Finally, the clock struck noon and the whirlwind of guests began to dissipate, Georgia found herself alone in the kitchen with Silviano, the lingering echoes of laughter and music filling the room like echoes of the moments of the entrancing morning caught up in memories. There would be many who might never forget this magical morning of food, drink, and song at the inn.
She headed back to the kitchen to begin the cleanup and start to think about the evening’s meals. There was a mountain of dishes from breakfast that she needed to begin working on before the lunch crowd rolled in later that afternoon. There were also rooms that still needed cleaning. But she would get to that after she spent some time speaking with Silviano.
As she began to round up dishes from each of the tables and brought them in for processing the left-over food that she fed to the wildlife that visited her gardens, Silviano came in and asked, “What are you doing? Don’t do that. I have help coming in today to perform those duties. They should be here any moment now.” She looked at him stunned for a moment but then said, “Help, I can’t afford help, I can’t afford you. How am I to have any hope of keeping this inn open along with the repairs that are sometimes needed?
There are of course my own needs, plus adding on your salary plus paying extra staff?” She brushed away a lock of hair from her face and waited for his response. Silviano responded, his eyes twinkling with an unspoken secret, simply reassured her that he would handle these matters from his own pockets. Her skeptical gaze was met with his unwavering confidence. He responded, “I have absolute trust in both your ability to continue running the inn and manage the expenses of maintaining its needs. You need not worry about these things; I am here to help.”
She began to protest but he quickly replied, “Please my lady, you do not need to concern yourself with taking on that burden.” She sat down on the stool close to the washing area where they cleaned the dishes. She then said, “I haven’t decided to take you on yet, have I? You and that Elysian are pushing me faster than I wish to go.” Silviano did not hesitate to respond, “If that is what you wish my lady, I will leave with the Duchess tomorrow. What message would you like for me to tell your father about his needs?”
She was stung by that, she paused a moment before she responded, “Is he in trouble Silviano?” He came over and sat down with her then and said, “You need to think broader than him, hmm, a little more worldly.” She responded, “Why can’t I get a clear answer from you or Elysian, always vague references?” He responded, “Because in this matter, it is for your father to tell you, not any of us. The most I can say is this is a family matter, not something either Elysian or I can or should interfere in.”
He paused, then continued. “We are trying to assist both of you, not make decisions and not force anything to happen either way.” She thought for a moment. “Okay, let me think it over tonight. I will give you my response in the morning.” He responded, “That should do fine, in the meantime we have a Duchess and her company to prepare for. We will have to rope off part of the common room for safety. Not that I am proposing that we should concern ourselves with the behavior of the locals. But appearances are important in this case.”
She said, “Don’t think the locals will be too happy with it but I can understand the concern and need. The easiest area would be close to the fireplace since that area is already isolated a bit from the rest of the room.” He responded, “I agree, let’s get started. We don’t have to worry about the lunch crowd as the pots are already full of the food to serve for that meal.” She replied, “Okay, I will let you have your way today, especially since the Duchess and her company are already on their way here. But tomorrow will be a new day and with it I will begin to make the decisions concerning this inn.”
Silviano accepted her position, “My lady that is a fair judgement, shall we continue to prepare as there is much to do before this evening and the arrival of our royal guests.” Georgia sat there for a while and stared off into empty air. She then stood up and went out to assist him with preparing the area for the Duchess. She and Silviano carefully re-positioned the tables and chairs and brought in some more from a storage building where extra tables, chairs and other items were stored for special occasions such as wedding celebrations.
Silviano came to her and interrupted her thoughts by saying, “My lady. Why don’t you go take some time for yourself. I have prepared a nice warm bath. Everything is ready for you. I will also leave you a surprise sitting in your room for when you’re done. Call me, once you’re dressed so we can get you ready before our special guest arrive.”
She reluctantly turned with a tear in her eye, “She said, “Thank you Silviano, I will take you up on your offer. I need some alone time.” He smiled, took her hand, and kissed it. She stood up, walked away towards the private bathing area. Then disappeared up the back stairway. She had this private stairway to the bathing area put in some time ago. There was a private hallway that led to her room once you were done bathing.
