of it." He says, waving his hands for emphasis.

"I expect so!" Mary huffs and points to the chair in front of my vanity.
"Go and pull up a chair and eat!" She orders, sitting down on one of the two chairs already at the table. I take the other one, placing my glass down in front to claim my spot. Mary hands me a plate filled with food. I take a bite, savoring the skills of the royal chef. Yum! Mary hands Henry his plate as he sits down. The fancy vanity chair and his big robust stature make a comical sight. I snicker a bit and Mary smiles.

"Is there no other chair?" Henry frowns, noticing our smiles. I shake my head.

"Unless you go and ask a servant, the only other chair is the couch over there," I said, enjoying my food. Mary piles more on my plate. Henry grumbles but accepts his fate, digging into the delicious food.

"So, my lady, are you going to be eating breakfast with the royal family tomorrow? It is quite rude to not greet or even eat a meal together before sleeping and using their facilities." Mary asks. I stop stuffing my face to swallow and talk properly.

"Yes, please tell them that I am feeling better and will meet them for breakfast tomorrow morning," I said and continues to stuff my face. Mary nods. Henry looks at us weirdly.

"If I may be so rude.." He starts. Mary and I look at him to continue.
"Has the etiquette rules changed during the past years or so? I thought nobles ate with more composure and..." He doesn't finish his sentence. My face heats up and Mary laughs.

"No Sir Henry, the rules of dining etiquette have not changed. Lady Annelise is just a pig!" Mary declares, laughing her head off. I blush profusely, smacking Mary on her arm.

"Shut up! That's not true at all! I know how to eat properly! You're the one who asked why I ate so politely with you! That's why I stopped!" I yelled at her.

"Oh! My lady just hit me!" She fakes a groan. Henry chuckles at her antics.

I grumbled, stuffing my face a little less like a barbarian than before.

"Lady Annelise and Mary eat together regularly?" Henry wonders. I nod.

"Lady Annelise gets lonely and the servants' meals are not as good as what our young lady eats!" Mary states.

"What? You don't like my company? I thought you liked having someone to gossip with!" I asked, shocked. Mary laughs.

"Of course, I enjoy your company my lady," Mary reassures me, patting my arm.

Mary and I have been eating together for a long time. My father is always busy and my older brother isn't at home either, he's studying abroad to learn and foster relationships with our trading partners, so I usually eat with Mary instead of by myself.

It's lonely to eat alone. I'm not that close with the other servants of the dukedom either, besides my father's personal butler, but he's usually with my father, catering to his every need. I don't really have any other friends besides Prince Orion because everyone has been busy with the war and, well... I've been busy trying to court Prince Orion so any potential female friends would be my enemy!