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“W-who are you?” she asked the straight-backed, brunette woman with hazel eyes standing in the doorway.
A graceful eyebrow quirked and the woman gave her a look she remembered well, even through the space of too many years. “You know who I am, Jacqui.”
It was the singsong way she said her name that nobody had ever duplicated ever since she left. All the feeling left her legs and she flopped downward, luckily onto a chair.
“W-what are…?” her lips trembled, her hands shook, and there was a lump in her throat.
The woman stepped gracefully into the room, closing the door behind her. She inclined her head to the side as she was wont to do when unsure of anything. “Did you not send for me?”
“I…” Letty had no words. Clumsily, she stood up, stumbling a bit as she stepped towards the woman, arms extended.
“M-maman!” she whispered just before collapsing in her mother’s arms.
Rosamund gathered her daughter close, holding her tight. “Oh Jacqui, what have you got yourself into?”
Letty pulled back, her brow furrowed, “What do you mean?”
Rosamund sighed, and gave her a look. “You know what I mean, Jacqui. Is this man not your enemy? How do you come to be marrying him? Is it blackmail?”
Letty laughed in surprise. “What? Who? Bertram? Of course he isn’t blackmailing me. Don’t be ridiculous,Maman.”
Her mother gave her a keen glance. “You love him.”
“Of course I do. Why else would I marry him?”
Rosamund sighed. “If you can think of no other reason, you are indeed one of the lucky ones. Now this…Bertram…he feels the same for you?”
Letty felt a lump form in her throat at the concern in her mother’s voice. “Yes, he does,Maman.”
Rosamund nodded. “Very good. I am happy that you found a man who will cherish you the way you deserve.”
Letty frowned. “Maman…I don’t want you to misunderstand me. I have long dreamed of finding you but…why now? Why do you show concern for my welfarenow?”
Rosamund’s eyes slid away from her.
“How did you know where to find me,Maman?” Letty’s voice was suddenly sharp.
Rosamund sighed. “Thechevalier…he found me.”
“Chevalier? You meanMonsieurPelletier sent you?”
Her mother whirled around to face her, her eyes earnest. “He found me, but nobody sent me here. I wanted to be here.”
“All right, I believe you…but—”
Her mother shook her head sharply, putting a finger to her lips. Letty’s eyes widened in fear and anticipation.
“What?” she whispered.
Rosamund leaned in, to kiss her cheek and whispered in her ear. “Spies. Everywhere. Best we don’t talk about these things now. Later. After your wedding.”
Letty blinked at her mother a few times, clutching her sleeves tightly. Rosamund reached for her fingers, detaching them from the light blue silk of her sleeves and pinned a smile on her face. “You look lovely.” She looked Letty up and down, taking in her light green silk gown that brought out her gray eyes, the string of pearls at her throat, and the pearl earbobs she was wearing. She had her hair upswept in a wavy knot and Minnie had arranged forget-me-nots and daffodils into a crown and fixed it atop her veil.
Rosamund’s bottom lip trembled and her eyes shone. “You are so beautiful,” she whispered.
“Thank you,Maman.” Letty swallowed the lump in her throat.
“Well, are you ready? Shall I escort you to the chapel?”
