Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl Page A

usually means one thing, doesn’t it?” Liza asked in a low voice.
    The Princess’s eyes gleamed. “And under my mother’s roof! If Mama found out…she’s quite unforgiving about other people’s lapses. Perhaps this is my trump card against him. Brava, Liza!” Standing up, she shoved the piano stool across the parquet floor. “Should I tell Lehzen? Perhaps she already knows.” She began pacing around the music room, rubbing her palms together.
    Liza felt as though she was looking on the scene from a great distance. She saw a tiny girl in a pink dress thinking ugly thoughts. The Princess had not given Annie’s predicament a second’s worth of consideration before she began to think of herself. Liza was ashamed for her. And frightened for herself.
    “What about Annie?” Liza asked abruptly. “Have you forgotten her?”
    “Oh, yes, of course.” The Princess stopped her pacing. “Finish the letter, Liza.”
    Liza took the letter closer to a lamp. “She says ‘I was let go without a reference and cannot find decent work. I have no money and am in desperate straits.’” Liza grew cold. She had reached thebottom of the page and turned it on its side to read the rest. “Annie describes how much everything costs. Then she says ‘Please send money.’”
    “She wants money!” The Princess sounded more annoyed than surprised. “She knows I don’t have any. My pocket money is only a few pounds a month.”
    Liza was still staring at the letter. “It’s well written,” she said slowly. “I didn’t realize Annie was educated.”
    The Princess was still brooding on her iniquitous allowance. Absently, she said, “Of course she was, Liza. Her father was a clerk. Lehzen won’t allow just anyone to associate with me.”
    Not quite a gentleman’s daughter, but not working class either.
    “Will you help her?” Liza asked.
    “I would hate to think you are deaf, Liza. I don’t have any money to send.” But the Princess wouldn’t meet Liza’s gaze.
    “But she’s desperate.” Her recent personal experience gave Liza’s words passion. “You don’t know what it is to worry where you’re going to sleep and how you will eat.”
    “Liza!” The Princess reminded Liza of their relative ranks with a word.
    Bowing her head to hide her angry face, Liza said, “Your Highness, I forgot myself.”
    “It would seem so.” Their positions reestablished, the Princess’s mood softened. “Do you really think her need is dire?”
    “Does she have any family?” Liza asked “She’s an orphan, like you.”
    Liza rubbed her hands together; they were suddenly cold. “Without a reference, she’ll go through her savings. She’ll end up on the street.” She recoiled from thoughts of what might happen on the street.
    The Princess pulled out her little notebook of accounts. “I do have a few pounds put away for charity. I could give that to her.” She looked at Liza for approval, pleased she had come up with a solution.
    “That would be exceedingly generous, Your Highness.”
    “Can you get it to her? Perhaps when you go to town on my other errand.”
    “I’ll need permission to leave for the entire day.”
    “Go tomorrow. The King has sent us an invitation to court that not even my mother can refuse. You won’t be needed. Can you find her?”
    Thinking of Inside Boy’s dirty face, Liza said, “We’ve a mutual acquaintance. He’ll find Annie for me.”
    “Hand the money to her personally,” the Princess said. “Sir John has taught me not to trust anyone.”
    I daresay he has.

9
In Which Liza Goes Outside with Inside Boy

    The next morning the entire household ran about frantically preparing for the Princess to visit the King’s court. Liza arrived at the covered porch, panting, carrying the Princess’s warmest cloak. Sir John handed the Duchess into her waiting carriage. The Princess’s face glowed with the excitement of having somewhere to go. As was her habit, the Baroness was scowling.
    “Liza,