บท 21: The King
He smiled at everyone in the room, a smile which was just enough for his subjects, and he walked forward to his seat which was plush and had decorated metal and wood on it. He smiled at the Harris' family, except for the elder daughter. Beth who was utterly charmed by the handsome man who was not seated in front of them didn't notice it. Mr. and Mrs. Harris smiled back at the man, but it was a smile of caution.
He leaned back against the chair, raising his hand to say, "Sit."
His voice deep that had Madeline internally frown as the voice sounded familiar, but then it was hard to catch with a single word the King had spoken. The Harris who were standing took their seats on the King's words.
Mr. Harris was the one to speak, "Thank you for inviting us for lunch, milord," he bowed his head to show respect.
"Lunch is a small gathering. I am hoping we have good ties in the future, Mr. Harris. After all, it would be a shame not to share good relations with the family of the woman, who I would like to have next to me, who is your daughter."
Madeline's eyebrows now furrowed even further until she realized who she had danced in the Grand ball of the Hallow. There were only two people Madeline had danced, and it wasn't possible that this person was Mr. Hane. It was the first person she had danced in the Ball, the man with a silver mask who had cornered her was none other than the King.
It was barely a minute since she met the King, and she was already feeling anxious in her chest, that she wanted to go back home. He had danced with her, and he must have danced with Beth too. So it was possible the King didn't mean her. After all, she had been away from the ballroom for many minutes. Right? No, she was having her doubts.
"Of course, milord," Mrs. Harris bowed her head, "We were stunned. Therefore, we didn't have time to pick suitable dresses to come here in," the way they had dressed for the ball, and the way they were dressed in had a sharp contrast.
Calhoun noticed it. But he saw more than that. Though his eyes didn't linger too long on the girl he was looking forward to meeting, he had picked up every single detail. Unlike her elder sister, Madeline had braided her hair to make her look like a simplistic.
His eyes glanced to look at her. From where he sat, he could sense the breathlessness from her as if she had figured out who she had danced with. Her skin looked pale, and her eyes not meeting his, she gulped, and his eyes followed the action of her throat.
His eyes moved back to look at the parents and then Beth. In comparison to Madeline, her sister was dressed, and her hair was let down to show the womanly appeal. He could see the eagerness in the girl's eyes, and he cocked his head.
Calhoun was not a King for no reason, did they think that they would pass the eager one to him by hiding the younger girl who he was interested in? A soft chuckle escaped his lips that had everyone look at him in wonderment of what he had found to be amusing.
"I heard that you have deal with wood work, Mr. Harris," he said turning to look at Mr. Harris, "How do you manage it? If I am not wrong you need manpower for it."
Madeline who sat between her mother and Beth, looked at the man who now questioned her father's work.
His voice was reminding her of the time where it was just him and her in the corridor. He sat in a relaxed manner with his legs crossed, his red eyes shifting to look at Madeline that had her dart eyes away from him. The King and her father spoke about his work, a question or two to her mother before it shifted back to her father.
"I would like to offer my help in setting up a shop so that you can work in ease while also two men shall be assigned to help you in bringing the logs back from the forest," the King's generous words made everyone happy and it included Madeline. She knew how hard it was for her father to work single-handedly, he was turning old and he lacked the strength he once used to possess.
"That is very generous of, my King," her father stood up and bowed his head to show his appreciation and the rest of the Harris bowed their head.
"It is the least I can do," said Calhoun with a smile reaching up to his lips, "Why don't we have lunch. I am sure you must be starving," he looked at Theodore who bowed his head.
"Please follow me," said Theodore walking towards the door and opening it stepped outside the room. The servant man who stood outside held the door for them to pass. Mr. and Mrs. Harris were the first one to step outside the room. Followed by Beth as if she was the diligent daughter out of the two when it came to her and Madeline.
Madeline by mistake had sat on her dress and therefore she ended up late in getting out of the room. She was following Beth, almost walking past through the door when she felt the King place his hand on her back.
Her body froze along with her heart leaping up in her throat, startled by his action.
She then heard him laugh and felt him move his hand away, one side of his lips pulled up as he walked past her to chat up with her sister, Beth.
