Chapter 10 The Grand Feast When Sarah came home that evening, she was all tired out.
Miss Mention had yelled at her for returning home late from her errands.
She didn't seem to care that the streets were wet and muddy and that it had been hard for Sarah to walk quickly in her worn-out shoes.
The cook was in a bad mood, too, and took it out on Sarah.
May I have something to eat?
Sarah asked shyly, laying the cook's purchases on the table.
Dinner is over and done with, the cook snapped back at her as usual.
Please, Sarah said, I am so hungry.
She kept her voice low because she was afraid it would begin to shake.
There's some bread in the pantry, the cook said, and that's all you get.
Even though the bread was old, hard, and dry, Sarah ate up every bite.
I'm sorry, Melchizedek, she thought, but I won't even have one crumb left over for you tonight.
It was always hard for her to climb the three long flights of stairs leading to the attic, but tonight she was so very tired it seemed as though the stairs would never end.
Several times she had to stop and rest.
When she at last reached the top steps, she saw a glimmer of light coming from under her door.
Ermengarde, she thought.
She was not in the mood for company.
But she told herself that if she lived in a castle and Ermengarde was the lady of another castle coming to visit when she heard the sound of horns beyond the drawbridge, she wouldn't be grumpy and say 'Please, tonight is not a good time'.
No, she would go down to receive her.
Then she would lay a feast in the banquet room and call in minstrels to sing and tell stories.
Well, there was no feast and no minstrels singing and playing, but Princess Sarah was ready to greet Ermengarde when she opened the door.
Used to Melchizedek but still slightly afraid.
Ermengarde was sitting in the center of the bed where he would not be able to jump on her.
Miss Amelia has gone out to spend the night with her old aunt, Ermengarde whispered.
No one else ever checks on us at night, so I could stay here until morning if I wanted to.
Sarah thought, but why would you want to?
Oh, Sarah, you look so tired, Ermengarde said, tired and pale.
I am tired, Sarah said, plopping down onto the lopsided footstool.
At least you're skinny, Ermengarde said with envy.
Sarah felt like shaking Ermengarde and telling her that if she were being starved by Miss Mention, she would be skinny too.
But she bit her tongue.
I was always a thin child, she answered bravely.
Just then, both girls heard a ruckus on the stairs below.
It was Miss Mention's angry voice scolding Becky.
Will she come in here?
Ermengarde whispered, panic-stricken.
I don't think so, Sarah said, but just in case, don't make a sound.
Miss Mention, after all, seldom climbed the last flight of stairs.
She seemed to be doing it now, however, and dragging up Becky with her.
You lying thief, they heard her say, tells me that things have been taken from the kitchen on a regular basis.
It weren't me, Mom, they heard Becky sob and reply.
I was hungry enough, but it weren't me, never.
Stop telling falsehoods.
I should call the police and have you sent to prison.
Half a meat pie, indeed, Miss Mention pronounced.
Both Sarah and Ermengarde heard a slap.
They knew that Becky's ears had been boxed.
Then they heard Becky's door shut and Miss Mention start back down the stairs.
Becky was crying softly into her pillow.
Sarah started to shake.
That horrible cook, she cried.
She takes things herself and blames Becky.
Becky, who is so hungry she eats crusts out of the garbage can.
Sarah pressed her hands to her face and burst into heartfelt little sobs.
Ermengarde stared at her friend with wide eyes.
Slowly, a thought made its way into her sluggish mind.
Sarah, she said timidly, I don't want to be rude, but are you ever hungry?
This was too much for Sarah.
She blurted out, what do you think, Ermengarde?
Yes, I am hungry.
I am so hungry.
I could almost eat you.
Ermengarde drew in a breath.
"'I feel so stupid,' she said, but I never knew.'
"'I didn't want you to know,' Sarah said, laughing, even as she kept crying.
"'It would have made me feel like a beggar.'
"'Sarah!'
Ermengarde cried out, giving an excited little jump.
"'The ideas were starting to come faster now, and this was a good one.'
