Doctor Who_ Empire of Death - BBC Worldwide [14]
'Now, do you know what to say?' she hissed at him. They were waiting in an antechamber to see the Queen, unobserved and alone for the first time since entering the grounds of Windsor Castle.
'That I have a message from her beloved.'
'Exactly. But to deliver that message –‘
’I will have to hold a séance.' James glared at the woman, annoyance visible in his dark eyes. 'We've been over this a dozen times -'
‘And we'll keep going over it until you remember properly.
To deliver that message it would be best to stage a séance, perhaps in the place she feels closest to her beloved!
'Yes, yes,' he said impatiently.
'Good. And what else?'
James rolled his eyes but still cowered when the Baroness began drawing back her cane, as if to strike him again. 'Don't mention money.'
Luckner smiled, an action unfamiliar to her harsh, unforgiving face. She was clad all in black as an apparent mark of respect for the Queen's state of mourning. Her greying hair was pulled back into a bun, emphasising the severity of her features. For now, the Baroness could control her ward. She knew such circumstances would not last much longer. That was why she had pushed for the royal audience now.
The doors to the Queen's office swung open, revealing Sir Henry Ponsonby inside. `Her Majesty will see you now.'
The Baroness bobbed her head in thanks before walking forwards, leaning heavily on the cane. The Queen's private office was a large chamber, exquisitely decorated and adorned with fine paintings and statues. Light flooded in from arched windows, helping to illuminate the high ceilings.
Servants remained beside each doorway while two ladies-in-waiting flanked the Queen. Victoria was seated behind an ornate table, its surface cluttered with papers, ink pots containing liquids of different hues, and other paraphernalia.
But the most imposing and compelling aspect of the room was its owner.
The Queen was bent intently over a letter, her chubby fingers clutching a dull-nibbed pen as she scrawled in a spidery hand. Her hair was hidden by a black silk bonnet, just an edging of white providing any contrast. Her pale face was round, almost heart-shaped, with little of the rouge fashionable in some circles. Her figure was swathed in more black, sleeves extending down to her wrists.
Finally, Victoria looked up and regarded the two visitors.
Her features betrayed little. Indeed, she seemed to be holding herself in check, as if waging some inner battle with her own emotions. `So,' she began and then said nothing for fully a minute. 'You have come, as we requested. Thank you.'
Luckner had happily taken her ward round most of the royal courts in Europe but here she felt ill at ease. Partly this was caused by the flutter of fear in her stomach, but another factor was the overpowering stench of mothballs in the room.
The Baroness knew her host was not yet fifty, but the odour hanging in the chamber spoke of a life already locked away from open air. Finally, the Baroness broke the silence, bobbing in a slight curtsy as she spoke. It was our pleasure, ma'am. Indeed, we felt it was our duty.'
'Quite.' The Queen swallowed heavily, then took a sip of water from a crystal tumbler. One of her ladies-in-waiting refilled the glass from a matching decanter before stepping back into place behind the monarch. 'We understand you have a message.'
'Indeed, ma'am.' The Baroness indicated James at her side. 'My young ward is a gifted medium. Many times he I has communicated with the spirit world on behalf of kings, queens and -'
`Yes, yes, we know all this,' the Queen interrupted testily.
What is the message?'
Luckner began protesting as best she