The King's Daughter (High Born Book 1) (8 page)

“How so?” I ask, slightly out of breath.

“I did not know you could ride so well,” James admits, genuinely looking surprised at how well I managed my horse.

“I have been riding since I was a child,” I confess, fond memories returning to me. “My father taught me and it has been our joint hobby for as long as I can remember.”

“That is great to hear,” James replies. “My sister does not care to ride, and I shall let her know I knew of a fine Lady Gigi who rode as well as any man.”

“Thank you,” I laugh.

“My father taught me, but since he fell ill we have not rode together,” James admits to me.

“I am sorry,” I feel bad now, but he assures me that it’s fine. I would hate if my father were ill. We take a stop and tie the horses up to a small fence. Sitting on a nearby bench, quite close to one another. The wind blows in my direction and I smell his manly scent. I can describe it only as James, it is too individual. I will have to make sure I memorise it.

“You are an interesting character,” James looks to me, his eyes wandering all over.

“Am I?” I ask. “Is that good or bad?”

“Really good,” he answers. I become slightly breathless and this is beginning to feel very intimate. I quickly stand and let him know we had better be heading back. Not only is James very good looking, but his personality is just as attractive.

We take the horses on a slow walk back to the stables. I am loving my time with James, I don’t have to talk about Princess duties and worry that he is about to propose. I have never laughed so much as I am now with James, and I don’t want this moment to end. However, we finally approach the stables and I spot Lady Louisa standing outside waiting. She does not look happy at all. I look across to James, the wind causing his hair to flap around in all directions. He is so handsome I cannot express how much I adore him. I should not, but I have to confess that I do.

“Your friend does not look pleased,” James jokes, looking over to Louisa.

“No she does not,” I laugh along with him and as we come down from the horses, we are still laughing and it only seems to displease Louisa even more.

“I will take care of the horses,” James offers. “You need to head back and get warm.”

“Are you sure?” I ask him, not wanting to leave him just yet. “I could stay and help?”

“Let him,” Louisa interrupts. “We need to get back to the castle.”

“I will be fine, you go back to the castle,” he smiles.

I step closer to him and away from Louisa, “Thank you for today James, I had a really good time.”

“So did I,” he nods and I stay where I am. “We should do it again.”

“We shall,” I quickly agree and begin to step backwards, still looking into his dark eyes. I am shocked to find how much I do not want to go. “Goodbye James.”

“Goodbye Gigi,” he whispers back, and just before I turn around he gifts me with that wonderful smile of his, dimples and all.

While Princess Grace is at the stables with Louisa, I thought it the perfect opportunity to meet with George and let him know that Grace knows about us. I sent a letter to his room, informing the messenger that it is from Grace as to not look suspicious. In the note, I ask him to meet me where we first met. It’s not long until I see George walking over to me as I sit on a blanket. He smiles over to me and my heart flutters. He is so handsome and I wish that I didn’t have to do this.

“Jane,” he greets me. “I came as soon as I got your letter.”

“Thank you,” I watch as he sits beside me.

“I could not keep you waiting,” George leans over to kiss me and I hate to have to pull back. George looks shocked. “What is it?”

“Grace knows,” I admit and George’s eyes widen. “She wants us to stop whatever we are doing.”

“She would do,” George nods. “But it is not up to her.”

“I know, but she has a point. If we get caught I will be punished. The Queen will not want me here and my parents would be ashamed of me,” I confess. “I would be labelled as your whore.”

“I am the future King, I do not think your parents would be too ashamed,” George smirks and my back straightens. “And you will not be labelled a whore.”

“Just because you are to be King does not mean they will not be shamed George. I am here to find a husband and that obviously cannot be you,” I look down at my hands. “I have not been sent here to be a mistress.”

“No, you are too good for that,” George admits and lifts my face back up to look at him. “I want to get to know you and have some fun. I really care for you Jane, and I respect what you are saying but I do not think I can stay away from you.”

His words cause and inferno inside of me. “George,” I warn.

