Royally in Love

Chapter Four

“It’s okay. I didn’t expect it to be an easy quest. I could be anyone which makes me a nobody.” 

His frown grew and Emma couldn’t help, but sit up and reach out. Her fingers traced the frown lines on his face and she smoothed them out. Her fingers lingered for a small moment on his lips before she dropped her hand abruptly. One would think the moment didn’t happen, but it did. John was feeling the effects of it, no doubt.  

His hands tightened on the wood of the chair beside the bed. The chair that refused to admit his large frame into its small confines. Emma saw with wide eyes as his hands whitened with the effort. Her brow came together in confusion. 

“Is something the matter?” 

John’s hands instantly loosened and he straightened. His gaze lingered on her before he stood up abruptly and muttered what sounded like a good bye.  

Emma couldn’t stop herself if she tried. Her legs swung out of the bed and she stumbled in her haste to stop him. The last 3 days had left her with no company, but the never ending silence of the servants. She would go positively crazy if she had to endure another moment of it.  

She bumped into his hard unforgiving back and flinched, instantly drawing away. He stopped, but didn’t turn.  

“What exactly is it that you’re doing miss Emma?” 

“I was- …that is..wo-…wouldn’t you like to…stay for a bit? If you would like and if you don’t have other pressing matters that is and didn’t I tell you not to call me Miss!” 

She stuttered incomprehensibly and winced at the harshness of her last statement. Emma could practically hear his grin as he lowly chuckled.  

“I suppose those pressing matters could wait...Emma.” 

He turned around and she let out a squeak before jumping into the bed and under the covers where his eyes couldn’t see the nearly transparent shift she wore to bed that night. He came forward and sat back in the chair that remained unforgiving. 

“So what is it you propose we do now Emma?” 

He grinned at her, clearly enjoying her discomfort, irking her further more.  

“We…err …we now …sit.” 

Her tongue tied around itself and her mouth became dry. Her throat refused to utter any more inane and baseless words. Feeling like an utter fool Emma turned her head away from his mocking stare. The starry night held a better view in her opinion.  

“As enjoyable as that sounds particularly as I am in your company at present, this chair continues to be a discomfort and my rather large form cries in despair.” 

Without her consent a chuckle left her lips and she turned to gaze at him with her bottomless green eyes. He sucked in a breath as she searched his face for something he wasn’t privy to.  

“Then you may sit on the bed, on the edge if you please.” She said pointedly. 

He raised his hands in surrender and got up instantly, a look of relief graced his features before he grinned at her mischievously. He sat on the one side of the bed she did not occupy, propping the pillows he leaned against them, with his legs crossed atop the bed.  

“You still have your boots on John!” Emma scolded. He looked at her puzzled and then gave her a slow nod agreeing with her statement as if talking to a dim witted child. 

“Take them off! You are dirtying the blankets!”   

A look of comprehension dawned on him and he quickly removed his polished hessians, laying them beside the bed. 

“Is that better?” 

“Much.” 

Her short response gave him cause to chuckle as he laid his head back and closed his eyes. She too lay down and stared at his still form, taking advantage of his closed eyes to closely study him.  

He was handsome, unbelievably so, with long hair that curled adorably around his ears and collar and curiously straight hair that fell into his eyes. Those eyes, a blue so clear and magnificent, one could simply drown in its depths. She shook her head to rid it of its traitor thoughts and clamped her eyes shut, willing the image of his strong muscular form to leave her minds eye. 

As she closed her eyes, his inevitably opened his own and he smiled a lazy smile in her direction. She was currently wrinkling her cute button nose and squeezing her eyes shut. John didn’t know how and why she had stumbled into his life, but he sure wasn’t going to lose her. This one, he was going to keep and make his wife. The lord knew women never tired of trying to claim his love and court him, but he knew they’re true worth or in fact they knew his worth. His wealth and title was the attraction for those women. He sighed and turned to look up at the stonework of the ceiling and the intricate carvings, he wondered at the tears that were so evidently there before he had startled her. 

In the deafening silence both sought comfort from each other and amidst this comfort seeking, sleep overcame all and they were no sooner fast asleep.