Royal Replicas

by Michael Pierce

  “Well, I think this is it,” Dr. Crane said as he started to gather up his supplies.

  Lady Ramsey rose from her seat. “Thank you as always, Doctor.”

  “My pleasure,” he said and glanced over at me. “And the next time I check on you, it will be in the Queen’s palace.”

  “It’ll be nice to have a familiar face there,” I said.

  “I’m sure it will feel like home in no time. Enjoy the rest of your day, and safe travels,” he said, picking up his black leather bag of personal equipment.

  Dr. Crane shook both our hands and then Lady Ramsey escorted him out.

  CHAPTER 11

  I had one of the best afternoons I could remember, riding through the meadow with Mina. Misty and Pumpernickel seemed to be having a grand ol’ time too.

  I kept glancing at the far fence where I’d first seen Kale—or, at least, the first time I could remember seeing him. He’d said we were planning to run away together and that I’d wanted to take Mina with us—away from this place, this façade of glorious, luxurious living. I wanted to ride up to him and talk face-to-face in the daylight, to see him clearly and be able to make out all of his features previously veiled by distance or shadows.

  Mina kicked Pumpernickel into a full gallop and I chased after her. Her trainer, Samuel, stood by and let her go, confident in her ability to remain in control. She was on track to compete in a few years; I hoped I’d be able to see it. When she reached the edge of the property, she pulled Pumpernickel to a halt and waited for me to catch up.

  “You’re a slow poke,” she laughed.

  “You had a head start. Not fair!” I protested.

  “I guess you’ll have to practice more,” she said.

  “I hope I’ll be able to.”

  That dissolved her smile. The seasons were changing. The carefree afternoon in the sun had temporarily pushed it from her mind.

  “We have tomorrow,” I reminded her.

  Her spark returned. “Maybe I’ll let you win tomorrow.”

  “Maybe you won’t have to,” I said.

  We trotted back to the stables together. I untacked Misty while one of the stable hands took care of Pumpernickel. I wasn’t ready to delegate this chore because it didn’t feel like one. Mina stood by and watched as I finished with Misty.

  On returning to the main house, we went our separate ways to clean up and I retreated to my room in the cellar. As I approached, I saw my light was on, so entered cautiously.

  “Oh, sorry. I was just dropping this off,” Johanna said, pointing to a suitcase and matching shoulder bag on the floor. “Mom wanted me to bring them down for you. They were mine, but I’m going to get a new set. These are getting worn.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “They look nice to me.”

  “They were top of the line when I bought them a few years ago. I didn’t bring the rest of the set because you don’t have much stuff.”

  “Yeah; these will be more than enough,” I said. “I wouldn’t be able to carry more than this anyway.”

  She gave me a confused look. “We have people for that,” she finally said.

  “Of course.”

  Johanna made her way to the door, noticeably keeping her distance from me. Then she stopped and turned back.

  “Why?” she asked open-endedly. “Why are you like this secret princess? It’s not fair. I should be the one getting out of here first.”

  “It’s not like I asked for this,” I said.

  “Yeah, but it’s happening. You’ll be living it up at the palace while I’m stuck here in the outskirts of the Kingdom—in the wretched Borderlands.”

  “You can come and visit if you want.”

  “So you can rub all your good fortune in my face and have me serve you? No, thank you.”

  “I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Everyone starts off saying that, but…” Johanna stood silently in the doorway for a moment, then turned and left.

  I went after her as far as the doorway, then decided to let her go, watching her go up the stairs and back into the primary living quarters of the main house where she belonged. I simply reminded myself there was no love lost between us.

  I returned to my room and gazed upon the bags she’d brought, one more reminder that this was really happening. Two days. My nerves were shot already, my excitement giving me heartburn. I felt sick and overrun by emotion.

