Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“It’s fine,” I lied, releasing her hand and placing mine behind my back. “Excuse me. I must go.”
“Your Highness, would you like the maids to come assist you in packing?” the butler said. I wished to curse, because of course, she turned to me and said:
“Packing? Packing what?”
“I need no assistance. I shall pack on my own,” I said to him. He nodded, walking off.
“Why are you packing? Are you leaving?”
“Yes,” I said, walking up the stairs.
“Why?” She followed.
“Something important has come up,” I lied.
“What?”
“I do not have to tell you.”
“Wait!” She rushed up, stepping right in front of me. “You cannot leave!”
“I can if you move.”
“I do not wish to move.”
“Lady Hathor—”
“You cannot leave now. How am I going to figure out if I like you?”
I had to take a step back and stare at her. “What?”
Her honey eyes widened as her mind caught up to the words that had left her lips. And just like that, she moved away and tried to rush down the stairs. “Nothing!”
“No.” I followed her, trying to stop her leaving—and once more, she slipped.
“Damn this dress!” she cursed as I caught her.
“If you slip a third time, I’ll have to assume you are doing it on purpose…or God has made us his personal comedy,” I teased, but she was eager to get away from me. I had no choice now but to block her at the bottom of the stairs. “Running away is not going to change what I heard you say.”
“You are the one leaving. I’m not going anywhere but outside.” She would not meet my eyes.
“Hathor,” I whispered gently, wanting badly to turn her face to me. “Misunderstandings happen frequently between men and women because no one speaks openly about what they mean or feel. I need you to tell me plainly: What do you mean by ‘like’?”
“I do not know. That is what I am trying to figure out, but you are leaving—so it is not important any longer.”
“Then I won’t leave.” What was I doing? What was I saying? Why was I acting like this? What she felt did not matter…and then she looked at me and smiled.
“Good. Excuse me.” She quickly ran off.
I stood there on the bottom step, frozen. This was the beginning of madness, I was sure.
15
Hathor
Good. Excuse me…All I could say was “Good. Excuse me!” What was the matter with me? Why? Why did I have to run into him like that? I’d barely begun thinking about what all of this meant. What was supposed to happen now? Was I supposed to stay at the staircase? Were we supposed to go for a walk? I needed help figuring this out, but as I looked out across the grounds, I wasn’t exactly sure to whom I should speak. I definitely could not speak to the other ladies about this. My mama was too preoccupied with the queen, who sat under a rather large canopy surrounded by a few of her dogs and the other mamas, discussing heaven knew what. My father was still hunting with the men. My brother was most likely doing the same. There was no place for me to go…as always.
“How long do you plan to stand here?”
I jumped, turning to see…Wilhelm. Standing beside me, looking over the grounds.
“Why are you here?”
His eyebrow rose when he looked at me. “Did you forget our discussion from two minutes ago? You said—”
“Shh!” I exclaimed loudly. “Do not repeat what I said, I know what I said.”
“You asked—”
“I meant: Why are you outside? Here? Standing next to me.”
He let out a chuckle—or maybe a sigh. “You don’t wish for me to leave, but you don’t wish for me to be standing beside you. So where would you like me to be, my lady?”
“I don’t know.” I frowned, my shoulders drooping. “I do not know what I am supposed to do right now. Am I supposed to go for a walk with you?”
“Do you wish to?”
“I do not know!”
He laughed at me.
“Don’t laugh!”
“It is hard not to, considering you always seem to know what to say or do. Now you look like a lost puppy.”
“Compare me to a puppy again, and I shall call you a wild boar.”
“I consider that an improvement from all the other names you’ve called me thus far.”
I glared at him, and he glared back. “I’ve decided. I do not like you.”
“I see. Then I shall take my leave, as originally planned.” He turned from me.
“Wait— You…” I scoffed when I saw the grin on his lips, turning my head from him and crossing my arms. “Fine. Goodbye!”
He was so infuriating! What was I thinking? I did not like him in the least. Not at all, in fact.
“Lady Hathor.” He was still beside me, but I refused to look at him. He stepped in front of me. “Would you care to accompany me on the water?”