Lady in Waiting

by Lady Victoria Hervey

  The ground was hard and lumpy beneath me, littered with rocks and solid clumps of earth. But I lay there until my breath came back and my heart rate slowed.

  I forced myself into a sitting position and took stock of my surroundings. There was no indication of how far away I was from the rest of the group. I didn’t know where Shetân was.

  And I was fairly sure my ankle was broken.

  “Freddie! Freddie, can you hear me?” Gabrielle’s voice pierced the air, somehow audible over the gush of the fast-flowing river behind me.

  “Here! I’m here!” I called.

  A moment later Gabrielle and Vicky came into view as they emerged from the forest. Gabrielle jumped from her horse and crouched in front of me.

  “My God, are you all right?”

  I nodded, but winced when I tried to move my ankle. “I think my ankle is broken, but other than that, I’m fine.”

  Gabrielle’s breath left her in a rush. “Gosh, Freddie, you’re lucky to be alive! Did you jump from him?”

  “Yes, I didn’t know if he would stop for the river.”

  “You did the right thing, Freddie,” Vicky said. “And right in the nick of time, I’d say.” She pointed to something behind me.

  I turned around to see what she meant, and saw I was less than a yard from a fierce barbed-wire fence. “I didn’t even see it,” I whispered. Glancing at the other two, I said, “Is there any sign of Shetân?”

  Gabrielle nodded. “We passed him, it’s how we knew to look this way.”

  “When you threw yourself off of him, it must have been enough to get through to him. I bet he turned at the right time and headed back the way he came. He’s slowed down, not as spooked. He’ll be fine, Freddie,” Vicky said. My worry must have been all over my face.

  “Thank God,” I breathed. I wouldn’t be able to stand it if something bad had happened to him. “What about everyone else? Is Paulina okay?”

  Vicky’s face hardened. “Everyone is fine, but as for Paulina, she’s on kitchen duty for a week after that stunt. And banned from horses for the rest of the summer.”

  I winced. “Poor Paulina. You know, she was just reacting to what Amber said.”

  “That’s exactly what Amber said, which is why she will be joining Paulina in the kitchen.”

  Glancing at Gabrielle, I bit my lip to keep from laughing. What a calamity… I wish I had been around to see the look on Amber’s face when she’d been told that little nugget. Though if anyone ever told Amber that Paulina had called her a prostitute, then I doubted the messenger would survive.

  Vicky hooked a hand under my armpit and heaved me to me feet—well, foot—and Gabrielle took my other side. “Come on, we’d best get you back so you can get checked over.”

  They helped me onto Vicky’s horse, and she held the reins as she walked beside it back to the others.

  It was like walking through a battlefield.

  Girls were scattered everywhere in all sorts of positions, hats at awkward angles and clothes ripped from tree branches. Half the horses were missing and the other half were tied to trees.

  We made our way slowly back to camp and it took us twice as long as it had on the way up the mountain. I was rushed to the first-aid centre, then to the small hospital in town where, after an x-ray, they confirmed that I had a hairline fracture on my ankle.

  I was fitted for a cast, given a set of crutches and I was on my way back to camp. Gabrielle had gone with me to the hospital, and helped me into our chalet. The minute I arrived we were all sent to the office where we could make our calls home.

  “Your mother is on the phone, Freddie,” Charlotte said. “She’s been frantic and calling every fifteen minutes.”

  I wasn’t surprised Mummy was worried. We had tried calling the house in Monaco while I’d been waiting to be taken to the hospital, but she hadn’t been home. I’d left a message with Aimee.

  Hobbling into the office, I smiled my thanks and took the receiver from Charlotte. “Hi, Mummy.”

  “Frederica!” Mummy said in a shrill voice. “I’ve been worried sick! Are you all right, darling?”

  A laugh bubbled in my throat. “I’m fine, Mummy, I promise.”

  Mummy let out a long breath. “Good. Are you well enough to travel? I can have a flight arranged for you in the morning.”

  “Mummy, no! I have three weeks left here, I don’t want to go home yet. I’m fine, honest.”