“I cannot help myself Jane. You are so beautiful,” his hand reaches up and strokes my cheek. “I love your company and I will not allow another man to make you laugh.”

His words actually make me giggle.

“I am worried that I will fall for you, but nothing can be done about it,” I confess. “I do not want a broken heart George.”

“I do not want to be the one to give you one,” He smiles sadly. “If it is what you truly want, nothing more romantic will happen between us but I do care for you and I know I always will. I want to be friends at least, please.”

“Of course,” I agree with a heavy heart.

We walk back the castle together, and George tries a great deal to cheer me up but how can I? I fear I do feel more for him and that is why I feel as sad as I do.

After Grace shares a number of dances with King Louis, she returns to us and begs for her Ladies to join her. We do as she insists and dance with each other however, I am not entirely in a joyful mood so I am the first to put an end to it. I stand in a quiet area of the hall and calm my heart from all the dancing.

“You look quite beautiful,” I hear George’s voice and look around. I spot him behind a pillar in the shadows as he looks at me.

“George,” I quietly whisper. “You made me jump.”

“I’m sorry,” he laughs. “But I had to come and talk to you.”

I look around, to make sure nobody can see us talking. Everyone is having too much fun either talking or watching Grace with King Louis.

“I need you,” he confesses.

“We can’t,” I whisper back

“I know, but it does not make it any easier. I have to be close to you,” George continues. “Please come to my room.”

I look to him with wide eyes, “I cannot.”

“You could,” he begs. “Nobody will know, please I have to see you.”

As hard as it is to say no to him, I cannot go to his bedchambers, “George I can’t.”

I walk away, I cannot let him persuade me to go back to his rooms. Grace would be furious. I watch the dancing from the opposite end of the hall, George will not approach me here because it is too crowded. As I watch my friends laughing as they dance I am aware of someone standing close to me.

“Tell me, do you offer yourself to any Prince?” Antonio speaks from behind me.

“I beg your pardon?” I spin around to face him. I cannot believe he spoke to me like that.

“Step away Antonio,” George threatens.

Antonio smiles a smug grin, “I was only talking, she is your sisters Lady, nothing to you. Or am I wrong?”

“Back away or you will learn to regret it,” George growls quietly. Antonio frowns, but finally gets the hint and walks away. George spins to face me, “Are you ok?”

“I am fine,” I answer, watching Antonio as he crosses the room. “I guess it is a taster to how people will speak to me if I am to become your whore.”

George’s face darkens, “You will never be a whore and I will not allow anyone to speak to you in that way again.”

“You cannot control what people think or say,” I point out.

“I told you that I will care for you and that is my promise,” George adds.

“Thank you,” I smile, truly thankful for him stepping in.

“Jane?” Asks Grace as she approaches. She gives George a slight smile before continuing. “Are you ready to go? I am wanting to go to bed.”

“Yes,” I answer. Grace and the girls turn to leave the hall. As I follow, George reaches for my hand but lets it fall as I walk away. This little act really tugs at my heart.

Later, when we leave Grace’s chamber as she gets into bed, I say goodnight to my fellow Ladies in waiting. I walk towards my room but on my way I spot George walking towards me, appearing from the shadows.

“George,” I sigh. “Are you going to follow me now?”

“If I have to,” he approaches me at my door.

“Lady Jane,” He groans. “Please, come back with me to my room.”

“I have already explained this George,” I insist, being as quiet as I possibly can. I would love to say yes to him, and spend one full night alone together but I should not.

“Just one night, please,” he begs. “I may sound pathetic, but I have to be with you Jane. You are driving me mad. Let me just have the one night to remember for the rest of my life and I will die a happy man.”

“Please stop, George,” I plead. I am becoming too weak and I will cave to his attentions. I am worried that if he continues to beg me in this way, his handsome face scrunched with need for me, I will heel to his wishes.

“Then let me at least have a kiss?” George steps closer so there no longer any space between us. His mouth slowly covers mine and I make no complaint. He doesn’t wait for my answer, he already knows I want him to kiss me. His mouth lands on mine with a raw need and I lean against the door behind me.

