บท 18: Uncontrollable thoughts
Since last night of the Hallow ball, Calhoun couldn't get the girl he had met out of his mind. He had thought he would forget her, but she never left his mind. The more he thought about her, the more he wanted her. Wanted to have her.
He had met and touched plenty of women and girls who were much more beautiful to look at. He had bedded attractive women had and been pleased with before letting them go but this girl, there was something about her. He moved his head back, his thumb running on the corner of his bottom lip,
"What did you find about her?" he asked Theodore who was the one who had brought the information.
"Madeline Harris, she lives in one of the villages in the West with her parents and one elder sister who is yet to be married. Her elder sister has been receiving proposals and is fairly popular-"
"What about the young one," Calhoun didn't care about her sister when he was interested in Madeline.
Theodore answered, "Not as many suitors as the elder one. She hasn't been associated with any man. The man who was with her last night was James Heathcliff, who owns the dress shop in their village. It is where they rented the clothes," it seemed that the village girl had caught the King's eyes.
Calhoun hummed hearing this. Rented. It meant they weren't able to afford dresses and that the girl came from a poor background which would only make things that much easy, thought Calhoun to himself with a smile, "How much does the carriage service cost, Theodore?"
"For a family with a poor background, it would be too much as the cost of carriage is as good as the dress rented. With the waiting hours in the castle, it would put a stretch on the family," answered the man. Theodore noticed how Calhoun continued to smile, which was in no means looked kind. It was a smile which meant something evil was being schemed. He then proceeded to say, "The assistant said he heard the girl and the tailor speak about meeting."
"Did they now," Calhoun turned his head to look at Theodore, "Send an invitation to the Harris. Tell them that they are being invited to lunch in the castle," saying this, he moved his leg from the maid's thigh who was massaging his leg. Standing up, he said, "Don't forget to add that if they fail to make it for lunch, they will have to face the consequences. Also, send them a carriage."
Theodore bowed his head, obliging the King's words and inquired, "When would you want to have lunch with the Harris?"
Calhoun gave it a quick thought, "Tomorrow. Why wait when things can be done right away," saying this, Calhoun walked away from the central court to go to his room.
When he reached the doors to his room, the guards opened the doors for him and closed it once he had stepped inside his grand room.
When he had first set his eyes on her, Calhoun had thought it was him taking a mere fancy towards the girl, which would go, but it didn't. He had held her hand and waist, felt her heart beating, and her hands palpitating, which he couldn't help but savour. The more time he spent apart from the girl, thinking about her, her words; it heated the blood in his veins.
She had been close yesterday, and all he wanted to do was bring her to this room, but noticing the fear on her face which she tried to cover up by showing she was brave, he had let her go.
His mind drifted to her brown eyes and soft pink lips that had moved to reply and question him. Her frame was perfect. Her delicate shoulders and her petite waist that curved towards the bottom. His thoughts were interrupted by the maid, who arrived at his room to bring him a glass of wine.
Calhoun's eyes opened, and from where he sat on the edge of the bed, he saw the maid enter the room.
"Your majesty, I have brought wine," she informed him. Calhoun raised his hand and moved his fingers in a come-hither motion. Her eyes were cast down as she walked slowly and steadily towards him.
The maids in the mansion were pretty but not as beautiful as the girl he was looking forward to meeting. The girl had consumed his mind, and even though he could have had her, he didn't. When the maid placed the wine to his side and was ready to leave, he pulled caught hold of her wrist to stop her from walking.
"I didn't ask you to leave now, did I?" said the King, noticing her blush and the eyes she gave him, he said, "Remembering what happened a few days ago?
Calhoun stared at the girl to hear the maid speak nervously, "Milord?" It wasn't the first time this maid had spread her legs therefore he didn't see the point of her acting coy now. He got up from sitting on the edge of the bed, to stand tall in front of the maid. The maid looked up at him, her tongue coming out to wet her lips.
He looked at the maid with no expression on his face, waiting to finally have the maid start removing her clothes. Seeing she was taking her very own sweet time, Calhoun pushed the front of her body towards the couch that was on the side, bending her down while bunching up her skirt to bare her bottom to him.
Though the maid's initial behaviour was reluctant, her body moving along with him wantingly. Though it was the maid who was in the room, he could feel his hands on Madeline's waist. The maid's lips moved and the way she looked at him, had him pushing further into the maid.
Calhoun didn't want to ruin the flower he had finally found but thinking about her was driving him to an edge he had never imagined. When he was done with the maid, he waved her away even though the maid wanted to linger longer in his chamber.
Once the maid was out, he fell on his bed with his hand over his eyes before moving it and his eyes opening, "Madeline."
As ordered, a letter was sent out to the Harris which was received by Mrs. Harris with trembling hands because she didn't know why they would receive a letter from the castle. As it was the time of the evening, Mr. Harris who was present in the house took hold of the letter to read,
"Mr. and Mrs. Harris.
We thank you for attending the Grand ball of Hallow that took place in the castle yesterday. We would be pleased to say that the King was pleased with your daughter and would like to invite the family to the castle for lunch tomorrow."
Beth and Madeline were standing near the bedroom door after hearing their mother shriek out of surprise because of the deal on the letter.
Beth quickly raised her hand to cover her mouth, "Oh my God!"
"The King has called us to join him for lunch?" asked Mrs. Harris with a shocked expression on her face. Madeline raised her eyebrows hearing this.
