Chapter 5
Danielle walked into the hallway and shut the door behind her. She breathed a small sigh of relief as she had realized that Henry hadn't followed her around the corner to the winter palace.
Working! She couldn't believe she had even thought of that. There were so many other things she could've said, had she thought before she spoke, but now it was too late to take it back. So she would have to live with her response. Besides, he seemed extremely happy that she was a servant. Not only that, but he said he was one too, which to her seemed a little odd.
She knew that he had inherited his father's business, but he had never filled her in on the details. She knew that he hadn't wanted it, though, even if he had been successful at it.
Once in a while, he showed up late, give or take a few minutes here and there, but this was the first time he had been an hour late. She knew that she couldn't wait that long without the fear of being discovered by someone. She hated living like this, but this was the way it had to be for a while until she knew for sure just what she wanted to do.
And how she was going to break it to her stepmother that she was actually thinking of marrying this commoner so to speak.
"Danielle?" she heard a voice from the kitchen call. "Danielle, is that you?"
Her eyes turned skyward and she shook her head as she realized who was calling her.
"Yes Stepmother, it's me. I just walked in. Do you need me to do anything for you before I head off to my room?"
"Well, frankly, I wanted you to help me with this list for the New Year's party. I'll need you to help address them and mail them out. "
"I suppose you needed them done yesterday," Danielle asked.
"Now, how did you ever guess?" Renee walked over to her stepdaughter and kissed her on the forehead. "I can't believe how quickly you have grown up."
She smiled sweetly. "Give me a shout and I'll be very happy to come in and help."
And then she was gone again.
Danielle sighed as she watched her walk out the door. Maybe she really hadn't been kidding about being the servant. How many times had Renee explained that she used to do this very same thing when she was Danielle's age? It's what all young princesses do.
Danielle played nervously with the necklace she wore. It was a bad habit and she knew she had to stop. She was going to lose that charm one day. Her father had given it to her mother when they began seeing each other. It was the only thing that she had left of her mother at all. She grabbed at the chain but there was nothing attached to it. She was about to go into a panic when she heard Renee call her again.
"Coming, Stepmother," she called as she let go of the gold chain. Maybe it had fallen somewhere around the house, but she didn't have time to worry about that now. And with another sigh, she went to join her in the next room.
Danielle walked into the hallway and shut the door behind her. She breathed a small sigh of relief as she had realized that Henry hadn't followed her around the corner to the winter palace.
Working! She couldn't believe she had even thought of that. There were so many other things she could've said, had she thought before she spoke, but now it was too late to take it back. So she would have to live with her response. Besides, he seemed extremely happy that she was a servant. Not only that, but he said he was one too, which to her seemed a little odd.
She knew that he had inherited his father's business, but he had never filled her in on the details. She knew that he hadn't wanted it, though, even if he had been successful at it.
Once in a while, he showed up late, give or take a few minutes here and there, but this was the first time he had been an hour late. She knew that she couldn't wait that long without the fear of being discovered by someone. She hated living like this, but this was the way it had to be for a while until she knew for sure just what she wanted to do.
And how she was going to break it to her stepmother that she was actually thinking of marrying this commoner so to speak.
"Danielle?" she heard a voice from the kitchen call. "Danielle, is that you?"
Her eyes turned skyward and she shook her head as she realized who was calling her.
"Yes Stepmother, it's me. I just walked in. Do you need me to do anything for you before I head off to my room?"
"Well, frankly, I wanted you to help me with this list for the New Year's party. I'll need you to help address them and mail them out. "
"I suppose you needed them done yesterday," Danielle asked.
"Now, how did you ever guess?" Renee walked over to her stepdaughter and kissed her on the forehead. "I can't believe how quickly you have grown up."
She smiled sweetly. "Give me a shout and I'll be very happy to come in and help."
And then she was gone again.
Danielle sighed as she watched her walk out the door. Maybe she really hadn't been kidding about being the servant. How many times had Renee explained that she used to do this very same thing when she was Danielle's age? It's what all young princesses do.
Danielle played nervously with the necklace she wore. It was a bad habit and she knew she had to stop. She was going to lose that charm one day. Her father had given it to her mother when they began seeing each other. It was the only thing that she had left of her mother at all. She grabbed at the chain but there was nothing attached to it. She was about to go into a panic when she heard Renee call her again.
"Coming, Stepmother," she called as she let go of the gold chain. Maybe it had fallen somewhere around the house, but she didn't have time to worry about that now. And with another sigh, she went to join her in the next room.