May 2012
Megan was a rather non-descript dark brown haired little girl of 7 years old, but she had amazing, sparkling green-flecked eyes. She had a smile for everyone and a delightful laugh when amused.
This little miss was always around, not getting in anyone's way, often curled up near the fire in the servants' hall, or seen running about the corridors of the vast servants' area. She didn't have a specific job, she wasn't one of the servants of the Palace, but sometimes she did help out with minor tasks for the cook or the housekeeper. She was just part of the family downstairs and had been around for as long as most people could remember. Everyone accepted her, but no-one seemed to know who she really belonged to. No-one ever questioned her right to be there. No-one ever thought that she wouldn't be there, that her life might change.
But change it did . . . and quite abruptly.
It had happened one cold, wet and blustery November morning. There had been no chance to go out into the gardens or park. Megan had crept up the stairs, through the baize door and along the many corridors to the palace library. She had known that there were no visitors at that time and the family were away, the servants had finished their chores and were back downstairs. She would be safe. It hadn't been the first time she had done this. She loved the large library with its walls covered with books of every description.
She had crept into the library, scoured the lower shelves around the room, and chosen her book. That day it had been an atlas.
She had carried it to the window seat where she had curled up so she was mostly hidden by the vast drapes. She loved reading about faraway places, finding them on maps and imagining herself sailing towards them on a fully-rigged ship, sometimes as a cabin boy, sometimes as a fine lady. She loved to let her imagination take flight.
She had been totally engrossed, when a sound had suddenly broken into her fantasy.
Someone had turned the knob of the door to the library. She had instinctively curled up tighter so she was completely hidden behind the drapes. No-one could have seen her unless they had come right up to the window.
She thought it must be one of the servants who had come in to check something. If so and they found her, she would have been fine, she would have been able to creep back downstairs. It was unlikely they would tell anyone, they might have teased her a little but nothing more. Megan had held her breath, determined not to make a sound, not to give anyone a clue that she was there. If it was a servant they wouldn't be long.
Suddenly she heard voices, men's voices. Who could it be? She had peeped cautiously round the edge of the curtain. She saw two gentlemen wandering around the room, glancing up at the bookshelves. They both had a glass in their hands. Eventually they had both sat in the large leather chairs near the fire. Megan had realised she was stuck on her window seat, they looked as if they were settled for some time, they couldn't see her, but would she be able to remain silent for any length of time?
As the time passed she had felt drowsy and her eyelids drooped. Before long she had fallen asleep.
It was the exclamation of, 'Who the devil?' that had broken into her dream. Megan had woken with a start and seen two faces staring at her. She had realised that the atlas was on the floor. Had she dropped it? Was that what had given away her hiding place?
Next there had been four faces staring at her. Mrs Brandish, the housekeeper and Metcalfe, the butler, had joined the two gentlemen.
Once again the exclamation of, 'Who the devil is this?' had broken the silence in the room.
'It's just Megan.' Metcalfe had stated.
'Megan who?'
As this was said Mrs Brandish had quickly hustled Megan out of the room and whispered to a maid, 'Get her downstairs.'
It had been quite some time before Mrs. Brandish had returned to the servants' hall, where she had explained to everyone that she had told Prince Rudolph about the young woman they had found in the gardens during that snow blizzard 7 years ago. How she had died in child birth and they had buried her in the graveyard around the Palace Chapel, because they had not known who she was or where she had come from. How they had kept Megan and looked after her since.
When Megan heard this story she had kept very quiet and hidden away in a corner. She had felt a tension that had never been there before.
The next morning Mrs Brandish had been told to take Megan back to the library. As Prince Rudolph had looked at the child he had an uncomfortable feeling. Those green-flecked eyes watching him brought back a memory of his late Grandmother staring at him.
His Grandparents had always lived in the Palace in the Capital. His parents and he had spent most of the time at this Palace in the country. His parents had died during the years he had been away. His Grandfather, the King, had sent him abroad to be educated in Diplomatic circles.
Prince Rudolph suddenly remembered that last summer he had spent in the country nearly eight years age. Whilst out riding in the countryside he had met a young lady several times. They had enjoyed each other's company and had finally become intimate.
Rudolph had once again felt that uncanny feeling as he had looked at the child in front of him. Could it be possible?
He had turned to Mrs. Brandish and had asked, 'Anything else you know?'
She had pulled her hand from her pocket and handed him a locket. She stated that the young woman had given it to her that night, when she had realised that she was dying.
Rudolph had taken the locket and looked at it. He recognised the two letters, both R's linked with each other. He had given the locket to Rebecca on their last day together. He then realised the child was his.
A week later and Megan's life had changed completely. She had been moved to a large, highly-decorated bedroom upstairs in the Palace. A dressmaker had been and made her a wardrobe of beautiful clothes. She had a maid to help her and a governess to teach her. She had all the luxuries she could want but not the freedom she used to have. The servants noticed that she rarely smiled and they hadn't heard her laugh since that day.
Megan had found her rightful place as part of the Royal Family, but she had lost her sparkle.