Page 44 of Eloping With The Princess
“Certainly that cannot be,” Candace said. “You are a princess.”
“Who was raised an orphan,” Isabel said with a shrug.
“But you attended school, did you not?” Whitney asked.
“Do you prefer to be called Lady Ellis or Princess Isabel?” Eleanor asked as if she sensed where Whitney was trying to go and wanted to steer the conversation away from it. “I’ve never met royalty before, so I admit that my manners are probably lacking.”
The other two women had the graciousness to look ashamed. They nodded and agreed with Eleanor.
“Lady Ellis is perfect.” She was, in fact, Lady Ellis in every sense of the word save one. “Or simply Isabel would suffice. I admit to not being terribly formal.” While she appreciated Lady Eleanor’s attempt to help her, Isabel couldn’t allow the woman to defend her. She suspected all boarding schools had their share of bullies, and St. Bart’s had been no different. If Isabel let them, Candace and Whitney would walk all over her.“Perhaps it was growing up in a boarding school.”
“Ah yes, your school, it was St. Bartholomew’s, was it not?” Whitney asked.
“But what is it that it is more affectionately known as?” Candace asked.
“St. Bart’s,” Eleanor provided through tight teeth.
“I believe they are referring to the less than flattering moniker, St. Bastards, are you not?” Isabel asked, not missing a beat.
Candace nodded, not even bothering to blush.
“Candace, that is a wretched thing to say,” Lady Prentiss said.
“I didn’t say it, the princess did,” Candace said.
“Indeed. I did say it,” Isabel said, feeling braver. “I find it much better to say things outright, rather than to imply them.” She looked at both Candace and Whitney.“Don’t you?”
The women held her gaze for only a moment before shifting their gazes down to their cups nervously.
Isabel took a slow sip of her tea.“No doubt my education at St. Bart’s left me poorly prepared for the life of a princess. It did, however, excel in one area.”
“Really?” asked Eleanor.“And what was that?”
“It taught me how to deal with bullies.” Isabel ignored the faint gasp from Candace while she calmly slathered cream onto a biscuit.“I’ve found that bullies of all kinds must be met directly, and without intimidation, especially the ones who act at first as though they want to be your friend, and then they mock you.” With that she set her knife down, brought the biscuit to her mouth, and bit into it with an exaggerated show of her teeth.
Eleanor’s lips twitched for an instant before she smiled warmly at Isabel. And her own spine seemed to straighten just a little as she sent Ladies Candace and Whitney a sideways glance. After that, they were much more polite—as well as more subdued—allowing Eleanor and Isabel to guide the conversation.
After the women had left, Isabel considered going upstairs and ringing for a bath. The scullery maid stepped in to clear the trays. “Do you suppose it would be too rude to deny their visits in the future?” Isabel asked.
The maid looked around the room, then pointed to herself. “Are you speaking to me, my lady?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I would not know the proper response to such a situation, but I certainly wouldn’t want them to visit again. They were positively wretched.” She looked around the room again. “I shouldn’t have said that, though. Please forgive me, my lady.”
Isabel smiled at the girl, who was most likely about the same age as herself. “What is your name?”
“Katie, my lady.” She bobbed in a curtsy.
“Well, Katie, I completely agree and couldn’t have said it better myself.” Isabel came to her feet. She felt rather proud of how she’d handled the situation. “Of course, Lady Eleanor was rather pleasant, I believe, but she has caught herself up with those other ladies who are most unkind.” She bent to gather more of the dishes, but Katie jumped to the task, so Isabel stepped back. She briefly wondered what Jason would think of how she’d managed the women and their goading.
Katie said nothing else about the matter while she cleaned up the tea and cakes, readying the tray to remove it.
“That will be all,” Jason said from the door.
Katie curtsied and quickly left the room, tray in tow.
He stepped out of the maid’s way as she exited. “It is not customary to befriend the servants, Isabel,” he said gently.