“I do not care what anyone has to say. I want you Jane,” he groans and kisses me again. God help me, but I think I’m already falling for Prince George. 

Over the last week, King Louis and I have spent a great deal of time together. He made sure to dance with me at every ball and talk to me at every chance he got. As well as getting to know Louis a little more, I have been spending some time down at the stables with James. In fact, I have seen James five days of the last seven and every minute I spent with him, I never once thought of Louis. Yet, whenever I am with King Louis, my mind always wonders to James.

As I sit outside in the fresh air with some of my Ladies, my father’s messenger walks towards us.

“The King would like to see the Princess in his study,” Thomas alerts and I quickly follow him, promising to find my Ladies when I have found out whatever my father wants. We approach my father’s study, and Thomas knocks on alerting our arrival.

“Come on in!” My father calls out and one of the guards opens the heavy wooden door for me to walk through. The first thing I see is him with his head looking down at the table in front of him, a deep frown on his face as he looks at what is in front of him.

“Hello Father,” I greet him.

He looks up from whatever troubles him on the table, his frown turning to a smile as he leaves what was worrying him behind and walks towards me. His arms stretched wide, “Grace! My beautiful and eldest daughter.”

He holds me for a second and then lets me go, “I want to talk to you about King Louis.”

I step back from him arms, “Oh no. That does not sound good.”

My father looks thoughtful, “I do not know if it is good for England to be tied to France.”

This shocks me, “What?” I place a hand to my head, I am beginning to get a headache. “Father, you change your mind so often.”

Father holds his hands up, “I have been writing to my advisers at French court and they have advised me to wait some more until we promise anything between you and Louis. They do not think France will benefit England in anyway. Even though both countries desire a union, I do not think we are desperate for you to marry Louis,” my father continues. “And we do not want to rush into things when you have admirers on their way to meet you Grace.”

“More suitors?” I ask. “But they put me on edge.”

He just laughs at this, “Grace your marriage has to mean something, otherwise I would have sent you away with a man for nothing and I do not want to do that,” he bends down, level with my eyes. “You are my eldest daughter and I love you. I want you married to the best man out there because you deserve so much more than just an alliance. We will not rush you into a marriage.”

Tears gather in my eyes at his words, “Really Father?”

“I will try my best, but if we find ourselves in an emergency I may have no choice,” he makes clear.

“I understand,” I grin widely.

This is the best I could have hoped for. Suddenly there’s a knock on the door, and Genevieve, my father’s mistress walks in. She looks shocked to see me, so pauses by the door.

“I am sorry Stephan, I did not know you had company,” she speaks.

My father clears his throat, “Grace, that is all. You can leave now.”

I turn back to my father, giving him a look that will no doubt tell him how much I hate his mistress and then walk out. I don’t look at her or pay attention to her curtsey. I hate that woman with a passion. The only good thing to come from my father being with her is having Arthur and Bridget.

I try my absolute best to stay away from King Louis, but it’s surprisingly difficult when you live in a huge castle surrounded by so many people. King Louis has been actively seeking me out. To get away, I decide to sneak down to the stables, alone this time. Half way there, I worry if James will not be there but I am relieved to find that he is. He is sat on a blanket laid in the corner, reading.

“Anything good?” I ask, looking to the book in his hands.

“Not as good as the sight of you,” he smiles up at me. “No Lady Louisa?”

“No,” I laugh. “I decided to come and visit you alone this time.”

“You know, you are the reason I visit here so often,” he admits as he helps me sit down beside him.

“Oh really?” I ask playfully.

“It is the one place we always meet and I hope every day you come to see me,” James explains and I don’t know what to say to that. “Sorry, I did not mean to get so intense so quickly.”

“No, it is fine,” I finally say. “Truthfully, you are the main reason I come here, not the horses.”

“It that so?” He laughs. “And I thought you adored your horse.”

“Oh I love my Beauty,” I look over to her. “But you can talk back.”

This makes him laugh, “How is court today?”

“The same as every day and coming down here eases my headache,” I admit to him.

