unlatching it, a maid appeared to unpack for her.
âOh, thatâs all right,â Maisie said. âI can do it.â
She glanced around, and not finding what she needed, asked shyly, âBut if you could point me to the ladiesâ room?â
âOf course, of course,â the maid said, and bustled Maisie through a door and into an adjacent bathroom.
When Maisie went back into the bedroom, she found the maid fussing with her clothes after all.
âShall I prepare your clothes for this evening?â she asked.
âSure,â Maisie said, amused that someone was taking these old clothes so seriously.
The maid gathered a velvet gown and the tiara in her arms, and promised to return to dress Maisie.
âIn the meantime,â she said, âyou should get dressed and meet the others downstairs for the blessing of the house.â
Maisie combed her hair, trying to tame it as best she could before going downstairs. She paused on her way at a door that was ajar, revealing several rooms all done in mauve-and-pink chintz. Outside the windows, Maisie saw the ocean and snowcapped mountains.
âStunning, isnât it?â a man dressed in military clothing asked, startling her.
âOh!â Maisie said, letting out a little squeal.
The man smiled beneath his big droopy mustache.
âHave you been to this part of the world before?â he asked her.
Maisie shook her head no.
âUnspoiled land,â he said, his voice dreamy. âItâs been the summer residence for the royal family since the 1860s. But this palace is new, of course.â
âItâs beautiful,â Maisie said.
âConstruction took seventeen months, so you can imagine how exciting it is to have it finished at last. And in time for Olgaâs sixteenth birthday in November, too.â
He pulled the door shut and offered his elbow to Maisie.
âShall we?â he asked.
She felt very grown up and special entering the main rooms below on the arm of this gentle, dashing soldier, dressed in a soft white gown with an empire waist and a satin sash. Maisie hoped that somehow Felix had found his way here and would be downstairs, too.
Everyoneâs attention was on a group of priests assembling in the dining room. Dressed all in black, with gold cloths over their tunics, very long beards, and very tall hats, the priests stood two by two with the oldest alone at the front. They each held large gold cylinders with holes in them, and even larger crosses. One of the priests set about lighting the incense inside the cylinders, and very quickly the room filled with pungent smoke.
The priests began to sway, swinging the incense back and forth as the leader chanted prayers.
As the priests moved from room to room, leaving a trail of scented smoke behind them, all the guests followed. Maisie kept an eye out for Felix, and for any of the royal family. But the crowd was big enough, and the smoke thick enough, that it was difficult for her to see everyone.
The priests blessed every single room. All one hundred and sixteen.
Maisie thought she might scream with boredom after a while, and as soon as she could, she ducked away from the crowd, backtracking to be sure to avoid running into anyone.
She went through the glass doors she had entered earlier that day, and stepped into the rose garden.
As soon as she did, she heard someone whisper to her.
The same girl whoâd been up a tree that afternoon was up another tree here.
âYou do like climbing trees,â Maisie observed.
âI am going to get in so much trouble if they notice Iâve slipped away,â she said gleefully.
âI guess you like getting in trouble, too,â Maisie said.
âI do,â the girl agreed. âIâm the naughty one of OTMA,â she added proudly.
Maisie smiled politely.
OTMA?
she thought. The word must not be Russian, or with the shard on she would have understood its meaning.
âItâs an
âOh, thatâs all right,â Maisie said. âI can do it.â
She glanced around, and not finding what she needed, asked shyly, âBut if you could point me to the ladiesâ room?â
âOf course, of course,â the maid said, and bustled Maisie through a door and into an adjacent bathroom.
When Maisie went back into the bedroom, she found the maid fussing with her clothes after all.
âShall I prepare your clothes for this evening?â she asked.
âSure,â Maisie said, amused that someone was taking these old clothes so seriously.
The maid gathered a velvet gown and the tiara in her arms, and promised to return to dress Maisie.
âIn the meantime,â she said, âyou should get dressed and meet the others downstairs for the blessing of the house.â
Maisie combed her hair, trying to tame it as best she could before going downstairs. She paused on her way at a door that was ajar, revealing several rooms all done in mauve-and-pink chintz. Outside the windows, Maisie saw the ocean and snowcapped mountains.
âStunning, isnât it?â a man dressed in military clothing asked, startling her.
âOh!â Maisie said, letting out a little squeal.
The man smiled beneath his big droopy mustache.
âHave you been to this part of the world before?â he asked her.
Maisie shook her head no.
âUnspoiled land,â he said, his voice dreamy. âItâs been the summer residence for the royal family since the 1860s. But this palace is new, of course.â
âItâs beautiful,â Maisie said.
âConstruction took seventeen months, so you can imagine how exciting it is to have it finished at last. And in time for Olgaâs sixteenth birthday in November, too.â
He pulled the door shut and offered his elbow to Maisie.
âShall we?â he asked.
She felt very grown up and special entering the main rooms below on the arm of this gentle, dashing soldier, dressed in a soft white gown with an empire waist and a satin sash. Maisie hoped that somehow Felix had found his way here and would be downstairs, too.
Everyoneâs attention was on a group of priests assembling in the dining room. Dressed all in black, with gold cloths over their tunics, very long beards, and very tall hats, the priests stood two by two with the oldest alone at the front. They each held large gold cylinders with holes in them, and even larger crosses. One of the priests set about lighting the incense inside the cylinders, and very quickly the room filled with pungent smoke.
The priests began to sway, swinging the incense back and forth as the leader chanted prayers.
As the priests moved from room to room, leaving a trail of scented smoke behind them, all the guests followed. Maisie kept an eye out for Felix, and for any of the royal family. But the crowd was big enough, and the smoke thick enough, that it was difficult for her to see everyone.
The priests blessed every single room. All one hundred and sixteen.
Maisie thought she might scream with boredom after a while, and as soon as she could, she ducked away from the crowd, backtracking to be sure to avoid running into anyone.
She went through the glass doors she had entered earlier that day, and stepped into the rose garden.
As soon as she did, she heard someone whisper to her.
The same girl whoâd been up a tree that afternoon was up another tree here.
âYou do like climbing trees,â Maisie observed.
âI am going to get in so much trouble if they notice Iâve slipped away,â she said gleefully.
âI guess you like getting in trouble, too,â Maisie said.
âI do,â the girl agreed. âIâm the naughty one of OTMA,â she added proudly.
Maisie smiled politely.
OTMA?
she thought. The word must not be Russian, or with the shard on she would have understood its meaning.
âItâs an
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