Chapter 198: You Know What To Do
Welma stood inconspicuously by the side of the podium that held the crown prince and the Queen. She stood closer to the side of the Queen and her ladies than to the guards. Welma watched as people walked up to the Queen and paid their respects while Welma stood toward the back, so as not to be noticed.
She had come to the ball as soon as she was done with Rose, following the servants, she had reached the ball before the Queen and waited. She needed to inform them that the attempt to ruin Rose’s dress had failed, as the seamstress had noticed.
However, she was worried that this would only put the second plan into motion. But keeping Rose out of the ball was completely out of the question. Bailey would suffer dearly at the hands of the crown prince if it were found out that she didn’t make the dress on time.
Besides Rose coming to the party, Welma had other worrisome things on her mind. She had helped dress Rose and had clearly seen her dress. Now, as she stood beside the Queen, she could tell that it was an identical dress.
Maybe not identical, but the same fabric. Welma was mortified and scared. There was no way this was a coincidence. She hadn’t really spent much time in the Queen’s room except to report on Rose, so she had no idea what the dress would be. But Welma was certain that the Queen’s dress was ready days before the ball—she wouldn’t have wanted anything less.
Rose’s dress wasn’t cut for sewing until lunch the day before. How the seamstress had made it in such a short time was a wonder. Welma didn’t know much about the fabric she had chosen for the ball, but she knew the crown prince had something to do with it, as Mister Henry had been acting on his orders.
Was this deliberate or happenstance? The Queen already hated Rose enough to want her dead. To find out she was wearing the same dress as a peasant—Welma felt her heart sink to her stomach. Why was she in the middle of all this?
"Hey," she heard one of the ladies call to her. The remaining two were still up with the Queen, while she was on the ground beside Welma, trying to draw as little attention as possible.
She started to walk from the podium and toward the corners. Welma followed after her, her back to the ball. She would have to check for Rose later. She had to remain out of sight—the Queen must not see her. It was better if she heard about it after the ball was over than to see Rose herself.
They soon reached the corner, a little bit away from the hall. It wasn’t dark, as the light from the hall was more than enough.