“Huh. Must have been a breeze or something.” The room is the same shape and size as the one I use. The only difference is a desk shoved in by the window and a razor, soap, and towel scattered across the vanity. And it smells faintly of citrus, just like he does. “Look at this. His furniture is the same as mine.”
She runs her hand across the back of a chair. “We'll need a few chairs. He has a desk in here which I wasn't suspecting. Perhaps we should get two for him. One for the study and one for in here. Two beds as well, I should think. You'll need the extra space when you're wed.”
My cheeks heat. I want to be anywhere but here. “I suppose.” I scramble for the door. “We should go through the house for some furniture.”
We exit, making sure to leave everything as we found it. Starting from Chancellor Zade's side of the house, we work our way through the rooms. The top floor holds nothing useful for Zade, but plenty of space for guests during the ball. If I find any guests I'd rather be near, I'll put them here. Father will be on the ground floor.
On the next floor, we stop when we find a grand suite. An entry with a few chairs and a sofa leads to two private chambers off to the sides, each with their own receiving rooms, wash rooms, water closets, bath-rooms, and bedrooms connected by a door. I've never seen a personal bath-room before.
The rooms are richly dressed with colors, fabrics, and paintings. When we come to a chamber containing dresses, face paint, and a canopy bed, a thin layer of dust covers everything.
“This must have been Chancellor Jacob's wife's.” Though it's bigger than I expected the woman's side to be. I remember the picture I saw of her. “Do you know what her name was?”
“I don't.” She runs her fingers across a book shelf, three rows deep of books, and there are still more on the floor. “Maybe Chancellor Jacob kept some of his books in her room? It's rather strange though.”
“No stranger than Chancellor Zade.”
“That's true.” She bounces on her toes and moves to the vanity. “She has lots of face paint. More than even mother. I didn't know any woman could beat her with that.”
“She didn't have much on in the painting I saw of her downstairs.”
The Woman's Canon lies on the bed stand. Next to it is an unlabeled book and a strange looking pen. No ink pot around. Why would a woman have a pen in her room? We can't use them. But what would it be like if I could?
I bite my lip and stare at the pen a moment before picking it up. It's light between my fingers. It's metal feels cool even through my gloves. I glance at the unmarked book. My pulse increases. I've not ventured into the book room again, but I've read the book I stole until I've memorized it. I'd really like another.
With my free hand, I grab the new book. Is it some sort of extension to the Woman's Canon? I've never heard of one. But what else would she be permitted to keep in her room? She did have a pen here as well so perhaps it's something different. I want it to be something different. With a peek to make sure Cynthia isn't watching, I flip the cover open.
To my dearest Julia,
I give you this gift with the hopes it will help heal your heartache. No matter what they say, you are the perfect woman for me.
Faithfully Yours,
Jacob
Not related to the Woman's Canon. My fingers shake as I trace the words and read it again. It stirs something within me. Something deep and abiding. I turn the page. Inside it's lined and filled with a flowing script. Did she write this herself? I know how to read, but I've never written anything. I sit on the bed as I read of her heartache over not having children and her love for her husband.
“What's that?”
I snap the book closed and throw it on the table. How could I be so careless? “The usual.”
“I thought you hated reading the Woman's Canon.” Cynthia heads for the door. I sigh, grateful she didn't realize it was something different. “There's nothing here that will work.”
It takes me a moment to remember what she's speaking of. I don't feel like searching the house more, instead I want to read more of Julia's words. When Cynthia's out of view, I grab the book and hide it in my blouse, thankful I'm wearing a loose one today.
I glance down. A little squarish around my stomach, but hopefully she won't notice. I think of a way to get this hidden in my room and follow her out.
“Maybe we should go order things,” I say. “Even if we find something large enough, he really could use more than that.”
“I'm sure if we keep looking, we'll find something here though.”
“What if we ordered the things and looked when we returned? That way, the furniture would be on its way sooner, but if there's something, he'd be able to use it in the meantime.”
“Can we take the carriage into town today?”
“You're asking if we can go without a chaperon?”