Anya was still coming to terms with the fact Lady Theresa had decided to keep her in close proximity during the celebration.

Anya felt deeply uncomfortable with the idea and worse at the understanding that it would be to her advantage to be near.  She might even find her opportunity, which comforted her in the most terrible way.

She was brought out of her uneasy musings by Lady Theresa's voice.  "Anya, could you please fetch tea for myself and Lady Daphne?"

"Of course, my lady," Anya said and she rushed from the room, glad to have an excuse to get away.  She made her way down to the kitchen.

"I can't take it anymore!" she heard Ildri's cry before she even opened the door.

Anya tentatively pushed open the heavy wood, to discover utter chaos inside.  There were dishes strewn about, ingredients all over the counters and flour spilled from one end of the floor to the other.

Even the good natured chef looked like she was having difficulty maintaining her calm.  Matt, the kitchen boy, was beginning to sweep the corner while simultaneously attempting to sink into the shadows.

There were four of the temporary kitchen staff in the middle of everything, looking perplexed at Ildri's outburst and unsure what to do next.

"I really can't take this!  I'm going to go mad from all this!" she wailed.

Missus Allendale noticed Anya over the ensuing confusion.  "Can I help you, Anya?"

Anya shrugged apologetically.  "Could I get tea for Lady Theresa and Lady Daphne?"

"Of course.  Millicent, fetch some tea and goodies for the ladies.  Ralph and Mort, grab brooms from the closet and help Matt.  William, go back to what you were doing.  Ildri, calm down."

There was a chorus of yeses and everyone hurried to do what Missus Allendale had ordered.

Missus Allendale made her way over to where Anya was standing awkwardly.  "You'll have to forgive this mess.  Everyone here is feeling a little on edge now that the hour is nearly upon us."

"I think the whole castle feels that way."

Missus Allendale smiled grimly.  "We all look forward to the return of normalcy."

"I look forward to experiencing such normalcy," Anya agreed, although nothing would ever be truly normal for her, barring some miracle.

"It's ready, Missus Allendale," said the woman who had to be Millicent.

"Ildri!  Come and take this back with Anya."  The chef said in an undertone to Anya.  "Please try to calm her down if you can.  She's frustrated with the extra bodies in the way and Mort knocking over her baking rather finished her."

Anya nodded with a small smile.  Ildri came and took the serving tray.

"I can carry that," Anya said.

"It's better if I do," Ildri said, her voice still strained.  "If Missus White sees me out of the kitchen without it, she'll probably nail me to the servant's exit as an example for the next person who steps out of line."

"Has she been that bad?" Anya asked.

"She's been a true demon. You're lucky that you don't know about it personally.  She's on a rampage, and it doesn't help that we have so much to do now that the pressure is on."

"Only a few more days," Anya pointed out soothingly.

"True, and that's a good thing.  Don't worry, though.  This is usually a great place to work if you don't include the housekeeper.  She is very predictable though and you can usually avoid her more common routes once you learn her routines.  Unfortunately right now everything is out of whack, though."

Anya doubted that she would be in the castle long enough for it to matter, but she nodded and tried to look as if she found the advice extremely helpful for the future.  She thought it might be time to change the subject.  "Are you still excited about the wedding?" she asked.

It was the right question.  Ildri lit up like a candle.  "I am so excited!  I'm going to have a great time.  Even better, Saul asked me if I was going.  Do you know Saul?"

"I'm afraid not," Anya said.

Ildri was not deterred.  "Saul works the stables.  He's a couple of years older than me, and he is really handsome!  Dark hair, strong jaw, muscular.  I really am dying to dance with him.  I need to look my best.  Oh!  You're a wizardress, right?  At hair and such?"

"I am," Anya agreed, knowing immediately where it was leading.

"You use magic to do hair, right?  I know you'll be doing Lady Theresa's, but do you think you'd have enough left over to do mine too?" she asked hopefully.

Holding hair was a simple spell to cast and ridiculously easy to maintain, Anya had discovered in her time here already.  She had no reason to not say yes.  Truly, she was happy that she could help Ildri.  Perhaps the small good things she might do could stack up to make up for the terrible thing she would do.

She knew that no amount of good things could ever truly make up for it, but maybe she could offset the ill slightly.

"I'll do it for you.  I'll come see you when the supper is over."

"Thanks Anya!" Ildri said happily.  They had arrived at the door to Lady Theresa's salon.  "I'll give this to you.  See you later," Ildri said and she walked back in the direction of the kitchen.

Anya pushed open the door with her back as she balanced the tray in front of her.  She took the tray over to the small table between the two women and set it down.

"Thank you, Anya," Lady Theresa said absently.  She turned to her sister.  "I feel so nervous.  Did you feel anxious before you got married?"

Anya moved behind the ladies to be ready to take the dishes when they finished.

"No.  Well, I was terribly worried about you falling back into Aunt Francine's control, but I was not worried in the slightest about marrying my husband," said Lady Daphne cheerfully as she reached for a tart.

Theresa shot her sister an exasperated look.  "I wanted to hear that it was perfectly normal to feel nervous."

"I didn't say it wasn't normal to feel nervous, I said I didn't feel nervous," Daphne repeated.  "Knowing you, you're probably tying yourself up into knots worrying about terrible things that won't happen anyway."

"Maybe you're right.  But I can't get rid of this feeling that something very wrong will occur."

Anya felt the typical guilt rise up inside her at the lady's words.  Lady Theresa was right about something wrong happening in her future.  If only there was another way.

Nothing in Anya's experience made that seem likely.  Things were hard and then they only got worse.

"You left that drill sergeant Missus White in charge.  Things would not dare go wrong," Lady Daphne quipped.

Lady Theresa laughed a bit.  Lady Daphne continued, "Our lives haven't been that happy, so you're probably just not used to it.  You're mad for Lord Wildwood, aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious?" Lady Theresa said, and laughed because she clearly knew that it was.  Even Anya had instantly seen it.

"Yes.  I knew before you did, of course."

"You did not!"

"I did so.  You're a smart enough when it comes to being clever and all that, but you're block headed when it comes to feelings.  Lord Wildwood is almost as bad as you are.  It's a wonder that you two ever managed to get to the point where you would even have a wedding."

"Daphne!" Lady Theresa frowned at her sister.

"It's true, and it was excruciating to watch.  I'm glad that nonsense is over.  Thomas and I are much more sensible than all that," Daphne said with a smug little smile.

"Now I know you're lying.  There is no way you are more sensible than me!" Theresa said emphatically.

Daphne smiled triumphantly.  "It wasn't me who ran away from the person I wanted to be with."

"I didn't run away.  I went to attend urgent affairs at my property," she protested.

"So urgent you still haven't made it there yet?"

"Stop it, Daphne.  Things came up."  Theresa scowled at her sister.  "Just drink your tea."

Daphne's body shook with suppressed laughter.  Anya felt strange as she watched the two sisters bicker.  They had a different relationship than she and Kallie did, but there was no doubt that the two held each other in as much affection as Anya did her sister.

Anya did not want to like them, and she did not want to know them.  Anya had not wanted to think of any of them as human beings, yet she kept getting sucked into their lives.  They were being far too kind to completely resist, and it complicated things.

Anya wanted to run away from the situation, but she had to wait for the tea tray.

She wished that her sister and brothers could be there with her.  But, Gage was gone forever, and Damani and Kallie might be as well if she did not succeed.

When the ladies had finished their tea, Anya took the tray and carried it back to the kitchen.