At the ball, as soon as the king departed with his queen, the dance continued, but murmurs and whispers filled the air. Among the attendees were Mrs. Sophia's daughters, seated and gazing at the departing king and queen, ignoring their mother's penetrating stare.
"Dear Mother," Hyacinth began, "did you know the king is this young and handsome?"
Their mother rolled her eyes and took a sip of the rich wine in an exquisite glass she wished she could afford. In this moment, she longed to shatter the glass into pieces. In just one day, Madeline's life, and even that of her fellow woman, Catherine, has change for the better: fine wine, luxurious food, elegant clothing, and entry into a wealthy society far from the village.
