Jelena carefully lifted the necklace free and held it in her hands as if it were made of the most precious of sapphires. In truth, the beads were fashioned of blue Kara glass; although not as costly as sapphires, still, a servant like Claudia would never have been able to afford such a piece of jewelry.
Claudia must have seen the question in Jelena’s eyes. “This was a gift, given t’ me by the late Duchess Julia, may the gods bless an’ keep her soul. As good an’ kind a mistress as anyone could want, she was. She gave me this necklace as a token of her thanks, after I seen her through the birthing of young Lord Magnes. Ay, what a hard birth that was! The poor duchess suffered the pains of Hell, she did, but it was worth it, for she gave your uncle his Heir. Now, turn ‘round an’ I’ll fasten it on.”
With the necklace now encircling her neck, there remained one last task to be completed before Jelena could make her way to the great hall for the feast.
After a great deal of vigorous brushing and the judicious application of almond oil, Jelena’s hair was subdued enough to allow Claudia to place the silver circlet upon her foster daughter’s head and adjust it so that it sat correctly. She then clapped her hands together and let out a great sigh.
“ Well, girl, off you go now.”
Jelena threw her arms around her foster mother and laid her head on Claudia’s shoulder. She could feel Claudia’s love enfold her like a warm, comforting blanket, and her own intense feelings momentarily threatened to overwhelm her.
Claudia held her close, clucking softly like an old contented hen. “You don’t want to be late, my lamb. Won’t do, keepin’ the family waitin’.”
“ No, it won’t,” Jelena agreed. She laughed and wiped the unshed tears from her eyes. “I guess I’m just a little nervous. After all, I’ve never been allowed to eat with the nobles before. I’ll have to be especially careful not to let them see that I’m really just a kitchen maid.”
Claudia shook her head. “There’ll be none in that room who’ll mistake you for anythin’ but what you are…a true Preseren.”
“ Don’t wait up!” Jelena said airily as she swept through the door. She didn’t want Claudia to see how scared she really was.
The wooden stairs squeaked like indignant mice as Jelena made her way down, mindful of the full skirt, which she had partially gathered up in her hands. The rustling of the silks seemed preternaturally loud in the close, narrow stairwell. She reached the bottom landing and pushed open the door leading to the yard.
Twilight had fallen, but the yard glowed with the light of lanterns and torches. The public feast was in full swing.
Jelena paused for a moment to take in the scene, a riotous conglomeration of colors, noise, and aromas.
The common folk of the district looked forward all winter to the Sansa public feast held on the castle grounds, and it seemed to Jelena that the whole lot of them had come here tonight, dressed in their holiday finery. Servants scurried back and forth from the kitchen, bearing great platters of steaming roast beef and pork. There were heaps of meat pies, baskets of bread, boiled turnips, onions, and carrots, wheels of hard, brown cheese, red and yellow apples, and, to slake the crowds’ insatiable thirst, endless flagons of beer and famous Amsara hard cider.
Children and dogs were everywhere, rolling underfoot and chasing each other with wild abandon. Jelena recognized the words and melodies to several different and equally lewd drinking songs, all of which added to the general cacophony.
She had no trouble slipping by in the shadows, unnoticed, and she reached the doorway to the great hall without incident. The heavy oak double doors stood open and light from the many lamps within formed a golden pool upon the paving stones without. Jelena paused, just outside of the circle of light, and gazed inward.
Claudia’s words echoed softly in Jelena’s mind. With shaking hands she pulled at the borrowed gown, then checked one last time to make sure that her ears were hidden. Drawing in a lungful of the scent-charged air, she stepped into the doorway.
Chapter 4
At first glance, the scene within the great hall seemed not much different from that of the yard. Jelena saw trestle tables and benches full of eating, drinking people; however, they were fewer in number and much more richly dressed than those outside. Torches burning in sconces affixed to the support posts illuminated the high- ceilinged chamber, and dozens of beeswax tapers in candelabra lit each table. The aroma of the burning candles added a sweet note to the mingled smells of roasted meat, beer, wine, and wood smoke that filled the air. Heraldic banners hung suspended from the heavy ceiling beams, and a series of faded tapestries depicting bucolic hunting scenes decorated the walls.
At the far end of the hall, a proper table and chairs stood upon a raised platform. At the high table sat her uncle. Beside him on his right sat another man whom Jelena had never seen before. She assumed that he must be someone very important to her uncle. Next to this special guest sat Thessalina, looking like she’d just smelled something extremely distasteful. Magnes was seated to his father’s left, and next to him sat a young girl with pale blonde hair, dressed in dusky rose.
The man Magnes had identified up on the battlements earlier that day as Duke Sebastianus Lucien occupied a chair one place beyond the blonde girl. There were several other men and women seated at Duke Teodorus’s table, all of whom had to be persons of high rank to merit such an honor.
Feeling a little like a rabbit walking into a den of foxes, Jelena stepped through the door, gathered up her skirts, and began walking down the center aisle towards the high table. The rushes strewn over the flagstones beneath her borrowed slippers made a crunching noise as she walked. At first, no one seemed to notice, but as she drew closer, the buzz of conversation trailed off into a charged silence. Her uncle sat coolly, regarding her over the edge of his wine goblet. Thessalina stared, expressionless. Jelena faltered for a moment, then stopped, poised on the knife-edge of panic.
Magnes must have sensed her fear; his instinct to protect her galvanized him into action. “Cousin! You’re here at last. Come and join us,” he said. His words were spoken at normal volume, yet they seemed to ring out like a trumpet call in the tense stillness of the hall, bolstering Jelena’s failing courage.
“ Uncle,” she murmured, dropping into a deep curtsy.
She heard a sharp little giggle as she rose and saw the blonde girl raise a pale hand to her mouth, her blue eyes fastened on Jelena and twinkling with amusement. Magnes glanced at her and frowned.
“ Yes, yes,” Duke Teodorus growled, beckoning to her with a curt wave of his hand. “Come on up here and sit down, so we can get back to the food. Magnes, help her.”
Magnes was by her side almost before the duke had finished speaking. He placed her hand in the fold of his elbow and led her up onto the dais and to the empty chair next to Duke Sebastianus. He made a great show of pulling it out for her, as if by demonstrating his commitment to her, he could turn the tide of prejudice.
The guests turned their attentions back to their food and conversation. A small musical ensemble, which had fallen silent at Jelena’s entrance, once again took up their instruments, and soon the room filled with the sounds of music and feasting.
Jelena was acutely aware of the many pairs of eyes that watched her, some surreptitiously, others openly. She quickly scanned the faces of the crowd, and saw expressions ranging from mild curiosity to frank disgust. There could be no hiding who or what she was, not in this place. She had never in her life felt so naked, so utterly and completely exposed.
