Ada & The Queen (The Woodhouse Series #3)

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

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*Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire*

Bagpipes echoed in the courtyards of the historical Windsor Castle at nine in the morning as the castle got to work.

Amazing Grace forced the maids and servants to start moving - the royal household was awake and bells began ringing, alerting them all that they needed attending to. Blankets, towels, trays of food and buckets of water were carried through the corridors, as the bagpipes went on - it was a calming sound amongst the chaos that befell Windsor Castle every morning.

In the royal chambers, the Marchioness of Ely knocked on the double doors and alerted the occupant she was entering.

The doors swung open, and maids hurried in and got to work - opening the curtains, stoking the fire, removing the chamberpot and preparing clothes and accessories as the Marchioness, Jane Loftus headed to the bed.

In a white night dress, her white hair messily braided over one shoulder with a white bed cap, sitting up was the Queen of Great Britain - Victoria.

"Your Majesty..." Jane curtsied to her as she turned to her lady of the bed-chamber and dear friend, watching everyone fuss and rush over her.

"Oh, Janie...please...not this morning..." The Queen looked at the others. "I want nothing more than to remain here for a little while longer."

"Your Majesty..." Jane sighed. "We all wish to remain in bed a little while longer, but we need to make arrangements for the social season and we need you to be present..."

"I wish to be a part of none of it..."

"You say that every year but you do enjoy it..." Jane reminded her as the Queen reluctantly sighed. Maids waited patiently for orders as the Queen sighed and clapped her hands. She was helped out of bed, taken to the hot bath behind a screen as Jane waited, checking the clothes were appropriate and asking a maid to help her find some pearls that would look good with the lace and ruffles of the jacket listening to the Queen's rants and raves about how abysmal she found the social season.

"Why don't we send Evans to the market to get some cream cakes for tea?" Jane called standing by the screen, knowing the sweet treat would liven up the Queen's current mood. The castle staff were more than capable of making them, but there was something more special about the ones from Windsor Market.

"Are you trying to sweeten me?" The Queen called, water splashing from the bath as Jane shrugged her shoulders.

"Is it working?"

The Queen relented and Jane turned to a maid. "Bessie, right?" The maid nodded as she came over, putting down the jug in her hands. "Find Ephriam Evans and tell him the Queen has requested cream cakes from the market bakery for tea..."

Bessie nodded, curtsying before she left.

The castle was now awake - royal staff and children were running around as Bessie passed the Prince of Wales and his mistress, curtsying to them both as she hurried away.

Ephraim Evans was not a hard man to find but today was proving difficult as Bessie walked around the castle grounds, searching for him. As one of the equerries, he should've been at the tower gate as morning deliveries and guests arrived, greeting them but he wasn't.

"Not since last night..." A guard replied when Bessie asked him if he had seen him. "Have you tried the stables?"

Bessie knew she was wasting time - she should've been attending to the queen, not searching for a man who was not doing his job.