This very afternoon, my aunt sent me a box full of treats.
It's got cake in it and meat pies and jam tarts and buns and oranges and red currant cider and figs and chocolate.
And Stop it, Sarah said.
Her head was spinning.
I'll sneak back to my room and bring it upstairs, and we can eat it, okay?
Oh, Ermi, Sarah said, the magic always comes through, doesn't it?
Just when you think that you can't go on and that life was too awful, something nice happens.
The worst never quite comes.
We can pretend it is a dinner party and, oh, can I invite the prisoner in the next cell?
Ermengarde agreed.
While Ermengarde was gone, Sarah knocked a coded invitation on the wall.
Waiting for her to return, Sarah looked around the attic with new and excited eyes.
I need your help, Becky, she said, to set the table for a grand feast.
Finding Ermengarde's red shawl lying on the floor where it had been dropped, Sarah threw it across an old table.
Voila!
It was an elegant dining room sideboard covered with a rich red cloth.
In her old chest, which was being stored up in her room, Sarah found several old white handkerchiefs and arranged them on the tablecloth.
They formed imaginary golden plates and dainty lace napkins.
Also among her old things, Becky found a summer hat trimmed with a wreath of faded flowers.
Sarah arranged these on the table as well to make a fine centerpiece.
"'Aren't their colors just glorious?'
Sarah said.
"'Have you ever smelled such lovely perfume?'
At that moment, Ermengarde burst into the room breathless from carrying her picnic hamper all the way up the stairs.
Why, it's a fancy banquet hall, she said upon seeing the table set.
Sarah smiled.
Ermengarde had not forgotten her lessons on how to pretend.
It's like a queen's table, sighed Becky.
You be the princess and sit at the head of the table, Ermengarde told Sarah.
However, the girls barely had time to be seated or to take one piece of cake into their hands when all three of them froze.
It was the sound of someone climbing angrily with a solemn purpose up the stairs.
There was no mistake about who it was.
Miss Mention struck open the door with a blow of her hand.
Three frightened faces looked up at her.
I had been suspecting this sort of thing, she said, but I did not dream of such an affront.
Lavinia was telling me the truth.
Ermengarde burst into tears.
Please.
Don't punish Sarah or Becky, she begged.
It's my fault.
My aunt sent me the box.
We were only having a party.
With Princess Sarah at the head of the table, I see, Miss Minchin said.
I'm sure this is your doing, Sarah.
Ermengarde isn't smart enough to have thought of such a thing.
Miss Minchin turned and stared at the banquet table which, under her gaze, became sad and pitiful once more.
"'You arranged all of this rubbish, no doubt?'
When Sarah nodded yes, Miss Minchin raised her arm.
With a mean flourish, she swept the plates and flowers into Ermengarde's picnic hamper.
"'You will have no breakfast, lunch, or dinner tomorrow,' she informed Sarah."
But I haven't had any lunch or dinner today, Sarah replied rather faintly.
All the better, Miss Minchin replied.
She turned to Ermengarde.
Really, Ermengarde, what would your papa say if he knew where you were tonight?
As Miss Minchin was preparing to leave, something in Sarah's face caught her eye.
It was that same look that always maddened her.
Tonight, it seemed irksome indeed.
Why are you looking at me like that? she asked.
What are you thinking about now?
"'I was just wondering,' Sarah said, "'what my papa would say if he knew where I was tonight.'
"'How dare you, you brazen child!'
Miss Minchin had lost her temper once again.
'I will leave you to wonder', she said and, shoving the hamper into Ermengarde's arms, she dragged her out by the scruff of the neck'.
Sarah was left standing all alone in the dark.
All alone, that is, except for the dark face of Ram Dass, who was watching in anger from the roof outside of Sarah's window.
He had walked across because he had heard the ruckus through the walls and wanted to make sure his little friend was alright.
She was not all right, he saw, as he watched Sarah curl up on the bed and cry herself to sleep.
But if he and Carrisford had anything to do with it, by tomorrow, perhaps, she would be better.
