Leanna gazed around the room, her forehead leaning against the cool windowpane. The morning clouds had given way to a summer rain. The fat raindrops pelted the window, and she sighed, her warm breath forming a foggy circle. Leanna listlessly drew intangible shapes in the disappearing cloud and thought to how she had gotten to this point. As she lifted her head and shifted to find a comfier spot on the worn sofa, her dress rustled softly. 

The cheap material was wrinkled and poorly cut, but it was all she could afford. She began to regret the tacky colors, and wished she had listened to the dressmaker. Leanna had only ever wanted to impress her husband, but her efforts only seemed to push her further down the rabbit hole. The tacky colors, ridiculous cut, and cheap jewelry only seemed to work on the courtesans that poured in and out of the manor. As she glanced at the dull, drab room, her eyebrows furrowed. 

She was the Duchess of Sihnegh, yet her room was plainer and uglier than the maids quarters. The furniture was worn and of poor quality, the colors were uncoordinated, and the dust that lingered from lack of care gathered as though to mock her. Leanna hated her life, yet desired it at the same time. Her mind pondered what could be done, when at last her eyes landed on the jade comb her father had gifted her before his passing. The comb had been hand carved and imported from an eastern kingdom. It was embellished with delicate jewels, and sparkled when the light hit it. 

Leanna's mom had brushed her hair with a similar jade comb every night, but one day it was accidentally broken by a kitten. Leanna had kept the pieces as a memento, but having an intact comb allowed her to imagine her mother was still there, singing softly. Leanna rose from the dirty sofa and gently glided across the floor, and setting down on the stool in front of the dresser, looked herself in the mirror and began to brush. As Leanna gently brushed her waist length wavy auburn hair, she came upon several tangles. 

Sighing, she would look up at the mirror each time; And each time, examine the ghost sitting in front of her. The pale, gaunt face. The dull, lifeless eyes. It was no surprise to her a man would reject such a woman. Leanna had thought that if she could get her husband to love her, she would in turn love him. That it would be like in a fairytale. She had spent so much time chasing after the duke and his "love" that she had stopped caring for herself. Leanna remembered her nanny warning her; how a woman who loved herself was far more attractive than any other. 

Flies drawn to honey were repelled. Butterflies flying freely without consequence were sought after and admired. Leanna continued to as gently as possible brush through the tangles but she struggled. Her hair had been damaged from doing so many unkind "fashions" it had lost its luster. There was a sense of guilt as she remembered how much she had adored her mother and her hair, and felt as though she were tarnishing herself and those she loved from her neglect. 

Leanna rose and hesitantly reached for the rope to ring for a servant. After a much needed deep breath, she pulled, and though a bit late, and young voice called out "You rang, your Grace? Leanna responded with as much poise and grace as possible "Come in." As the young woman entered the room the only thought going through Leanna's mind was how rude. To have a young, inexperienced maid be the only one to come to her room, and late at that, Leanna felt a surge of anger deep within her chest. While she may not be beloved by the Duke, or have much leverage, she was still his legal wife, and as such the Duchess of Sihnegh. 

This kind of disrespect was tantamount to insulting the Duke himself, not that that cockroach would care. As Leanna peered at the young maid, she gathered what dignity she had, and stated in a voice as kind as possible "Tell me your name and experience." While the maid had been trembling slightly at first, when she looked up and saw her Grace smiling at her with a kind look in her eyes, the fear vanished. She curtseyed and responded "My name is Delaney, and I have worked here for 6 months. While I have not worked formally as a ladies maid, I have assisted my previous master's young daughter." Leanna, realizing the opportunity on hand, calmly sat down and worked out her strategy. "Let's being, we have much to cover."