บท 43: The Lady with Many Practices

WYATT RETURNED SOON after. Thankfully, he did not catch the sight of Alice and Spade caught up in an embrace. If he had, who knows what he would've done to the second prince of Gladiolum. Alice knew for sure that being royalty would most certainly not protect Spade from the wrath of Wyatt. He was a force to be reckoned with, after all.

By the time the white-haired man was done with visiting Hartley and discussing their work, Alice and Spade had already returned to the corridors. She tried her best to dab her eyes dry, to wipe the snot that had dribbled down her nose, and to make sure her eyes weren't puffy from sobbing soundlessly. However, there were still telltale signs that had left their imprint on this world, such as Alice's red eyes and the wet patch on Spade's shirt.

As the ever-observant man, Alice was sure that there was no way Wyatt had missed those signs. However, despite seeing them, he had pretended not to. He simply smiled and beckoned Alice over, standing protectively by her side once he exited Hartley's room.

"He's ready for you," Wyatt told Alice, smiling gently as he gestured to the closed door of Hartley's bedroom. "You can go in now. There's a doctor in there with him to tend to his injuries. You don't have to pay her any attention. She won't ask any questions. The staff here are all signed to confidentiality."

She glanced backward at Spade, watching and waiting for him to give her a sign. What exactly and why exactly was she waiting, Alice wasn't too sure. It was all an instinct to her. Perhaps it was because he had been there for her during her moment of emotional vulnerability, or that he had just seen her rawest, truest self, listening in to the dark thoughts she had kept a secret for a long time.

When he finally noticed that Alice was looking his way, Spade nodded, urging her forward. Then, and only then, Alice braved herself to take the first step forward. She held both hands in front of her skirt, clasping her clammy fingers together. No matter how much she had willed them to cease, they wouldn't stop perspiring. Cold sweat continuously leaked from her skin to the point where she wondered if they would dribble onto the floor beneath.

"I'm nervous," Alice admitted quietly to Wyatt. The latter already had a gloved hand resting on the doorknob, prepared to push it open. At the sound of Alice's voice, he stopped. "It's my fault he got so injured."

"If anything, it is the one that attempted to assassinate you both that has to bear the fault," Wyatt comforted her. "Not you. Do not fret. His Highness will not put the blame on you. After all, he chose to protect you. No one was forcing him."

Once he finished speaking, Wyatt pushed the doors open. He nodded inside, waiting for Alice to step in.

"Go on," he urged. "Don't worry."

The second Alice took a step into the room, Wyatt closed the door shut behind her. She was an offering that was thrust into the lion's den.

Prince Hartley's room was just about as grand as Alice had imagined. Similar to her own room at the Ragan's Estate, the crown prince's bedroom was separated into a sitting area as well as a bed area. In the sitting area, the walls were covered with either paintings or bookshelves, stocked to the brim with novels that Alice was sure Hartley had never touched. Although they weren't covered in dust, they looked way too new, too clean, and too pristine to have been loved before.

A curtain hung from the archway that led to where Hartley rested. Holding the fabric up, Alice peeked her head through.

"Oh goodness," she heard Hartley groan. Her glance flitted over to the sound of his voice, landing on him as their gazes clashed for the first time in a week. "You look like a thief."

"Your Highness," Alice greeted.

She cast a quick look at the doctor that was sitting beside Hartley's bed, arranging a few glass bottles. They clinked softly as they were moved. Other than that, she didn't seem to notice Alice entering and hadn't looked up. Alice, however, squinted a little at the woman. She seemed oddly familiar.

Hartley wore a small pout and a frown at Alice's formal address. Pursing his lips, he gestured for her to come over. She did so at his command, scuttling over to his side like a mouse, eager to please just to earn a reward.

"What did I say about formalities," Hartley muttered softly once she was close enough.

To that, Alice replied, "I thought it would be better since there's someone else in the room."

"There's no need for that." Gesturing backward at the doctor, Hartley assured, "Everything and anything in this room is kept a secret. Furthermore, since when did you care for formalities?"

"I've always greeted you appropriately whenever we met after I found out about your status," Alice pointed out. "You simply didn't hear me."

She was referring to the time Wyatt had brought her along to crash the tea party at the garden. Candidates, Wyatt had explained then, to become the future crown princess and eventually the queen of Gladiolum when Hartley rises to the throne and takes over from his father.

"My apologies, then."

Hartley's words sent Alice's eyes widening into the shape of saucers. It seemed like every time she met with the crown prince, she would find out something new about him. In the beginning, he didn't seem too keen on becoming friendly with Alice. And yet, who would've thought that they would become friends? It was to the point whereby he had risked his own life to ensure her safety and had bowed his head down to apologize despite being royalty.

Charlie and Wyatt's warnings were not as true as she had thought originally. The blue-blooded weren't all that bad. There were some of them that still had ounces of righteousness in them.

"How are you feeling?" Alice switched the topic, gesturing to the bandages wrapped around Hartley's arm. "That looks horrid."

"Let me make some introductions," Hartley said, blatantly ignoring Alice's comment about his injuries. "Alice, this is Doctor Lavender. A woman with many practices. Spade hired her in secrecy to tend to my injuries."

It was only after Hartley had made proper introductions had the woman finally looked up. When she did, Alice felt her heart stop. She recognized the woman, she was sure. Alice had seen her before while she was at the cafe with Wyatt a long time ago. There was no way she would forget the feeling when she first laid eyes on the burgundy-haired woman. She bore striking resemblance to the old woman that stayed in the cottage in the woods, a perfect replica if only the old lady was a few decades younger. Even though Alice wasn't quite sure why she would remember the old lady's face so clearly, she was glad that she did.

There could be a way home.

The woman smiled, stretched out a hand for Alice to shake. Dazed, she took it wordlessly, allowing her arm to be pulled up and down.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," the woman said, beaming. "The name is Doctor Elise Lavender, at your service."