  There was a pause before my mother spoke again. “I don’t think so, Frederica. You’ll be more comfortable at home.”

  I rolled my eyes. “My ankle will feel the same no matter where I am. Besides, it’s just a hairline fracture. It’s not even a real break. And also, how much more damage could I possibly do now that I’m practically immobile?”

  Mummy stifled a laugh. “It’s rather skewed logic, but I understand the thought behind it. Fine, darling, you can stay as long as you promise not to break anything else?”

  A grin spread across my face. “I promise.”

  “Good.” Mummy sighed. “Now, you had best tell me all about this latest adventure of yours.”

  I giggled and told Mummy all about the afternoon—added drama and suspense so it made the story better…but not too much. I didn’t want her to change her mind, after all. And I left out the bit about Paulina calling Amber a prostitute.

  “What a tale!” Mummy cried. “Well, I had best be off, darling. Telephone me if you need anything at all.”

  “Okay, bye, Mummy.”

  “Goodbye, darling.”

  Gabrielle’s eyes were as wide as saucers when I hung up the phone. “Well? Are you being shipped home?”

  “Nope, I’m staying!” I smiled. “Not that I can do very much of anything now, but I shall enjoy the sunbathing.”

  Gabrielle grinned and took my arm again as I struggled out of the office. “And I daresay I could be persuaded to join you!” She helped me up to our room and once there, she set about swapping our bunks so I didn’t have to attempt the climb to the top one. She piled pillows at the bottom of my bed for me to rest my foot on, giving my ankle much-needed rest and elevation.

  “How are you feeling? Do you want anything?” Gabrielle asked.

  I shook my head. “I’m fine. It’s dinner time, you should go. I’ll want to grab a nap anyway.”

  “Okay, are you sure?”

  “Of course, I’ll be fine.”

  Gabrielle kissed my cheek before leaving the room.

  My eyes fluttered shut a second after she’d left, and what felt like a second later, they were flying open again. Only the darkness outside the windows indicated that any time had passed at all.

  A knock sounded on the door and I wondered if that was what had awoken me.

  Without thinking, I lifted my leg to stand. My ankle ached and I winced as I replaced it on the pillows again. Answering the door in person was out. “Come in!” I called.

  The door opened and Rick poked his head inside. “Hi, can I come in?”

  I smiled. “Yes, quickly, before you get caught.”

  Rick slipped inside and crossed the room to sit on the edge of my bed. “Gabrielle just told me what happened. How are you feeling?”

  “A little sore, nothing terrible,” I said with a shrug.

  Rick cleared his throat. “I was worried when I heard.”

  “That’s sweet, but I really am fine.”

  He nodded. “Can I keep you company for a while? Unless you’re tired, then I’ll clear out.”

  I shook my head. “No, company would be good. But don’t you want to go to the disco?”

  A small smile touched Rick’s lips. “I’d rather hang out and eat junk food with you.”

  “Okay then,” I said.

  “Great.” Rick rose from my bed. “I’ll go get some supplies and I’ll be right back.”

  I smiled as I watched him leave. I was glad I had given him a chance, because he had turned out to be a really lovely guy. It was just a shame those damned butterflies st
ill weren’t there.

  Gabrielle insisted that even though I was practically a cripple, I couldn’t miss the gala night in the clubroom. It was only a few days after the accident and I hadn’t got the rhythm of my crutches yet, so I looked a bit of a hop-a-long. But hey ho. Gala night was a time-honoured tradition at Camp Monte Leone, and I looked forward to it every year. I couldn’t let a silly thing like a broken ankle stop me from going.

  The evening of the gala, Gabrielle, Amber and I got ready together in my room. We wore designer gowns and created beautiful hairstyles. There was a tap on my door, and Amber rushed across the room to open it.

  Rick, Zach and Jakob were dressed to kill in their suits.

  “Not bad, huh?” Zach asked with a grin as he entered the room. He pulled Gabrielle into a kiss that made her swoon when he let her go.

  “You all look so good,” Paulina said. “I wish I had a handsome boy taking me.”

  I smiled at her as I picked up my little bag. “Just wait—it will happen for you, too.”

