The funeral for James was privately and quietly done. Like for Mother, everything was prepared, but the only people present were Duke Roland, Lady Amber, Baileywick and a few servants, Cedric and myself. Before the duke and Amber left, he asked me to check in on Michael, and then invited me to supper. I nodded, curtsied, and then watched James's casket be lowered into the ground. When the dirt covered him, I turned to find that Cedric still stood there, about ten feet behind me.
I thanked him with a smile and he offered me his arm to walk back to the castle. We did not speak. There was nothing to say, and when we reached the castle, he bowed to me before returning to his lab. I went straight to James's rooms.
Upon entry, I was horrified. The furniture had been covered with sheets, the shelves were empty, the servants had already cleaned out his rooms. I sat on the bed, mussing the sheet and the tears emptied from my eyes. I was so glad he was away from the degradation his family had shown him all his life. But I missed him selfishly.
Eventually, I rose and went to my own rooms, to pick out a dress for supper with the duke.
Baileywick announced me in the dining hall. Duke Roland rose and waved me toward the chair to his right. The chair that was Mother's. I moved slowly, curtsied as I drew near, and let a servant help me into the chair. Amber arrived then, seeing my position at the table and glared at me before curtsying to her father.
"Here's my darling girls," Roland smiled. Supper was served to us and after Roland began to eat, Amber and I took our cues.
"When shall we have the first ball, Father? I know propriety says we must wait a while, but I think that in these times, we should move forward."
I swallowed the hate rising in me.
"I agree, Amber. We do need to move forward." I felt his eyes on me and when I looked up, I was not wrong.
"Will there be a theme?" I asked, trying to break his gaze even though I knew hardly anything about dancing and such.
"Of course, there's a theme, Sofia." Amber rolled her eyes. "I am eligible for marriage. I'm actually older than I need to be for courting." She gave her father a stern look.
Roland laughed. "I could not very well have you dancing around the kingdom with all this ugly business at home. You are still young enough, Amber." He glanced at me again, a soft smile on his face. "Once you are settled I'll see that Sofia is married as well."
"Your Grace, I…I don't think I'm ready just yet," I protested.
"Did you not recently have a birthday?" he asked. Amber glared at me again.
"Yes." I had completely forgotten about my birthday, but apparently, so did everyone else. It was no matter to me.
"She's not noble," Amber stated flatly.
"But she could be." Roland ate a piece of meat.
"I think Sofia makes an excellent nurse," Amber teased. "Father do you have any old friends that are ailing? Then after they die she could inherit her own money and land."
"Amber," his voice carried a warning as I looked down at my hands. I was sick of death and dying. It seemed to have been my life ever since Mother had married the duke.
"Everyone she is close to dies," said Amber. "Are you sure you want her looking in on Michael, Father?"
I looked up sharply. "I would never hurt my brother." My eyes swung to the duke. "Please, your Grace, you must believe me! I would never hurt Michael."
Roland looked at both of us seriously. "Amber, that was uncalled for. Sofia, I know better. James would never have lived as long without you. You two need to start getting along. You'll be spending much more time together."
Amber looked disgusted and I went back to eating, merely to put some food in my stomach because though I was not hungry anymore, I would be later. I remembered James trying to tell me that he was afraid Amber would hurt the baby, and now I wondered if he was correct. Maybe she would hurt him and I would be blamed. There was no one left to stand for me, to vouch for me.
"Are you well, Sofia?" the duke asked.
"I am fine," I smiled, trying to hide my nervousness.
"I'm finished, Father, may I be dismissed?"
"Yes." Amber was helped from her chair by a servant and left, but not before glaring at me again.
Once she was out of the room, the duke took my left hand. "I know she's a bit upset that Michael was born and she's not my direct heir, but you really must try to be friends with her, Sofia." I looked up at him. "For me."
"I will, your Grace." His thumb began to stroke the back of my hand, just as Cedric's had, but the duke's hand was not as pleasurable. I looked down at our hands and he must have realized what he was doing because he pulled away. "If you are finished eating, you may leave as well."
"Thank you, your Grace." I rose before the servant could pull out my chair, curtsied and then hurried from the room as fast as I could without looking improper.
The next day, I was in the gardens cutting flowers for James and Mother's graves. The sun was out, the day was beautiful, and I could not wait to sit and talk to James for a while, even if I knew he would not answer.
I heard rustling and footsteps behind me and saw the duke and Baileywick coming my way. "Beautiful flowers for a beautiful girl," Duke Roland said.
I rose and curtsied. "They are for Mother and James, your Grace."
"That's nice." His tone sounded short. Cedric came around the corner of a hedge then, seemingly in a hurry, with some shears and a jar. "Ho there, Cedric."
Cedric's eyes grew larger. He stopped and bowed, a little out of breath. "Your Grace."
"Where are you off to this morning?"
"I'm in need of wolfsbane. I forgot I was out before I start a potion for Lawrence, and I have a slim amount of time to get back, your Grace, before the other ingredients go bad."
"Well, then, get to it," the duke waved his arm and laughed. He turned back to me. "Now Sofia, we must find something for you to do, when you are not with Amber that is. Michael has his nurse, and servants, and I do not want you to be caring for a baby so soon," his eyes roamed over me and I bit my bottom lip. Baileywick kept his usual look of indifference, but his eyes narrowed a bit.
Cedric popped up from where he had stooped. "Your Grace," he started. "Forgive me for overhearing, but I could use some help in the laboratory. I've got a backlog of potions and spells and if you would allow it, and if Lady Sofia approves, I could use her help."
Duke Roland seemed to consider this for a moment. "I think that will be acceptable." He looked back at me, but not kindly. "Will you be a good help for Cedric, in your spare time."
"Yes, your Grace," I breathed. Anything to be away from the duke's presence right now.
"Then you will meet Cedric in the lab after you finish this...business," he waved at the flowers. "And you will arrive on time for supper again."
I curtsied. "Yes, your Grace." He took no more notice of me, and walked away with Baileywick.
I looked at Cedric, tried to show my thanks with my eyes. He nodded and mumbled something about seeing me later, and then rushed away. Taking a deep breath, I finished gathering flowers, and could not wait to tell James what I was thinking about the past few days.