"I do agree that as ladies we should all stand together for important matters, but I have been told by my father that there have been a few ladies questioning what has been the norm in this town. I do not think our duties are quite difficult," said Selina.
Selina saw life for ladies to be quite easy compared to men. All that was asked of ladies was to know basic talents and give their husbands the heirs they desired. Men went out to war and did other dangerous things. It was quite balanced.
"We might not be educated the same way men are, but in time we learn what men speak about," Selina said.
Selina found what men spoke of to be boring.
Hazel smiled since Selina was still quite too young to understand it. "They are not all difficult, but we are limited to them. In time, you will understand the need to have an equal voice or to be educated like your male peers."
Hazel looked around the table and said, "Right now, there is pressure on all of you from your families to find a good husband. Some of you will find a husband by falling in love, while others will do it based on status. I am not judging the latter."
Hazel understood well the importance of a lady having security for the future. Not only for herself, but for her future children.
"Think of that pressure. How does it feel?" Hazel asked.
"Sometimes it is too much," Amelia confessed, but bit her lip since she regretted it. What if her mother were to hear of this?
"It is fine to be honest. When you marry, you are seen as your husband’s property. Their mothers will use this to treat you as they please. Wanting to be a good wife, you will endure. Remember that pressure to find a husband? It shall triple when your husband speaks of a baby," said Hazel.
Hazel continued, "You will do everything you can. Every request, every concoction, and every belief that they have come up with to have a child. Should you fail to do the most important thing this town thinks a woman is worth, you will panic. You will cry and feel like you are nothing."
Hazel remembered her thoughts of picking a mistress for her husband. Luckily, she did not have to go through with it.
"What are you worth if you cannot give your husband a child? No one stops to consider that your husband has some fault in it. Many will speak down on you, pity you, and speak of your marriage ending. It is there that women should stick together," said Hazel.
Hazel looked at Selina. "This can happen to any one of us. I have been doing my best as your queen for a woman’s worth to not be what old men who are long dead make it out to be. Standing together doesn’t mean wanting to be in conversations men have. It is just standing together."
It disappointed Hazel to overhear women insulting each other.
There were things Hazel said in the past that she wished she could take back, but since she couldn’t fix the past, she was trying to help the younger ladies make a change.
"I understand now," Selina said, apologetic.
"Good. I have been at this table quite long, so excuse me while I speak to the other ladies," Hazel said as she stood up.
All the ladies stood up to send Hazel off and then sat back down while she was gone.
Penelope’s attention was on the tea and cakes before her on the table.
"Penelope," Amelia started again.
"What are you doing? The queen is no longer among us, so you don’t need to keep up this act," Penelope said, suspicious of Amelia’s behaviour. "Who are you trying to look good for here?"
In Penelope’s eyes, there wasn’t anyone at the table whom Amelia needed to impress.
"I am curious as well," said Lily.
Amelia smiled, her jaw still aching. "I was genuine when I spoke of starting over as friends. I truly want to apologise for all that I have done to you."
"Is that so?" Penelope replied, setting her teacup down. "Then, list what it is that you are apologising for."
"What?" Amelia replied, puzzled as to why she needed to go so far.
"I might have placed the blame for what others did on you, and if it is so, I am willing to apologise as well. For us to be friends, all that has been said and done needs to be addressed," Penelope said, laying out the terms.
"Lady Penelope, isn’t that a bit-"
"I am not the one who brought this up. Since you deemed this to be good timing and the queen is no longer here, let us speak honestly. You will have witnesses that you spoke honestly, I will follow suit, and then we will move on," Penelope said.
Since Amelia started this, Penelope was going to see to it that Amelia finished it.
"I will admit that I have spoken about how surprising it was that you ran away with the prince, but that is all. Like any other lady, I was also worried that a child might be the cause of the rushed wedding. I am sorry for what I said," Amelia apologised.
Amelia wasn’t going to apologise for what else she said since Penelope couldn’t prove it. The ladies would be more loyal to Amelia since she was close to them, unlike Penelope, who stayed at a distance.
"We both know that is not all you’ve done. You’re almost quite good at throwing stones and hiding your hands. You feed gossip to the ladies around you, and they pass it on. Eventually, it becomes too tangled up to remember where it started," Penelope said, unravelling how it was done.
Amelia looked at the other ladies who would be on her side. "That is quite the imagination you have, princess. If you speak to the other ladies, they will share that I have said good things about you. The ladies said you were cold, but I spoke kindly of you."
Penelope smiled. "This might work on others, but I shall not fall for it. As I said earlier, all ladies in town do not need to be friends, but I am all for moving forward where we don’t speak of each other or to each other."
"Lady Penelope," Selina spoke up. "I can say honestly that I have witnessed Amelia speak kindly of you. She is not the only one who had questions about your marriage, and while she might have judged you unfairly then, she is still worthy of a second chance."
Selina continued to say, "Given the relationship I have with your family, you can trust my words."
"Oh!" Penelope and Lily said in unison, but it was Penelope who asked, "What relationship do you have with us?"