Chapter 19: Not So Hard to Borrow

A maid could handle a request from a young Lady, and even a young Lady herself, but the Grand Matron's steward, coming with a gift? The Grand Matron was the head of the house, and who would dare to defy her?

What should I do? Glynnis held the box steadily. "My Lady is not here, so I cannot make a decision for her. When she returns, Mistress Alder, you can come and ask again."

Lady Elara's room was closed to outsiders. When she returned, no one would be able to even enter the courtyard. There would be no chance to see her. A clever young maid, knowing this, had just blocked the path of a seasoned woman.

Mistress Alder's face, round and full of smiles, was now a mask of veiled impatience. "The Lady will not return until later, and it would be inconvenient to disturb her. I will take it now, and when the Lady returns, I will wait at the gate to explain."

An old maid who had worked her way up to a steward would not be stopped by a mere girl. She took a step forward, and the three maids behind her readied themselves to rush forward. Glynnis, however, was light and agile. She turned, darted through the gate, and slammed the door shut. The bolt clicked into place, not once but twice.

Mistress Alder's foot had barely touched the ground when the door was closed. Her face was now a tight mask. "Glynnis!"

The anger in her voice, muffled by the door, did not frighten Glynnis. "Unless my Lady gives her permission, no one is to take her things from this room."

Outside the gate, the other maids and servants of the household had gathered, eager to see how this would play out. To be shut out like this was a great loss of face for Mistress Alder and, by extension, the Grand Matron. Mistress Alder took a deep breath, her voice softening. "I'm not taking it, I'm borrowing it. We will return it in three days."

Through the door, Glynnis's voice was firm. "No. No one can borrow anything without my Lady's consent." If she let Mistress Alder take the necklace, Lady Elara's home would be considered an open house, a place where anyone could come and take what they pleased.

Mistress Alder sighed in mock exasperation. "Lady Gwynn must leave early tomorrow. Lady Elara is not here. When she returns, I will come and speak with her."

"What would you like to speak with me about?"

The voice did not come from behind the door, but from behind Mistress Alder. She instinctively turned, a look of shock on her face. A figure in a black cloak, holding a black umbrella, stood behind the crowd of onlookers. A young servant stood beside her, and behind him was a carriage.

Lady Elara had returned.

Like a hawk swooping down on a flock of chickens, the onlookers shrieked and scattered. Some stumbled over their own feet, others tripped over their robes, and the maids and servants who had been standing with Mistress Alder ran in every direction. Mistress Alder stood alone in the middle of the courtyard, like a crane in a flock of chickens.

After her accident, Lady Elara had not left her room. These past few days, her carriage had gone from her courtyard directly to the road outside the manor. And every time, Glynnis would chase away any onlookers. This was the first time many of them had seen the Lady since her accident, and a strange fear gripped them.

This was also the first time Elara had seen so many people. She walked towards the gate, her umbrella still held low, her servant, Master Bramwell, following her with a steady gaze. The bolt on the door clicked, and Glynnis stepped out. "My Lady!" she cried, bringing a startled Mistress Alder back to reality.

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"My Lady," Mistress Alder said, curtsying. She looked up at the figure standing before her. The black umbrella was held low, a hood shadowing her face. A bandage was wrapped around her chin, and Mistress Alder lowered her eyes, not daring to look directly at her.

"You were looking for me?" Elara asked.

Glynnis stood by her side, holding the box, watching Mistress Alder without a word. Mistress Alder regained her composure and repeated her request.

"Lady Gwynn needs it for a trip and is in a rush," she added apologetically. "I hope My Lady will understand."

Elara said, "The necklace? Take it."

"Yes, My Lady, the necklace…" Mistress Alder stammered, then realized what she had said. She agreed?

Elara walked past her and up the stairs. Mistress Alder followed her, "My Lady!" she called out.

Elara stopped. "Is there something else you want?"

The word "want" made Mistress Alder's heart skip a beat. She forced a smile. "No, nothing else. Thank you, My Lady!" She pointed to the box Glynnis held. "The Grand Matron said these are jewels she wore when she was young. They are most suited for a Lady of your age."

Elara nodded and said, "Thank you," before stepping into her home. Glynnis stood at the door, her expression placid, as if nothing had happened. "Mistress Alder, please wait here. I will go and get it for you."

Three hundred pearls, each a perfect match, were strung together to form a long necklace that wrapped around her neck three times. The pearls, placed on a simple yellow dress, did not disappear but gleamed with a brilliant light that made Lady Gwynn glow. Two maids held up a large bronze mirror, and Gwynn smiled sweetly at the beautiful girl in the reflection. "Lady Gwynn is so beautiful," the surrounding maids praised in unison.

Gwynn turned shyly and looked at the bed. "Grandmother," she said in a soft voice.

The Grand Matron's face was stern. "Are you satisfied?"

Gwynn, unafraid of her anger, ran over and hugged her arm. "Yes, I am!" she said, giggling.

The Grand Matron pulled away. "Don't wiggle on me."

Gwynn wiggled more. The Grand Matron, annoyed but amused, said, "Alright, alright, go and pack your things and go to sleep. You have to get up early tomorrow, and I don't want you to look tired and embarrassed."

Gwynn sat on the bed. "I want to sleep with Grandmother."

The Grand Matron scoffed. "You are thirteen years old. Aren't you ashamed to sleep with me?"

"I'll be your granddaughter even when I'm one hundred and thirty," Gwynn said, snuggling against her.

The maids and servants laughed, and the Grand Matron could not help but smile. She looked at the woman standing to the side. "You have raised a fine daughter," she said to Lady Wang.

Lady Wang looked ashamed. "Your humble daughter-in-law has not taught her well. Thank you, Mother," she said.

The Grand Matron looked at the necklace. "You should thank the Lady," she said.

Lady Wang nodded gratefully. "Yes, your humble daughter-in-law will go and thank her in person."

The Grand Matron poked Gwynn's forehead. "And you! When you go to your grandmother's house and receive nice gifts, you must remember to save some for your sister, the Lady."

Gwynn obediently nodded. The Grand Matron did not let Gwynn stay the night, and Lady Wang also had many things to do, so they both left.

Lady Serena came over to Gwynn and reached out to touch the necklace. "Let me see." Gwynn puffed out her chest and let her look. "This is even better than your old one," Serena said, sounding like an expert.

Gwynn was unhappy to hear that her own was not as good as the one she had borrowed. But it was a good feeling that someone else's good necklace was now hers. Clarice, who did not care for jewelry, had a different thought. "I can't believe Grandmother went and borrowed the necklace for you."

Not only did she not blame Lady Gwynn for her maid's insolence, she went out of her way to get the necklace for her. Gwynn said, "Grandmother loves me. It's not a big deal. It's just a necklace, and she doesn't need it right now." The last part of the sentence was laced with a venomous tone.

Serena understood and laughed. "So many people saw the Lady today. She was so heavily wrapped up and covered by an umbrella. She looked so scary."

Clarice was not as childish. "She was scary before, and there's nothing to laugh about now." Before, Lady Elara had been a goddess, and people had been afraid to look directly at her.

Gwynn understood what she meant. She touched the smooth, lustrous pearls and smiled. "I told you. Now, the Lady is just like us." This had been her test, and the results had been just as she expected.