Just as I saw Louis smirk, the garden boy Jacques and a tiny thing dressed as a housemaid burst into the room. I sat up from where I had been peering through the hole in the floor, my eyes wide and my cheeks flushed.

“I found a turtledove, Miss.” Jacques said with disdain in his voice.

“What did she take?” I asked.

“Plenty of the jewelry from the Ladies’ rooms and she was nickin’ some of the fine silverware when I caught her.”

I saw the girl’s face, perfectly masked. I respected that. I couldn’t have told you if she was afraid or shameful; she appeared completely distant. Her hair was red-like mine, and her skin was fair; not like most of the southern people around. We were even about the same size.

“Look at me.” I told her. She refused to look. “Look at me.” I said again and got up, stepping closer to her. When greeted with her gaze, I gasped. Her eyes were blue! The facial resemblance between us was small, but that would do. She could always keep her head down in any case.

“Leave her to me Jacques.”