Mr. Harris read the letter one more time, this time in his mind, "It seems to be so," he said reading the last line which he had skipped to read to his family that spoke about treason if not joined tomorrow.
"Oh dear! What am I going to do?" asked Beth in shock, "I didn't know the King noticed me! What am I going to say to Mr. Danver?" the letter was automatically misunderstood by the family that 'the daughter' was Beth.
"It is the King," said Madeline shrugging her shoulders, "Mr. Danver will step away hearing the King likes you," Beth hugged Madeline and the younger one hugged her back, none of them knowing what was going to happen tomorrow.
บท 19: Doubting the invitation
Madeline and Beth wanted to take a look at the contents of the letter, but their father put the message into the pocket of his coat. Mrs. Harris looked at Beth, to ask, "Didn't he give you his name?"
Beth shook her head, "The men I danced with last night had given their name, but none of it had the King's name. I didn't know I danced with him," her brows drew close in thought while trying to remember which out of the lot was the King.
"Maybe he didn't give you his actual name and gave a wrong one to hide who he was?" proposed Madeline because that appeared to be the more probable answer.
"It could be," Mrs. Harris agreed, "Good job, Beth," she couldn't tell how happy she was that Beth was able to gain their King's attention where the man had gone as far as to place a lunch to eat with them. It was a privilege to a family like theirs who had nothing to offer.
When both Mr. and Mrs. Harris retired to their room, the man couldn't help but go through the letter that had the King's seal on it. The letter had mentioned about the King being pleased by his daughter, but there was no mention of which daughter he had danced with. Somewhere it worried him with the thought that the King wasn't speaking about his older daughter, but the younger one.
He was holding a small book in his hand, but instead of reading he was staring at it, "What do you think the King wants from us?" asked Mr. Harris to his wife who was closing the windows because the night had turned cold and they didn't have enough logs of wood to use as they had to use it sparingly.
"Beth caught his attention. He might want to know about us, and maybe if things went well, he would ask for her hand in marriage," answered Mrs. Harris coming to sit on the bed, "What is it? Are you not happy about it?" his wife asked, looking at the pensive expression on his face.
Mr. Harris sighed.
"No, it is not that I am not happy about it. But the King didn't mention which of our daughter's it was. What if it is Madeline?" Mr. Harris was not supposed to have favourites, but he had a soft corner for his youngest child, knowing well how she was often shadowed under Beth's presence. But at the same time, it was what Madeline liked.
"Madeline barely danced with anyone. You and I saw her standing at the wall without talking to anyone," Mrs. Harris reasoned with her husband, "And even if the King is speaking about Madeline, we can always decline by saying she is going to be engaged soon."
The man gave his wife a look, "The King is no fool. He will find the lie the moment you utter about it."
"It isn't a lie. Madeline mentioned about Mr. Heathcliff's interest in her."
"The dressmaker?" asked Mr. Harris, "Why am I hearing this now?"
Mrs. Harris smiled. Getting into the bed, she fluffed the blanket and put it over her legs, "I heard about it today. Mr. Heathcliff is a good man, and he suits her," she said to him, "Madeline prefers a simple life, unlike Beth. If the King asks we will tell him that we have promised her hand to Mr. Heathcliff as they like each other."
When the next day arrived, the Harris family didn't have time to pick up dresses from the shop, therefore they wore the best clothes that they owned. With Beth who had woken up early to dress and look pretty, she had the top of her black hair tied while the rest was left open.
Beth had later tied Madeline's hair similar to how she had done hers, combing her sister's blonde hair to finally say, "Everything done," Madeline could tell that Beth was in a perfect mood. Her sister had wanted to see the King, and now he wanted to see her and her family.
Madeline didn't know if it was good news that they had been invited to have lunch with the King as not everyone had the luck to share a meal at the same table as the King, as he was someone of the highest standing in their lands. Beth was eager, so it was alright, thought Madeline to herself.
Once they were ready, Madeline was the first one to step out of the room. Hearing her father ask for a glass of water, who was sitting in the hall, she quickly went to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water and returned to her father's side.
Mr. Harris noticing his younger daughter who had dressed similar to Beth, after a sip, he said, "The weather outside is windy. Your hair will be all over your face and will need to be combed again," Madeline was blossoming slowly, and Mr. Harris knew one day his youngest daughter would surpass her elder sister in terms of beauty, "Maybe tying it will avoid the need to comb again."
Madeline smiled at her father, "Yes, papa."
The carriage from the castle had arrived to pick them, and Mrs. Harris was the one who shouted, "It is here. Come on, everyone!" she made sure her hat that seated on top of her head was tied with the satin ribbon that went to be tied under her chin. Madeline was the first one to step out of the house with her hair that was braided and tied securely.
Her father, who saw her place a kiss on the side of her temple. Madeline was young, and he felt the need to protect her, just so that the King wouldn't look at her but would focus his attention on Beth who looked like a doll when she stepped out their house. Having spent enough time in the circle of the posh people in the other towns, Beth knew how to carry herself like one of the social elites.
Mrs. Harris was quick to lock the front doors of their house, and the family stepped inside the carriage that was made of rich wood and metal that shined without a speck of rust on it.
It had attracted and gathered attention from their neighbours and people who were walking past their house, making them wonder what the carriage that belonged to the castle was doing here.
The carriage finally started to move, to travel to the castle.
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