Doubtless and Secure is a novella written by Seanan McGuire. It is a bonus story included in the text editions of The Innocent Sleep and covers Helmi's experience as Dianda Lorden's lady's maid across the centuries.
“ | I’ll fill these dogged spies with false reports: And, pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure . . .
—William Shakespeare, King John IV. |
” |
Plot[]
1612: Chantara arrives in Saltmist for an arranged marriage with Duke Morcan. A young Helmi accompanies her mother, Chantara's lady's maid, to the duchy.
Winter, 1614: Torin is born.
Spring, 1619: Dianda is born.
Summer, 1625: Torin goads Dianda into visiting the Almere, but Helmi reports to their father and saves Dianda's life. She is assigned to be Dianda's lady's maid and keep her safe.
Winter, 1636: Chalerm is born. Torin arranges an "accident" that kills him.
Spring 1650: Dianda turns 31, and her parents divorce. As expected, Dianda chooses Morcan and Torin chooses Chantara. Morcan is despondent over losing his consort.
Dianda is sent to finishing school.
Winter 1840: Helmi, ever loyal, waits for Dianda's return.
Summer 1840: Dianda returns from finishing school a battle-ready Merrow.
Autumn 1840: Morcan sets aside his title to return to Chantara's arms. Dianda becomes Duchess of Saltmist and is invited to visit King Gilad's court
Spring 1841: Dianda falls in love with Patrick, a land fae, but believes it is not to be. A marriage is arranged with a man named Inna, but he fears Dianda's violence. She ultimately rejects Inna for Patrick. (Heaps of Pearl through And Thrice Again)
Autumn 1901: Dianda and Patrick have been courting for sixty years, and now she offers him a potion to breathe underwater so that he might come to live with her in Saltmist. (Shine in Pearl)
Spring 1903: The couple returns to Gilad's halls to be wed. Helmi meets Simon.
Spring 1906: The earthquake shakes the courts on both land and sea. Mary comes to live at Saltmist.
Summer 1993: Dean is born.
Winter 1996: Peter is born.
Summer 2011: Peter and Dean are kidnapped by Rayseline Torquill. (One Salt Sea)
Autumn 2011: Dean is now Count of Goldengreen.
Autumn 2014: Patrick and Dianda return home with Simon and August in tow, to become their new husband and stepdaughter. August settles in easily, but Simon struggles. Helmi admonishes him for forcing himself to share the marital bed before he is ready, as it hurts Dianda and Patrick when he must flee them. (A Killing Frost; Lorden Modern Day Shorts beginning with And Deeps Below)
Spring 2015: Simon and Patrick return from October's wedding and disappear into the bedroom. Mary predicts that a daughter is in the future. (When Sorrows Come)
Summer 2015: Simon sends a message of Titania's return, then contact from the land goes silent as the Undersea is magically cut off. (Be the Serpent)
Characters[]
- Helmi: The Cephali nursemaid, then lady's maid, to Dianda Lorden
- Helmi's mother: Chantara's lady's maid
- Morcan of Saltmist: the Duke of Saltmist before Dianda, and Dianda's father
- Chantara of Suvannamaccha: Marries Morcan in an arranged marriage to produce heirs
- Torin of Bluefish: The eldest son of Morcan and Chantara
- Dianda Lorden: The daughter of Morcan and Chantara and later Duchess of Saltmist; mother of Dean and Peter
- Patrick Lorden: Dianda's Daoine Sidhe husband, Ducal consort, and father of Dean and Peter
- Inna: A suitor and fiancé of Dianda's
- Gilad Windermere: The King in the Mists from c. the 19th century until 1906
- Mary: A Roane seer in service to the Duchy of Saltmist
- Hydor: A Naiad in service to the Duchy of Saltmist
- Simon Torquill (later Simon Lorden): Father of August Torquill and October Daye, and the eventual husband of Patrick and Dianda
- Gillian Marks: October Daye's daughter; originally thin-blooded Dóchas Sidhe and now Roane
Mentioned
- King Elynas of Leucothea: King of the Kingdom of Leucothea until the 1900s
- Palatyne of Leucothea: Queen of the Kingdom of Leucothea
- Queen of the Mists: The imposter who took the throne of the Mists after Gilad's death
- Chalerm: The youngest son of Morcan and Chantara
- Dean Lorden: The elder son of Dianda and Patrick Lorden
- Peter Lorden: The younger son of Dianda and Patrick Lorden
- October Daye: Hero in the Mists, Knight, and daughter of Simon Lorden
- August Torquill (later August Lorden): Daughter of Simon Lorden
- Titania
Continuity[]
- See plot notes. Numerous references to the Lorden Shorts and Main Series.
Trivia[]
- The "Lorden" surname had fallen out of use until Helmi learned of it from the Asrai.
- Dianda craves Twinkies wrapped in kelp.
Quotes[]
- “She’s coming,” she said. “Not right away, but the tides have shifted, and it’s no longer a maybe that the girl will arrive. We’ve been waiting to find out her answer for so long.”
- I raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
- She looked at me flatly.
- “Of course you’re sure. Well, that will be a nice surprise for everyone.” I paused. “Do you know who the father is?”
- "They both are,” said Mary. “But I can tell you her magic smells of whitebeam flowers and water lilies, and that we’ll be very glad to have her.”