After climbing the stairs. She turned the knob to the bathing room and had a surprise waiting for her. The room was lit with the warm glow of scented candles. There were bubbles in the steamy bath water and a wonderful scent of rose petals was rising from them. She took off her dirty clothes. Let them stay where they dropped. Stepped up the stairs to the tub. Stepped down and immersed herself in the warm embracing steamy waters of the bath.
The water was full of different oils that both cleaned and softened her skin and her mood. She laid her head back against the slope of the tub, her thoughts began to swirl around to resemble the tendrils of steam rising from the warm waters. Time stretched and danced around her, and her anxieties melted away, leaving her with a newfound sense of courage, determination, and perhaps, a sliver of hope. With that thought she drifted off for a short while.
It didn’t seem that long, but she awoke to a gentle knock on the door. “Georgia, a reminder that you still need to get dressed. We also need to finish getting ready before the evening guest arrive.” She hadn’t realized she had rested that long, and the waters were only a little cooler now. She called out, “I’ll be there soon.”
She finished up by washing and rinsing her hair. Then she stood up, dripping wet stepping out of the tub onto a set of warm towels. They had been set down on a table for her to use and others placed for her to stand on. She noticed a robe hanging on the hook of the door, this was nothing like the simple garb she had owned. She slipped it on and thought, “I can’t remember when I wore something this soft or ornate.
The fabric was as soft as moonlight, and as she slipped it on, she remembered herself as a very young girl, dressed in special clothes her father had gotten her. Somehow, he had found stuff like this for her to use during the playtime sessions.” That sparked the memory that he used to play with me as if we were royals and I was a princess. What a silly man he could be but oh what fond memories they are.” She walked the hall to her bedroom, opened the door to it.
There another surprise waited for her as laid out upon her bed was the most beautiful grand gown she had ever seen. It was made of silk and lace that seemed to belong in dreams rather than in her modest inn. She marveled at the artistry, wondering how Silviano had managed such a feat. She thought, “How could he, where did he get something like this? It couldn’t be the right size. She began to put on the under garments, and slipped on the dress, to her surprise, it fit as if a tailor had made it for her.
She called out, “Silviano, if you are there you can come in now. I need your help on getting this dress finished up on the back.” He, opened the door a crack, and said, “Are you ready for me?” Georgia responded, “Yes, please do come in.” He stepped in and asked her to turn so he could finish tying up the back. After completing that he took the finishing touch, a silken mantle that draped over her shoulders like warm, gentle caresses. Silviano helped her slip her arms through it. It felt soft but warm around the upper part of her body.
He then asked, “Would you sit for me, my lady? I need to prepare your hair. Georgia did so but then
ask, “So you’re a chef, a bard, and now a hairdresser too?” He chuckled, “You’ll find that when working in the royal courts. Having many talents ensures you are well thought of. Of course, it helps that they reciprocate by taking care of you for your knowledge, skills, and service too.”
He worked on her hair and before long, he had arranged it into an elegant up do, intertwining delicate braids adorned with a shimmering hair broach. He held up a mirror for her. He then said look, as he rotated it around for her to let her see the sides and back. He had braided her hair and pinned it with a hair broach that held it all together in the rear. She gasped, “I don’t recognize the person looking back at me in the mirror. I haven’t dressed up like this since my father and I were so much younger.” They were tender memories that Georgia held close to her heart of special times with her father.
She then said, “We used to play like we were both royals at the court.” With that there was a horn that sounded along with the echo of many horses and several carriages. She thought she heard them arriving near the front of the inn. Silviano eyes twinkled as he informed her of the arriving guests, “Our guest is here, will we go and attend them? It’s not good protocol to keep the royals waiting you know.” She responded, “Of course, but how am I to get any work done with all this fancy clothing on?”
Silviano responded, “Ah, the night is full of surprises yet, you’ll see.” He held out his hand in a courtly fashion as if addressing a lady of the court. She accepted his gesture and placed her hand in his and he helped her up. He stepped to the door, opened it and bowed as he extended an arm in the direction of the open door. He said, “After you my lady, I will be right behind you.”