Chapter 7
"Why do you love him?"
Elizabeth positioned herself close to the nearest entrance when those words were asked, moving the curtain blinds to the side for the sunlight to pass through the glass windows. Watching it be absorbed by the clay coated walls that passed through the room, leaving nothing but coolness in the room for everyone present. The butler had brought out the mistress' supplies from her study room, as she had requested it.
Katherine paused, her brown eyes looked down on her plate before it was taken away by the maids, cleaning up the table after the meal had been served and washed. Wires hidden inside the walls, like the ones in the royal palace, except the iron wires were woven inside of the building through the pillars. The wires in the wall had transferred the heat to iron fans, shielded by woven nets that left only small holes. The heat gathering moving in them, giving the blades enough momentum to move in a circular motion, creating cool air in every room, as the blades moved in their fixed spots. Keeping everyone cool indoors, having no need for handheld fans in the process like their ancestors to thrive on their land.
"Well, I am waiting."
"He is smart…" She smiled softly, remembering how he picked her dress and taught her how to walk, dress and posture herself to blend in and be accepted by the nobles. How he spoke in such confidence that showed no traces of fear and eagerness to fight for himself and others if he believed they were right.
If Margaret had been holding a drink, she would have choked on it and continued laughing without stopping, even if it gained her more verbal and gesture-based scolding for her actions. She did refrain from doing so, even while Katheine's dreamy smile dropped after remembering Margaret was still technically engaged to Leonard as the engagement hadn't been fully dissolved for her to put on moves on a claimed man, even if his betrothed didn't seem to care anymore. Yet it didn't stop her from speaking up more on Leonard in a soft tone.
'Smart, sure.' She didn't stop the brunette, listening to it while sipping her cold tea while Katherine stood in front of her and continued speaking. Not catching up on what Margaret was thinking, not truly understanding or knowing her enough. Since she had clearly mistaken a lot of things with her from the day they met.
'She isn't mad. But isn't this why she wanted to be engaged to Sir Leonard?' Katherine thought. Looking down at the tiled ground, everything in the mansion was ceramic, metal or glass. The fans continued to cool her off, not sweating either. A rare luxury she didn't know existed despite being taken to the palace by Leonard in the open.
Elizabeth didn't speak, still fully present and hearing everything. Showing no shift in mood at all but in her mind. 'True and debatable depending on what area you pick,' She thought. Not calling him dumb but she could say he wasn't fully rounded in terms of smartness.
"He has done a lot for the kingdom."
An awkward silence filled the room. Elizabeth turned her head in Margaret's position, seating on the cream cushioned chairs in the living area. Her notebook opened and writing everything Katherine spoke off. Placing her hand in ink, made from thickened dye and oil and water for thickness. The ink was filled with a new container from her stationery stock.
"Did he tell you or did you see it?" Margaret asked, deeply interested in knowing how deep this rabbit hole he dug. It was better to prepare first before she would be called upon by the King and Queen to give a report on their son's antics.
"He told me."
Margaret smiled deeply at that, clearly amused while Katherine still hadn't understood why she asked that. The black-haired woman only glanced up and blinked softly, questioning how much this man had tried to take credit for her mistress' work, while he sat down and did nothing but enjoy the fruits of being born as the first child of the reigning royal family.
"Allowing commoners like me to have mentorships under noble scholars to give us the education to serve in noble households."
So that not only nobles could have the opportunity to work in high roles in nobility, as aides and advisors. There was nothing wrong being a maid or another female cook. But not every commoner was aiming for that as a job to live in bigger homes that kept them cool indoors. Katherine wanted something more than that, especially with her merchant father asking her to dream and earn something big.
"He also mentioned he was responsible for letting people like me to talk to people of his status with ease."
While she was lost in thought and the red hair was hearing everything that Leonard told her, Margaret gestured at Elizabeth to be positioned by the window mirrors. Despite the intensity of the sunlight handled, the reflective surface shone light either way. The window frame behind her reflected on the window around the room, specifically on Margaret's book with the pen.
Unaware that the heat from the light was used to record and paint an image of Katherine against its pages, cover by cover with her exact image reflected on its surface with the ink moving and folding to paint it with color and words of the conversation for her to document and report to the King and Queen when her schedule was free.
"That's what really worn my heart."
She smiled at herself before it turned sheepish when remembering that she was in front of an audience that had been listening and very interested in these matters.
"How do I tell you this, Miss Peyton?" She sighed, while the redhead grinned. Ready to deliver the news to her about her misconceptions. The brunette looked confused when the lady spoke up.
"Tell me what-"
"That you aren't in love with him, but me. Since I did everything he claimed to do."
Margaret gave her no room to prepare her, dropping it in her arms and leaving. When Katherine stood all alone in the room with the guards on standby, while realizing that all his efforts were Margaret's. All Katherine saw was pure amusement in Margaret's eyes when she left for her study room, not to be seen again.
"You will be escorted back to your home. I have heard what I needed to hear."
Did that mean she was in love with Leonard claiming Margaret's actions and work as his?