Lucia scoffed. She had never met a woman quite like Leila. Or more accurately, she had been surrounded by men for most of her adult life. She was surprised that such savage words could come from such a delicate-looking lady. She could definitely tell that Leila was related to Keitel. That icy temperament seemed to run in the family. Only, Laurence seemed to be different from his siblings.
Lucia leaned back in her chair. She looked at the spread she had prepared. Leila had barely finished her tea. The interaction had not gone to plan. But it did explain a lot. This was why Mary and the other servants around the palace were so cold. It seemed everyone had a poor impression of her.
Lucia decided the ladies tea party would be the first step to remedy this. Over the next week, Lucia worked tirelessly to arrange the party. In truth, she needed something to occupy herself. It was the only way to combat the feeling of powerlessness she felt.