บท 22: Grand Table
Madeline had started to walk after he had let go of her side, walking forward to talk to Beth, inquiring about their family more. Her heart was beating loudly in her chest and she tried to will it down but the anxiousness she felt in her throat didn't settle down no matter how many times she tried to calm it.
From behind, she noticed the man's frame. He was tall, his shoulders broad from behind and the shirt that he wore along with the vest fit his body well enough to show his body structure. His hair from behind was short while the front was long that had been combed back. Even Beth who often was prideful the way she walked and talked now listened and spoke only when she was needed to.
Her brown eyes continued to look at the man, following them to the large dining room which was not the one they had been to two days ago.
While Madeline was behind, her footsteps careful, Beth, on the other hand, kept up a calm and composed, feminine composure around her. Smiling only when needed and her words polite but one could tell that she was confident with what she spoke.
"Madeline and I teach the children from the village. Basic words for them to learn," Beth said during her conversation with the King.
"It is always good for women to occupy themselves with work than idle chatter," said the King, a man who stood above all the people she had ever met.
She had never seen a man this handsome until now. Beth did not know why she was unable to recollect her time talking to him. His deep voice could do wonders to anyone. She came to the conclusion that it was perhaps because she was asked to dance by several men and their voices happened to mix along with the music which was why she didn't remember. With him talking to her and paying attention, Beth finally felt that God had answered her prayers to receive the attention of a man she was worthy of.
"I love children. It is much easier to teach them," attributed Beth, subtly pushing the information that she was ready for children.
"How about you?" Calhoun turned his head just enough to the side, letting Madeline know he was talking to her.
Madeline who had started to look at the paintings again felt like she had been caught off-guard and she asked, "Pardon me, I wasn't listening to the conversation," she bowed her head. Beth's eyes glared to chid at her sister's lack of attention.
"Do you enjoy teaching, Madeline?" the way he called her name. Even Beth noticed the difference and she pursed her lips but didn't interject.
Beth wanted to scold her sister for not keeping her attention here as this was not anybody to be taken lightly. The King didn't give his attention to everyone but when he did, one was supposed to keep it. People who didn't know to keep and respect it were often found beheaded for disrespecting the King.
"I do, milord," Madeline tried to keep her words as short as she could right now. Not wanting her words to bud so that she would have to answer more to him.
"You do?" he looked ahead of him, this time his voice much sharper.
Madeline's hands clenched together. Did she offend the man?
She then said, "Our father taught us how to read and write. Though we don't come from a rich background like others, we were provided with the privilege to learn. We had a distant aunt who continued our education for a year but she passed away. Putting it away would be a waste and when the same could be used to increase the income, Beth and I decided to help. I don't hate children or teaching if that is what you are asking me."
Beth was the first one to turn around with her eyes slightly wide with the way her younger sister had spoken to the man. They finally came to stand outside the dining room, Theodore leading Mr. and Mrs. Harris in when the King turned around to say,
"Wasn't that hard to speak now, was it?" his dark eyes stared at her, a smile on his lips before he stepped inside the dining room.
Beth pulled Madeline's arm for a second, stopping her sister from getting inside the room, to say, "What was that?"
"What was what?" Madeline asked.
A maid arrived at the door that had both the girls to step inside the dining room and take their seats.
Mr. and Mrs. Harris were treading carefully when it came to speaking to the King as they didn't want to do something that would be considered rude but Beth was not the same. After the King's little attention to Beth, the older daughter of Harris had taken that the King wanted her to be his wife. She also decided that it was alright to speak to him.
When only a glass of wine was placed in front of him with no food on his plate, curious Beth asked hime, "Are you not going to eat with us, milord?"
"I will when I want to," with those words, Calhoun had got the girl to not ask him unnecessary questions. He then snapped his fingers for the butler to start serving the family of Harris, "Feel free to ask the maids what you want to eat and drink," said Calhoun, raising his glass up in the air.
When he brought the glass of wine to his lips, his eyes went to the girl who was sitting in the right on the other end, who had let her older sister sit near him instead. The Harris' family were swarmed by maids, asking them what they would eat. He noticed how Madeline smiled at the question of the maid and the grip on the glass he was holding tightened.
She was finally back here.
.
Thank you for giving the book a read. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story of 'The Crown's obsession' here on w.e.b.n.o.v.e.l app
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