  I perused the dresses hanging on the rack to determine which one was suitable enough for arriving at the palace and presenting myself to the Queen—and Prince Byron. I couldn’t find a single one, not that there were many to choose from; I started throwing down the ones I thought were trash and ultimately found myself with three left hanging from the rack. None of them seemed suitable for royalty, but they were the best I had and would have to do.

  I looked upon the fallen heap of unbefitting dresses and started to cry. They seemed to be all different parts of myself, none of them good enough. This was all too much. I sat among them, scooping them all up into my lap, unable to control the tears. If I wasn’t good enough for the Ramseys, how would I ever be good enough for the Queen? Why would the Prince even want to meet me? I was nothing.

  One by one, I took a dress from the pile and folded it, then placed each one into the larger suitcase. They may not be worthy, but they were all I had.

  When I was folding one of the final dresses—one with pockets in the skirt—I felt something. I reached into the pockets and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. Once I’d flattened it out, I discovered it was a note:

  Meet me at the devil’s tree tomorrow at twilight. –Yours always.

  I checked the back of the paper to see if there was more, but there wasn’t. I couldn’t remember finding this letter before but assumed I’d known about it at one time—before the accident. I thought of Kale and his tale of us running away together; maybe this was from that night? I did know the tree to which he was referring and took the note as another sign he wasn’t the bad guy the Ramseys made him out to be.

  I placed the note inside my nightstand drawer, beneath Pride & Prejudice, and continued packing my few belongings.

  CHAPTER 12

  T he next day, Master Ramsey found me under the willow tree at the mouth of the hedge maze, reading from his hardbound copy of Pride & Prejudice. Kale had been right, and this would be my tenth time through the book.

  “You’ve read this one before,” he said, bending down to get a closer look at the cover.

  “I have—multiple times actually,” I replied.

  I then noticed him glance at my shoes and waited for a disciplinary comment or to have him grab me by the arm, drag me into the hedge maze, and punish me out there. But he didn’t.

  Instead, he said, “You may keep it.” He rose and was quiet for a time, standing beneath the willow’s thick canopy, gazing out at the East garden. “I guess this is it,” he finally said. “You’re finally going back to where you belong.”

  From his tone, I couldn’t tell whether he was happy or sad to be ridding himself of me.

  “I know you’re looking forward to moving on, but don’t be fooled into thinking this is some dream-come-true or happily-ever-after. Everyone in the 1st Ward is treacherous and narcissistic, especially the Queen and all her bottom feeders.”

  “Don’t worry. I don’t trust anyone now. That won’t change when I leave. I’m not expecting the world to be handed to me.”

  “I feel partially responsible,” he said, finishing with a grin. He obviously had no regret for anything he’d done to me. “How are your feet?”

  They tingled merely from his words. “Still sore, but I’ll live,” I said sharply.

  “I’m sure you will,” he said. Master Ramsey said nothing further before heading back to the house, leaving me to my reading.

  I didn’t want to think too much about his warnings of what lay ahead; I knew I couldn’t just go in as a naive teenager, but needed to have my guard up, at least until I fully understood what wa
s going on. This conversation was a good reminder of that.

  My reading was interrupted about an hour later, this time by Mina coming from the direction of the house, tramping through the East garden.

  “Mom would like to see you inside,” she shouted while still a little way off. It didn’t seem serious; she sounded excited. I bookmarked my page and rose from my place in the grass.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “You’ll have to come in and find out for yourself,” she answered with a smile.

  She skipped ahead of me as we both went inside the main estate. I followed her through several hallways and rooms, stopping at the doorway to the front formal sitting room.

  Lady Ramsey was speaking with a few members of staff about rearranging furniture to better suit the room.

  “Oh, Victoria, there you are,” she said, excusing herself from the servants. She walked over to us and stepped up, into the foyer. “I have an errand for you to run.” She reached into a pocket hidden within the folds of her dress and produced a stack of bills. “I want you to go into town and buy a dress and shoes for your travels tomorrow. Go to Adriana’s and tell her I sent you.”

