Rose wanted to walk slowly to pretend nothing had happened in the hall, to save some pride but the maids' presence not only threw her for a loop but also made her painfully aware of everyone else and that they all knew. She grabbed her dress and sped through the hallway of the wing, going past the assembly hall. Guards looked at her from all sides, and Rose just kept her gaze glued to the floor.
Rose wasn't sure if she heard whispers or if it was all in her head, but whether or not she heard it, she was sure they all had something to say. She gripped the hem of her dress tighter, but it ended up slipping out of her hands. She gave up pretty quickly; the dress wasn't long enough for her to trip over. It was just something she did because she was nervous.
