The Duchess and I

Chapter II: The opera

I nod my assent reluctantly and follow my mother to the study room, where my former lover is already drinking a cup of tea. She is so British, she makes me smile despite the reluctance at seeing her. As she notices me, she rises and curtsies. I raise my eyebrow. I should be the one first curtsying, since I am just a Viscount's daughter and she is the daughter of a Duke. I quickly follow her example though, before my mother lectures me again on my indecent behavior.

'Princess, what an honour to see you this early in the morning after speaking with you only yesterday,' I say, while we sit down and Mrs. Green offers me some tea as well. 'To what do I owe the pleasure?'

My mother notices the bitter tone in my voice and subtly kicks my shin warningly. The corner of my former lover's mouth turns into a crooked smile. 'The pleasure is all mine.'

'Surely, you have better things to do than to drink tea with your sister-in-law?'

This time I see my mothers heels coming my way and I quickly cross my legs, so she cannot kick me again. The Princess looks at me amused and says: 'I came by to talk things over with your mother regarding the wedding location.'

'Hardly something you need me for, since maman is the best wedding planner there is.' I slowly take a sip of tea ignoring my mother's mad glances in my direction. As soon as Christina is gone, there's going to be Hell to pay.

'That's true. Your mother is quite capable of organizing this wedding. I don't know what I would do without her help.' She gives my mother a grateful nod of her head. 'In fact it was your mother who brought to my attention that I haven't chosen a maid of honour thus far.'

She flashes me a naughty grin, when I choke in my tea. My mother shakes her head, while patting my back as I am coughing loudly. 'Elizabeth, really,' she says unbelievingly. 'Act normal, please. The Princess is giving you the honour of being the second most important person on her wedding day.'

'And what an honour it is,' I cough. I can't scarcely believe what I am hearing.Christina knows the hurt she's causing me by marrying my brother and now she wants me to actively participate in my defeat? To actively give away the love of my life to another and actually be happy about it? How can she be so cruel?

'So, you will be my maid of honour then?' The enthusiasm in her eyes is sincere and that makes this even worse. She apparently has no idea of how her request hurts me. Although every fiber of my body screams I must resist her request at once, I cannot do so in front of my maman. It is extremely rude to turn a Princess down as she well knows. That's why she has asked me in front of my mother, because I give in to social pressure easily. So, I reluctantly accept her offer hating myself for the hurt this will definitely cause me.

But on the other hand my heart still secretly jumps at the idea of spending more time with her despite how hard this will be on me. As a maid of honour we don't have to be apart for days, since I will be included in all of the wedding plans and taken into decisions constantly. Perhaps this is my chance to find my way back to her heart or to get back mine from her. Maybe this is not such a bad idea at all, now that I come to think about it.

Since my mother can't kick me anymore she pinches my upper arm warningly. 'This is such a nice offer from the Princess, dear. And you haven't gotten a maid of honour either.'

'I was about to ask Mary-Ann Mornington, since we have been friends for such a long time,' I quickly say, because I know where this is leading to. The Princess hides her smile by taking another sip of her lemon tea.

'Yes, but the Princess is in this short while a better friend than Mary-Ann ever was. And you want your most trusted friend with you at the altar. Trust me.'