  Adriana was the best seamstress in town and had handcrafted some of Lady Ramsey’s and the girls’ finest dresses.

  “I get to go with you!” Mina exclaimed, practically bouncing in place.

  “Yes. Mina has developed a wonderful eye for style. She’ll help you choose. Get the best one that suits you and if this isn’t enough, ask for some credit and I’ll handle getting her paid.”

  I took the money; it felt so very heavy in my hands. I’d carried this much before but never was the purchase intended for me.

  “Yes, Ma’am,” I said. “We’ll leave right away.”

  Lady Ramsey laid a hand on my shoulder and smiled. “I want you looking your best.”

  I hurried down to my room to put away the book, but before I left, I removed the bookmark—the note I’d found from Kale the previous night—and stuffed it into the pocket of my dress with the money.

  The walk into town was calming. Mina asked all about the 1st Ward and I told her everything I could remember from my lessons with the Governess.

  A bell above the door chimed when we entered Adriana’s. She was a lively little ball of a woman with poufy, almost white hair, colorful makeup, long fake fingernails, and a pair of black-rimmed glasses hanging around her neck.

  “Mina, my dear, how are you this fine afternoon?” she said in a loud, manly voice. “And this isn’t Johanna. Who have you brought with you today?”

  “This is Victoria, my other sister,” Mina said.

  “The mysterious other sister. I have seen you around town, have I not?”

  “Yes, Ma’am,” I said. “I’ve been on errands around town many times. I just never had the pleasure to come in here.”

  “The pleasure’s all mine,” she said boisterously. “How may I be of service?”

  Mina did most of the talking. She could describe the dresses while I simply tried on what was given to me. I ambled around the room as they discussed fabrics and style. I looked at all the dresses dangling from hangers and draped on mannequins; there were a great many to choose from, and I didn’t see a single one unfit for a princess.

  “Is this for a special occasion or event? For everyday elegance?” Ms. Adriana asked.

  “Victoria will be meeting the Queen tomorrow,” Mina said.

  Ms. Adriana’s eyes lit up and she clapped her fleshy hands together. “Oh, then I have just the thing!” she said as she disappeared through a curtain into a back room. In a flash, she returned with a flowing emerald green ballgown with beaded lace appliqués and a plunging V-back.

  “It’s the Queen’s favorite color. I made it two years ago for the Queen’s last scheduled visit, as a gift for Princess Amelia. I’d requested her measurements and got everything a few weeks before the arrival. But the Queen’s itinerary changed only a few days before she was due and she didn’t end up coming to the 24th Ward. I knew Princess Amelia wouldn’t be traveling with her but thought the Queen would appreciate the gift. I’ve been holding onto it ever since, waiting for her to schedule another visit. It didn’t seem right selling it to someone else, but maybe you’re the girl this dress has truly been waiting for.”

  “It’s gorgeous,” I admitted.

  “Try it on!” Mina insisted.

  Near the back of the shop, a series of partitions created a semi-private changing area.

  Ms. Adriana helped me climb into the emerald gown; its fabric lining was so incredibly soft as it perfectly hugged every curve. I gazed down at the beadwork and embellishments and couldn’t remember ever seeing something so beautiful before. Then she led me by the hand over to the small pedestal, where I stood before a full-length, trifold mirror and was able to gaze upon the full impact of such a striking dress.

  “This dress is amazing,” I said, doing a half-turn so I could view the gown’s back.

  “It sure is,” Ms. Adriana said. “I don’t think I have to do any alterations. It fits you perfectly and I can’t think of a time that’s ever happened before. It’s like I’d made this dress specifically for you without even knowing it. Truly amazing!”

  “Now, you look like a princess,” Mina said.

  I lifted the skirt and twirled in my scuffed flats. My hair was unkempt and I had no makeup on, but the dress elevated everything about me. I now felt a tiny bit of confidence to meet the Queen—my mother.

  “So?” Mina asked.