  “Come on then, hoppy,” Gabrielle said with a laugh. “We don’t want to be late.”

  I stuck my tongue out at her and hobbled out of the room. Rick walked beside me as the other two couples took the lead, engrossed in their little romances.

  “You doing okay?” he asked me.

  “Better than yesterday. And tomorrow I’ll be even better than today,” I said. “These crutches take some getting used to though.”

  Rick chuckled. “I’ll bet.”

  We walked into the clubroom, which had been transformed for the gala night.

  Casino games were set up all around the room with people crowding around them. The noise in the place was astronomical, with many crying out in excitement at a win.

  Everyone was dressed up, like me and my friends. It was a sea of satins and sequins, tuxedos and cravats. The dresses created a gorgeous rainbow of colour, and we surely resembled a flock of dazzling peacocks.

  Amber grabbed Jakob’s hand and dragged him to the roulette table, and Gabrielle and Zach headed to blackjack.

  “Are you feeling lucky?” Rick asked as he motioned to the craps table.

  I grinned. “I grew up in Monaco. I always feel lucky.”

  “Freddie, hand me another tissue please.”

  I grabbed the box beside my bed and hopped over to the dressing table where Gabrielle sat attempting to do her makeup. She dabbed under her eyes, trying to remedy another mascara-tear disaster.

  “Maybe you shouldn’t wear mascara if you’re just going to keep crying,” I suggested.

  Gabrielle shook her head. “No way. I want to look my best for Zach.”

  “And panda eyes is the way to do that?”

  She held my eye in the mirror for a long moment before releasing a breath and reaching for a makeup remover wipe. She swiped it across her eyes, and caught the last of the smudged mascara. “You’re right.”

  “Anyway, Zach won’t care. He’s getting you all alone for most of the night. He isn’t going to be looking at you and wondering why you aren’t wearing mascara.”

  Gabrielle giggled. “No, I don’t suppose he will.” She sighed, her melancholy returning. “I just can’t believe it’s time for them to leave already. It isn’t fair.”

  It was the pitfalls of a summer romance—the dreaded departure.

  A week had passed after I’d broken my ankle and it was now time for Zach and Rick to leave.

  “Come on, you’ve been crying all day,” I said as there was a knock on the door. “That will be the boys. Are you okay?”

  Gabrielle nodded and dabbed her eyes with a tissue once again.

  I crossed the room to open the door. Rick stood a little behind Zach and rolled his eyes at him before giving me a wide grin. Zach, to give him his due, looked just as forlorn as Gabrielle.

  Gabrielle let out a squeak and threw herself into his arms. He pressed his face into her hair and murmured something I couldn’t make out.

  “Okay, you two, you’d best disappear before you end up getting caught,” I said.

  The pair broke apart, and Gabrielle gathered her things.

  I scooped up the bag filled with my entertainment for the evening—namely some films and lots and lots of junk food. We left the room, and downstairs Rick and I distracted Vicky for a few moments so Gabrielle and Zach could slip away unnoticed.

  They were spending their last night together in the woods camping, and Rick and I were covering for them, should anyone come asking about their whereabouts.

  We were watching a cheesy horror film in the lounge of the senior chalet, surrounded by sweets, fizzy pop and huge bags of crisps.

  “Are you excited to be heading home?” I asked Rick as I reached for another fizzy lace.

  Rick shrugged. “Sort of. I miss my friends back home, but I’m having a pretty amazing time here.”

  “I know what you mean. Leaving school, leaving home, leaving camp, it feels bittersweet no matter where I’m leaving.” And wasn’t that the truth. I was a resident of the world and I loved to move around and be in different places. My worst nightmare was the thought of being stuck in the same place for the rest of my life.

  But the leaving never got any easier. Only more tolerable.

  The film ended and Rick turned the TV off.

  “It’s getting late, I should head up to bed. I doubt anyone will come looking for Gabrielle and Zach now,” I said.

  Rick nodded and rose from the couch. He extended his hand to me to help me up. I slid my palm into his and he gently pulled me to my feet. Rick didn’t let go of my hand like I’d thought he would, and instead gave it a light squeeze. “Freddie, I have something I need to say.”