“I wish I could be there with you, spending more time with one another and seeing you walk around in your fine gowns,” his finger lazily caresses the side of my gown and my heart starts to beat faster.

“James,” I warn him.

“I know,” he nods, but our eyes connect and he keeps looking down to my mouth. “But I cannot help myself when you are near.”

“I feel it too,” I admit to him, closing my eyes as his hand reaches my neck and brings me closer. “What are we doing?”

“I want to kiss you,” he whispers against my mouth.

“I want you to kiss me,” I answer and as soon as the words are out my mouth, his lips are on mine and I groan in delight. This is my first ever kiss and I never want it to end. Unfortunately, James pulls back and I gasp for air.

“I’m scared,” I speak out loud and I am not sure whether I should have said that or not.

James nods in agreement, “You are not the only one.”

This time, it is me who leans in close and captures his mouth. I do what I have been dying to do and reach up to touch his face, letting my hands finally feel his strong jaw and the stubble of his beard scratches my fingers. I pull back, satisfied but still left wanting more. James has that effect on me.

I do not know how much time passes, before I eventually decide it is time to head back to the castle. I walk back with a huge smile on my face and an elated mood. I do not want this spoilt, so on my walk I decide to not to attend the large dinner with the court and my parents, I want to eat alone with my Ladies. It might come across as rude, but I really need some private time with my friends. I haven’t had enough of that since we all came here.

When my stomach is full of delicious foods, I lean back in my chair and sigh. If my mother could see me now she would be displeased and because of that, I enjoy it a little bit more.

“Oh it is lovely to eat with just the four of you,” I smile around at my Ladies.

“And for us too,” Jane smiles back.

“I am able to relax so much more,” I continue.

“Yes, we don’t get to dine so close to you when it’s the whole court,” Beatrice adds.

“You should think yourself lucky,” I frown. “I’m not one to enjoy eating whilst the court looks up to the table. One tiny mistake as I eat could embarrass me for life.”

The girls laugh, but they don’t realise how serious I am. I glance around the room, imaging my grandmother in here alone. Poor woman. The door opens, and I sit up straight as the servants clear the table.

“Are you going to the ball?” Louisa asks.

“No,” I quickly answer.

“Why not?” She asks me, all four girls intently listening. I decide that it is time for me to tell them what my father had told me when he asked to speak to me in his study just a couple of days before.

“My father told me that he does not want a union with France, so I will not be married to King Louis. I need to distance myself from him and he seems to enjoy being so close,” I tell them. “You are all welcome to go to the ball if you would like, but I am going to bed.”

“I will come with you,” Jane adds. “I do not feel like dancing tonight.”

“If you are sure Grace?” Asks Catherine.

I smile towards her, “I am and I want you all to enjoy yourselves.”

Jane and I separate from the rest of the girls, and when we are alone I decide there’s no better time than the present to ask her about George, “Did you talk things over with George?” I ask.

“I did,” She nods. “But I cannot say it has put him off.”

“Maybe the chase excites him,” I wonder.

“I do not think so,” she argues. “He told me as soon as he saw me he wanted me and I’m afraid I’m falling for him Grace.”

She looks a little panicked, and I’m about to try and calm her when I hear a noise which stops me.

“Grace?” Jane asks but I quickly hold a hand up to quieten her.

“Shh,” I whisper.

I walk towards the corner as quietly as I can in my shoes, feeling Jane closely following. I hear King Louis voice echo through the halls.

“We have to be quiet,” he whispers.

I pear around the corner as I hear a feminine giggle and I am shocked to spy King Louis with a young girl, they stand close together but then as I look closer through the dark shadows, I see that they are too close. King Louis grabs the girl closer and takes her lips and I hold back the gasp.

“Oh my goodness,” whispers Jane from behind me.

“Come on,” I say, tired of watching King Louis and his play toy.

I am glad I have discovered him for what he truly is before I got to know him further and risk me being let down by him. As I continue to walk, I hear a scuffle and smile to myself when I think about the both of them hiding away from my sight.