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Later, she went down to tea. And then to dinner. She talked, she laughed, she told a story or two about her time in Wesloria. One about losing her dog Bess in the crowd. Another about a play she and Justine staged when they were young girls, and that, of course, inspired the Iddesleigh girls to throw together a play for the adults at the last moment that made no sense to anyone.
All the while, she kept looking out the window to the drive. She kept waiting for him to come. Did he have nothing to say to her? Could he not bring himself to say goodbye? She would be on a train Thursday, leaving Devonshire. Possibly forever.
The next day, she remained in her rooms for breakfast, unwilling or unable to abide the girl’s cheerful faces. But she dressed to walk them to school for the last time. They were waiting for her, practically bouncing around the foyer. Maren took her hand as they started out. “We have a surprise today.”
“I love surprises,” Amelia said.
“You’re sworn not to tell!” Mathilda scolded her sister. “I’m telling Mr. Roberts.”
“I forgot!” Maren shouted at her.
Amelia already knew the surprise—the girls had been practicing a song the last few days, and she suspected it was for her.
On the road to the school, they walked past Hollyfield. Amelia couldn’t help but look at it. She wasn’t certain, but it looked to her as if many of the windows had been cleaned and opened. And there were four chimneys smoking this morning.
Her eyes began to water.
“Are you crying?” Maisie asked.
“No. The wind has stung my eyes.”
The girls looked at each other. Probably because there was no wind. It was a perfect summer morning.
When they reached the school, Mathilda stopped several feet from the door. “You’re to wait here.”
“Am I?” Amelia asked.
“Mr. Roberts will come when we’re ready for the surprise.”
“Don’t tell her!” Maisie shouted.
“I didn’t!” Mathilda insisted, and in the three girls went, bouncing off each other.
Amelia could hear quite a lot of commotion inside the school. Anne Waverly arrived late and darted past Amelia into the school. After a few minutes, it sounded as if they girls were moving into the back garden. There was a lot of giggling and girls telling girls to hush. Eventually, Mr. Roberts came out, perspiring, but his face was beaming. “You’ve heard the news?” he asked excitedly.
“About the abbey?”
He laughed. “Isn’t it wonderful? He held out his hand. She slipped her hand into his. “Miss Ivanosen, or, Your Royal Highness, as Lady Mathilda has informed me, I can’t thank you enough for your help. You will be dearly missed. The girls have prepared a surprise to see you off.”
“Oh.” She smiled tremulously. The damn tears were threatening to fill her eyes again.
“Would you like to see the surprise?”
“I can hardly wait.”
“I must ask you to close your eyes. I’ll lead you.”
She closed her eyes and put a hand over them. Mr. Roberts guided her into the school, down the narrow hallway, and into the back garden. Amelia could sense the girls gathered around, could hear them giggling and moving.
“All right. Open your eyes.”
Amelia opened her eyes. The girls yelled, “Surprise!”
The back garden was filled with flowers. Dozens and dozens of beautiful flowers. Amelia stared at the sight, her mouth agape. “How did you...?”
“We had an accomplice,” Mr. Roberts said.
He pointed. She looked to her right, and her heart climbed into her throat. Joshua had come. He was standing in the middle of all those girls. One of them held his hand. Several of them jumped up and down with excitement. “He’s a duke!” one of them shouted. “You’re to curtsy to a duke!”