  My stomach dipped, and not entirely in a pleasant way. “Okay. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing is wrong.” Rick let out a nervous laugh. “I’m crazy about you, Freddie. I’ve been giving you space because you told me you weren’t looking for anything more than a friend right now. But I have to admit that all summer long, I’ve hoped you would change your mind.”

  “But, Rick, you’re leaving in the morning,” I said quietly. “And we live on opposite sides of the world.”

  “I know…I know. But I would be a total moron if I left without telling you how I feel. And I’m not asking you to promise anything, or even reciprocate my feelings. I just want you to know that I’ve had the best summer with you.” Rick’s eyes seared into mine, the passion in them fierce.

  I reached out with my free hand to touch his cheek. He had been an amazing friend to me this summer, and I was sad to see him leave. But what on earth could I promise him, even if he wasn’t expecting anything? “Thank you, Rick. You’ve been an incredible friend. I’m glad to have met you.”

  He squeezed my hand again. “I want to ask if I can kiss you, but I don’t want you to feel pressured or anything.”

  My heart picked up speed.

  A kiss? He was a good friend, sure…but could he be anything else? I wouldn’t find out by doing nothing, and maybe a kiss was the perfect way to find out if there really was anything more between us than friendship.

  “You can kiss me, Rick.”

  He smiled, wide and happy. Rick cupped my cheek and leaned in to press his lips to mine. His kiss was dry and bordered on chaste, which I was grateful for. At least he wasn’t one of those boys who shoved their slimy tongue into your mouth with no warning.

  The kiss only lasted a few seconds and while it was nice…that was all it was.

  Rick pulled back and scanned my face. “I’d love to call you when you get home. I don’t want to lose contact with you.”

  For a fleeting second, all I could think of was that I wished he had said he would write me a letter.

  “Freddie? There’s a call for you in the office.”

  I jumped at the sound of Vicky’s voice. Turning my head to see her leaning into the doorway, I nodded my thanks. “Okay, thanks, Vicky.”

  Vicky glanced between Rick and me. “It’s your
mother. She sounds a little off, you shouldn’t keep her waiting.”

  “Okay.” Turning back to Rick, I gave him a small smile. “I should go. Mummy is probably going to try and talk me into coming home. Again. I’ll see you in the morning? Before you leave?”

  Rick grinned. “Count on it.”

  “Night, Rick.” A small part of me was thankful at Mummy’s timing. Rick’s kiss hadn’t been in the least bit horrible, but I knew I didn’t want any others. That kiss had told me everything I needed to know, and confirmed what I’d already suspected. There truly was nothing but friendship between Rick and me.

  I hobbled into the office and picked up the receiver that rested on the desk. “Hi, Mummy.”

  “Frederica.”

  My stomach dropped at the sound of my mother’s voice. I had never heard her sound like that, not ever, and I dreaded what had caused it. “Mummy?” I whispered. “What is it?”

  “I’m sorry, darling,” Mummy said. Her voice broke. “It’s Daddy. He—he died, my love.”

  My ears rang, a high-pitched whine that only got louder. Distantly, I heard the phone clatter as I dropped it.

  “Frederica? Freddie, darling, are you there?” Mummy’s tinny voice came from the speaker.

  No…no, I didn’t think I was.

  It was my last conscious thought before darkness swamped me.

  The morning after my mother made the call to me at camp, Augustus, Louisa and I flew home to Monaco.

  I’d had to tell them.

  I’d had to tell my little brother and sister that our father was dead.

  Our father was dead.

  I wasn’t not sure if had sunk in, even now.

  Augustus was reacting much the same as me, in his quiet, reserved way. Louisa chewed on her fingernails and tapped her feet constantly, her little mind whirring. We barely spoke a word on the flight home, could barely respond when Samantha picked us up at the airport in her battered little blue VW Golf.

  Our house was the same, but it was so, so different. There was no booming voice from the office as Daddy made his phone calls, there was no vibrancy, and the whole place, though it was filled with people, was devoid of life.