She rang for a bath.
A few minutes later, she let in two housemaids and two footmen carrying buckets of hot water.
“I am to assist you in your toilette this morning, m’lady.” The chambermaid named Becky curtsied to her.
“Where is Sally?”
“She is involved in Lady Chastity’s preparation, m’lady.”
“Oh, yes of course.” Helena felt extremely dense for asking.
Looking at the prepared bath, Helena decided quickly.
“I think I shall be able to manage the bath by myself, Becky.” She smiled at the servant. “Thank you, I shall call for you when I am done, and then we can proceed with the rest of my toilette.”
“As you wish, m’lady.” Becky curtsied again and then went out the door.
Once alone, Helena undressed and stepped into the steaming tub of water. She sat still until her skin adjusted to the warmth of the water. She lay back against the tub, soaking in the soothing feeling of the water. Inhaling deeply, she realized that she smelled roses—it was rosewater that she was soaking in.
And roses, of course, reminded her of Matteo.
“Brilliant,” she muttered to herself.
Helena gritted her teeth and tried to regain the relaxed feeling that had been within her grasp just mere moments ago.
When Helena finished with her bath, she rang for Becky. In her dressing robes, she found that the bath had indeed helped; she was feeling calmer than when she woke up at least.
All of them were to have breakfast in their own chambers, which had been decided upon last night. And so, Helena ate in the quiet of her own rooms.
While Helena was having her morning meal, the maid proceeded to prepare her attire. She laid the peach gown that Helena was to wear on her bed and readied her other accessories.
“I am ready, Becky,” Helena said. “Please ring for the breakfast things to be taken away.”
“Aye, m’lady.”
“Thank you.”
Helena rose and went behind the screen to start getting dressed, when an alarmed cry from Becky had her looking from behind the screen.
“What is it , Becky? What has happened?”
“Oh, m’lady!” the maid cried. “I am very sorry!”
Becky, who had been in the act of bringing Helena’s gown to her, had accidentally bumped against the table where the remains of Helena’s breakfast were. The results were splashes of black tea and spots of raspberry jam on the front of Helena’s gown.
The maid was consistent in her apologies; she looked visibly shaken.
“Becky, it is quite all right,” Helena reassured her. “Please do not overburden yourself. It is just a gown.”
“Oh, m’lady, this gown is probably worth five months’ wages, maybe more?—”
“Becky.” Helena stopped her ramblings. Then, in a softer voice, she continued. “It can be cleaned, please do not think any more of it.”
“Oh, m’lady, you are too kind. I shall soak it at once, and then I shall be back to attend to you. Thank you, m’lady.”
Becky curtsied three more times before she left. Chuckling, Helena shook her head and went to her armoire. She opened it to scan which gown she could wear in place of the spoiled one.
There were but three gowns hanging inside her armoire. Frowning, Helena wondered where most of her gowns had gone. She debated whether to call for Sally but decided that her small emergency did not warrant the disruption of Chastity’s preparations.
