Seven | h.s

v

With a pot of ink and piece of parchment neatly arranged on the desk before her, and a quill in hand, Beth chewed on her lower lip as she tried to find the right words to convey her emotions. There were many different routes she could take, but she wanted the letter to be perfect. The creak of the door opening followed by the footsteps of two girls, however, briefly halted her train of thought. She glanced over her shoulder, despite already knowing who had entered, and gave a painted smile to greet her fellow ladies-in-waiting.

Clara widened her eyes with annoyance when Victoria turned her back to find a book amongst the many shelves of the library. Beth's smile morphed from fake and forced to genuine as she giggled at Clara's actions, understanding her frustration with the prideful young woman. Clara retrieved the book of poetry that she had been reading from her hiding spot in the language section of the shelves and took a seat in one of the chairs by a window, adjacent to where Beth was sitting.

Victoria, having found a book to distract her for the time being, plopped down in a chair by the fire. For a moment, there was silence, and Beth thought that she just might have been able to formulate a letter to Andrew, but it didn't last long. Victoria sighed heavily and lifted her eyes from the pages to stare at the back of Beth's head.

Clara glanced up and furrowed her brows at Victoria's strange, sudden fascination with Beth. "Is there a reason you are entranced by the back of Beth's head, Lady Victoria?" she asked with a bitter tone.

Victoria switched her eyes to Clara. "Is there a reason you are concerned with my doings?"

"Well, it is only fair, since you are so concerned with everyone else's," Clara retorted.

Beth whipped around to look Victoria in the eyes. "What is it you would like to say to me?"

Victoria ran her tongue over her rouge-dusted lips and straightened her posture. "You must know something of the mysterious gentleman of whom the Princess has been swept up by."

"Unfortunately, I know not what you mean," Beth responded coolly without missing a beat.

"Mysterious gentleman? Have you been reading William Shakespeare?" Clara asked with a laugh.

"I would not dare read such fiction. My father despises his work," Victoria said, scoffing.

"And you must do as your father commands, after all," Beth muttered softly.

Although Beth's words were quiet, Victoria heard them clearly. She stood up from her seat, slammed her book shut, and strutted over to Beth, narrowing her eyes as she looked down at her. "You are hiding something, Lady Beth, but I will find out in due time. Don't you worry."

"You were hired to serve the Princess in a short time and without much consideration," Beth replied with a calm disposition. "Remember that you can be dismissed and replaced just as easily."

———

Felipe could hardly focus. His eyes skimmed the words on the documents strewn across his desk, but his brain did not receive the contents. Sighing in frustration, he pushed himself up from his chair and walked through the threshold to his presence chamber. He pulled the doors open and glanced around the empty corridor.

"I sent word to Mistress Sofia, asking her to join me for luncheon," he explained to one of the guards posted at his door. "Would you please go to her chambers and see what is taking her so bloody long? I need to speak with her immediately." His conscience was heavy ever since their argument in the early morning, preventing him from getting any work done.

The guard nodded, bowed, and headed for Sofia's chambers. Felipe stepped backward, returning to the presence chamber and closing the doors behind him. He poured himself a glass of wine and plopped down in a chair by the fire, waiting patiently for the courtesan to arrive. After what seemed like an eternity, there was a knock at the door. He leapt to his feet, prepared to be greeted by her beautiful face, but as the doors were pulled open, the gruff guard was standing in the threshold. His skin looked to be drained of all color, his cheeks pale and hands gripped together behind his back to mask the tremor he had acquired.