Pearls and Roses

3. Glass

I was a doll. An accessory. Existing at the behest of my family and men who found me either too vile to marry or my wealth appealing, thanks to my late mother. For, without her wealth, I was nothing. An object of ridicule. 

  Most people had only heard of me. My appearance into society was shrouded in mystery, as Lady Annabelle had made sure I was always kept hidden and deprived of a social life. My comfort must've irked her, for out of nowhere came the prospect of marriage.

Because what was a woman's worth without one?

  It was uneasy being plunged into the spotlight with little to no training and having every bit of me open to scrutiny. 

"It's getting late," Ellen yawned beside me, checking the clock, "I doubt he's going to show."

   "It must be just like the King said; he is busy. Maybe we should wait till he's ready," Sir Hooley said.

"But the least he could do is send a letter, don't you think? Or is he that uninterested in her? Or this arrangement?" Lady Annabelle snapped.

  "Don't snap at me, woman, this is beyond my control. Like I said, he is a busy man. You women are clueless about how busy a man can get."

"Oh, spare me the baloney!" Lady Annabelle rolled her eyes and paced.

  "Or.....he could just be appalled by her. I mean, almost everyone knows what she looks like. He must've seen pictures," Ellen chuckled.

They all stared at me, the same expression of agreement on their faces; I was the problem.

Lady Annabelle sighed, "He could just ignore her after seeing her at least once." She shrugged and sat.

"The King wouldn't allow it and he'd be obliged to see through the courtship with her. We have his word on that. It's only at the point of engagement or marriage that the prince would decide." Sir Hooley said, my heart sinking.

   So I was going to be rejected after six months? Possibly less? That much was obvious, but why was I expecting something else? Always climbing so high in my expectations that when I fell, a piece of me broke. I was used to the pain and there was nothing more to break. Philip was my tipping point, but this heart of mine was still his, even though he never claimed it.

I run my hand across the left side of my face, feeling my scars and attempting to cover it, rested my head in my hand.

   The bell rang and Lady Annabelle stood up quickly."I'll get it."

Ellen fixed her dress and stood up, too. Unsure what to do, I followed suit. My heart raced.

  Lady Annabelle came back, waving a letter in her hand. "It's from the queen."

She hurriedly opened it and my heart sank with every tear of the envelope, I knew what was coming.

Her smile falling slowly, then suddenly lifting as she read the content.

  "Well? What does it say?" Sir Hooley asked.

"That, the prince could not come here yet....." She glanced at me, more like...... eyed me, as if I was to blame. "...but he'll be here for National Eistenfodd. Three weeks." she squealed.

   Three weeks?!

"He's going to be living here? For three weeks?" Ellen squealed too.

"The queen didn't specify but, I'm sure he'll be in their residence here. That doesn't matter. In two weeks, everyone's going to know that the royal family has links with us." Lady Annabelle gave the letter to Sir Hooley, "The king intends to attend an event here with him. There will be a private occasion, after, and that's where Leila should be able to meet him and it falls among those weeks."