  “Is there really a question?” I said. “This is the dress. How much do I owe you?”

  Ms. Adriana had taken a few steps back and put on her glasses. She was examining me intently with the eye of an artist, with me her willing muse. “This dress was made as a gift, and a gift it shall remain.”

  “No,” I said. “I need to pay you for it. Too much work went into this adorable piece of art for the artist not to be compensated. I can’t leave without—”

  “I won’t hear any more about it,” Ms. Adriana said, shaking her head. “The dress is yours.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “How about a thank you for starters.”

  “Well of course! Thank you! A million times thank you!” I threw my arms around her and nearly cried.

  Ms. Adriana hugged me back. “Some things were just meant to be. Go and make an entrance.”

  CHAPTER 13

  I still had plenty of money left over, even after Mina helped me decide on a pair of black leather boots to do justice to my new dress. The pair I bought didn’t have a heel too extreme since I’d had zero experience walking at such an angle. And I was too intimidated by all the high-heeled shoes Mina recommended.

  I had both outfit pieces wrapped and boxed, not wanting to dirty them before the following day; I carried the dress and Mina the boots. With some of my extra money, I also bought Mina the same pair of boots in a smaller size; she insisted she wanted us to match.

  Evening was approaching as we made our way back. I told Mina I wanted to make one more stop before going home and she was thrilled to prolong our afternoon adventure.

  I led us in the opposite direction of the Ramsey estate, toward the edge of town. We walked along the paved road, all the way until it ended. At that point, a forked set of dirt paths led into the forest, and between the two paths grew a small tree with two trunks twisted together. At one time, it may have at been two trees, but now it had joined and grown into one. Further up the entwined trunks, branches were also entangled in a thick web and their trunks were engraved with hundreds of names and initials, some now barely legible. This was the devil’s tree.

  “Why are we here?” Mina asked.

  “I wanted to see something,” I said. “Have you been here before?”

  She shook her head.

  I walked up to the tree and circled the tangle of trunks, reading the engravings. On the back of the tree trunk, I found the initials VS + KC. I didn’t know
Kale’s last name to be sure they were ours, but three out of four—along with the note—made me feel confident enough.

  “Is that you?” Mina asked, pointing at the carved VS.

  “I don’t remember doing it, but I have a feeling it is,” I said.

  “And are those the initials of the boy my parents are after?”

  “Again, this is part of the hole in my memory, but I believe so.”

  I removed Kale’s note from my dress pocket and read it again. Mina peered over my arm to see the note as well.

  “Is this the devil’s tree?”

  “Yup.”

  “You were supposed to meet him the night of the accident, weren’t you?”

  “Do you have any light you’d like to shed on that night?” I asked, putting the note away.

  “I—I heard you yelling and screaming when you were brought back. I hid in the pantry when they brought you in, so I didn’t see anything. I didn’t know if you were hurt or angry.”

  “So, I was awake when I was brought home and then lost months of my memory. It doesn’t add up.”

  “I didn’t want to ask questions,” Mina said.

  “I know,” I said, bringing a hand to her cheek, rosy pink from the blush she wore. “I don’t want to get you in any trouble.”

  We left the devil’s tree and headed home. The street lamps were lit when we passed through town again.

  LADY RAMSEY MADE me show her the dress and boots as soon as we entered the foyer. Mina was excited to show off her own fine boots too.

  I tried to give back what money I had left over, but Lady Ramsey wouldn’t take it. She insisted it be my traveling money.

  The emerald gown wouldn’t fit in my hand-me-down suitcase, so I’d have no choice but to wear it all the next day. I hung it on the empty metal rack and stared at it for a long time, unable to believe it was mine. It was the only item I had that actually was my own.

  That evening, I ate dinner with the Ramsey family, an occasion at which everyone was present; I wore my new boots to start getting used to them before I’d be in them most of the next day. Mina showed me she was wearing hers too; she could walk in them better than I could.