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He’d also been anointed a lord-in-waiting.

“Yes, our travels were long, since we are one of the furthest provinces from the palace. I wish to remain with my niece until she is more comfortable within the palace walls.”

“Please, follow me then,” he answered, turning away to lead them from the main hall.

The baroness walked behind them and made sure she was always a step behind Valerie.

This place is far larger than I expected it to be.It would make searching harder. She doubted she’d be able to cover the entire square building in the time she was here with how far it went.

They were taken to a section of the palace on the second floor, where they had their own private seating areas separated by a long hall. It was not part of the main second floor, though; it was sectioned off by itself, only accessible by a staircase from the first floor.

Her own seating area, her parlour, had been arranged to be feminine. It looked clean and well dusted.My living arrangements are awfully private.There had only been two guards posted, and they were those she had travelled with.

Valerie hadn’t asked Victoria to follow her inside her room, and she was confused when a moment later, women carrying steaming buckets entered as well.

She jumped when Victoria began to undo the tie at the back of her dress, unused to people touching her so informally. She’d also been expecting the servant woman she’d brought here – someone she trusted.

Valerie swiftly turned around. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, my apologies.” She bowed her head with a crinkle of her brow. It was hard to tell if she was sincere. “I assumed you would prefer to bathe to remove the night and your travels before you slept. I was instructed to make sure you were well relaxed.”

She is acting like the personal servant girl I saw following Lady Cecily around her manor.Valerie’s eyes widened as she realised the woman had been commanded to follow her around like a dog.

Once her bath had been filled, Victoria once more began to undo her dress. Understanding the woman’s position better, she allowed her to do what was necessary.

She stepped from her dress when it fell to her feet and hopped inside the bath.

“At first, I thought you had been shy, but it seems you were merely confused.” Victoria said this because she had stepped from her clothing without a blush or a shred of bashfulness. “Did you not know what a lady-in-waiting was?”

Even though she had three sisters, which meant being naked around women didn’t bother her, she wasn’t shy about nudity in front of men either.

“I did not know someone of noble blood would be attending to me.”

The woman came to kneel behind the tub to start unravelling the braids in her hair.

“I often forget court is startling to those who are unused to it. That is why I have been assigned the task of assisting you while you are here.”

“It is fine. I eventually realised it myself.”

“So, you do not need me to explain any of it to you?”

Valerie shook her head. “No, since I will be changing your duties.”

“How do you mean?” She could hear the frown in the woman’s voice.

Valerie turned in the water to face her and placed her back against the other tub wall. Resting her elbows and hands on the edge of the tub, she tapped it while she thought, deciding on what she wanted from the girl.

“I do not wish for you to follow me around the palace. However, I will expect you to be here in the mornings in case I wish to go somewhere in particular. At that time, you will also inform me of news and the events for the day. Once I am done with you, you will only come to my side if I join the court. No matter where they are in the palace, you are to remain with them.”

Victoria’s brows crinkled. She was a sweet-looking woman with freckles dotting her skin heavily. Her hair was an ashy blonde, while her eyes were such a dark colour of brown, they almost appeared black from far away.

“People will ask me why I am not with you, since I am supposed to be attending to you.”

“I do not care what you tell them.” She held the woman’s eyes with a crinkle of her nose. “Unless it is something unpleasant.” She let her warning features fall to soften her look. “I have always been a person who prefers her freedom and privacy. I wish to explore the palace on my own and without distraction, unless I have been called for.”

“But how will they know where to find you?” The girl’s frown deepened.

“That is why I want you to know the events of the day by the morning, so you may inform me where and when I am required to be present. The rest of the time, I wish to be alone. If there is another party like there was tonight, you are to be there with me. If not, I will expect you to wait for me in my parlour area to help me prepare for sleep.”