The servants wing—as was absolutely normal during this time of the day—was a buzz of energy, everyone rushing and bustling about as they tried to complete their list of tasks, tasks that would ensure that dinner passed by without a glitch, even though the palace staff would not be the only ones responsible for the efficiency with which dinner passed. No. There would be more than ample opportunity for someone who would actually be present at the dining table to make a mess of the event—because it was no secret that this would be the biggest dinner party that the Queen had hosted, when it had not been a requirement, a necessity.
Although they weren’t entirely sure about the circumstances for dinner, they had received strict preparation orders, something that didn’t happen often. They were
