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“Is that the answer to my question?” her mother responded in like manner. “Where are you going?”
“To the only place I am still allowed to go to, Mother. Where else?” she finally responded in exasperation, turning to face her mother.
There was a brief silence between them in which she hoped her mother was going to turn around and walk away. Her hope was misplaced.
“You can’t leave this house today,” her mother finally said.
“And why is that, Mother? First, I can’t go anywhere besides my betrothed’s manor. Now I can’t leave the house, either?” she protested.
“Even though you choose to think the worst of me, I am only interested in your safety and wellbeing. I don’t like the news that is coming out of town. You can’t go anywhere today and that is all I am going to say on this matter,” Lady Somerholm stated with authority.
News coming out of town. Really?
Rose opened her mouth to continue protesting but decided to stay silent. Another thought had already sprung up in her mind. She was going to let her mother have her say. When her mother left, she was going to seek out an audience with her father. She would tell him simply that she was off to Lord Rockgonie’s manor without mentioning her conversation with her mother.
Nothing and no one can stop me from seeing Kenneth today.
When she got back, any inquiry from her mother would be answered with,Father said I could go. If that wasn’t enough, she would deal with the situation as it unfolded.
“Well, I came in here to talk with my daughter. But you have gone and spoiled the mood, as usual,” her mother said.
Her mother’s attempt at an emotional manipulation fell on deaf ears. Rose was already set on her path and her mother was just wasting her time as far as she was concerned. Still, she stayed silent.
Lady Somerholm must have eventually gotten the message.
“I’ll take my leave now. I’ll see you at breakfast,” her mother said as she turned toward the door.
“If it’s all the same to you, Mother, I’d rather not come down to breakfast. I have suddenly lost my appetite,” she responded finally.
There was a pause in Lady Somerholm’s steps before she continued walking toward the door. At the door, she turned to look at Rose one last time before walking out of the room.
“Shall we get back to our preparations, then?” she said to Elsa.
A glance at her lady’s maid and she could tell Elsa was confused.
“My Lady?” Elsa asked.
“I am going ahead with my plan to head to Lord Rockgonie’s manor, Elsa,” she clarified.
“But Lady Somerholm—”
“Lady Somerholm will have to deal with it till I get back,” Rose said, cutting Elsa off mid-sentence.
She was disappointed when Elsa remained rooted to the spot instead of coming to stand by her side and help her.
“You disagree?” she asked, already feeling her anger rising.
Elsa, of all people, should have known what was at stake. If she missed this opportunity to meet Kenneth, she didn’t know how soon another arrangement could be made.
“I do not disagree, My Lady. You know I will gladly follow you in whatever decision you make,” Elsa said. “However, I think you should consider what Lady Somerholm has said and stay home, My Lady. There is a reason why.”
“Stay home?” Rose could hear the heat in her own voice.
“Yes, My Lady.”
“And what happens to my appointment with the Marquess? What happens when he gets to Lord Rockgonie’s manor and I am not there? What happens when I try to initiate another meeting with him after disappointing him this time around by not showing up? I do not care what my mother said, Elsa. I am going to see Lord Walsrock,” Rose protested.
“My Lady, this isn’t about your mother stopping you from meeting Lord Walsrock. It is so much more than that. This is about your safety,” Elsa pleaded, causing Rose to take some of the edge out of her face and voice.
