Scarborough Fair and Other Stories by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough Page A

Babette said, frowning. “He’s taking responsibility for my current—condition, and offers to give me back my figure if I pass three of HIS tests. It requires me to travel incognito, I’m afraid. You’ll have to change clothes with me.”
    â€œ
How
incognito?” the chambermaid asked. “You may need to travel in something a little rougher than the gown I’m wearing. It used to be yours remember?”
    Babette eyed the pink samite gown with the little ruby insets thoughtfully. “You might have a point there. If you would be so kind as to go to the kitchen and fetch the cook. Her gown should fit me. And I will need some food for the journey as well.”
    The chambermaid rolled her eyes, as if her plump princess
would
be thinking of food and cooks even at such a time, but obeyed. The cook took a long time coming and when she came, it was with a gown over her arm as well as her own.
    Babette cocked an eyebrow and the cook said, “I brought you me other gown, ‘ighness. It wouldn’t do, me cookin’ in your finery, and it’ll bring a good price at the market if I don’t get it all stained with grease and such. That silky stuff stains right through the apron, it does. So you can ‘ave this ‘un and I’ll keep yours nice and clean. Might be I can wear it to me daughter’s wedding before I sells it.”
    Babette nodded, thanked her, slipped out of her dress and handed it over. When the cook departed, the chambermaid tried to help her mistress on with the old roughly woven brown garment, splattered with gravy stains across the bosom. Babette shook her head. “I’ll have to get used to dressing and undressing myself if I’m going to be incognito.”The princess was appalled to find that the cook’s frock fit her perfectly, and without too much room to spare. The cook had always been the largest woman in the palace.
    The chambermaid clucked her tongue, “I wish your Highness could find it in you to go incognito with two or three of the palace guard anyway. It’s as much as my job’s worth to let you go haring off like this.”
    Babette spoke with the haughtiness of her thinner days, “You forget your place, Madeline. I am still the princess, gravy stained gown or no, and you are still the chambermaid. You have no authority to stop me. Besides, I very much doubt anyone will notice, or care all that much.” She added with a tear of self-pity rolling down her cheek and chins.
    Rather to her surprise, Madeline patted her hand consolingly. “Here now, ducks, I mean, Your Highness, don’t take on so. That’s not true, though you may think so. Your people will come around once they gets used to you. Same thing happened to my sister Sophie after the twins was born. She was afraid her man was going to leave her but he got used to her, didn’t he? Now he just says there’s more of her to love and meanwhile Soph’s had our Wat and our Alice born, hasn’t she?”
    â€œKind of you to say so, Madeline,” Babette said, though actually it didn’t give her, still a virgin, much comfort to think that she had the same weight problem as a mother of at least four.
    â€œHere’s your food now, ma’am. But cook says as how if you should come back after supper, she’ll leave the makings of a cold meal for me to fetch for you in the kitchen.”
    â€œYou and cook are both very thoughtful, Madeline,” Babette said. She had never noticed that before but then, servants were expected to be thoughtful, weren’t they? It was their job. “I’ll just be off now.”
    â€œAren’t you going to take off your crown and bind you your hair, ma’am?” Madeline asked. “I mean, if you want to disguise yourself as a common woman. Just a suggestion.”
    â€œOh, silly me,” Babette said. “Of course, and put the crown in her jewelry box and allowed