Maid For You 4

Chapter 82

While I got along swimmingly with Coleman's mother, his father was another issue. It wasn't that he'd threatened to ruin my life or tried to bribe me with a fat check to get away from his son, but he and I never had little amicable conversations like I did with Queen Klara. While she would invite me to tea or lunch and would ask about the progress of my studies, I basically never saw her husband. Occasionally I'd passed him in the hall, and once I'd eaten dinner with him and the rest of Coleman's family, but that was about the extent of it.

Coleman's 26th birthday was coming up, on the 26th of May. "It's my golden birthday as well," Coleman would complain. "And I wish Lucas were here. He did such a great job with my party last year." He was in the process of hiring a "right proper butler" after all these months of putting up with Charlie, and Charlie and I were walking around the gardens—in June, the palace would open for summer tours—and we were enjoying some of the perfect spring temperature. Well, I was enjoying it. Charlie was complaining.

"I've been such a loyal butler!" he whined loudly. "I mean, his last butler dated you! I haven't made any sort of moves on you myself."

I snorted. "How kind of you."

"In fact, I was even Team Coleman when he and Prince Nikolas were fighting over you."

"You sure were."

"So honestly, I'd have appreciated a little more loyalty in return! I know I wasn't perfect, we can't forget when I walked in on you two macking—"

"Thanks for bringing that up again."

"But I was loyal! Can't you talk to him, Cassie? He'll listen to you."

I sighed. "Look, Charlie, do you even want to be in charge of big parties like this? With a bajillion judgy nobles where if it doesn't go well you'll take the blame?"

"Well that's why we've hired a party planner," Charlie mumbled.

"Yes, but you're still supposed to be working closely with the planner and coordinating things from Coleman's end so he doesn't have to focus on all the little details."

"So you're on his side," Charlie sniffed.

"Look, it's not like you're being fired! You'll still get to work here, and we'll still...we'll still..." my words drifted away as I caught sight of King Collin on the other side of the garden. We weren't in the hedges like I'd been with Coleman, but in the open space with large flower beds of blooming tulips and all other kinds of flowers, walking along neat garden paths. He was crossing that side of the garden and seemingly walking over to us.

"That's the king," Charlie whispered.

Why did I feel so anxious suddenly?  I bowed in recognition, and was about to keep on walking along when he spoke with his deep voice. "Miss Carmichael," he said.

My heart dropped to my stomach. I wondered if Coleman's voice would be so intimidating in a couple of decades, if it would strike fear into the hearts of unsuspecting young women. I looked at the king, tall and imposing, his face gravely seriously. It wasn't just the voice—it was everything about him.

"Might I have a word with you?" he asked.

Coleman may have been more similar to his mother, but wow did he resemble his father in both build and facial features. Despite their differing demeanors, it was impossible to deny that Coleman was his father's son.

"You may," I said, hoping my demeanor was calm and collected instead of panicked like I felt inside. Coleman may have never pressured me to act particularly noble and ladylike, but around certain individuals I felt it was very important to make a good, composed impression.

Charlie took the hint to scram, bowing at the king and then scurrying off. A part of me wished that he had stayed, but I couldn't blame him for leaving. I'd have done the same.

"Shall we continue walking?" King Collin asked me.

I nodded, and started walking forward. Twenty-five seconds in and this was the longest period of time I'd ever spent alone with the king. I wasn't particularly religious, but I started saying a prayer in my heart that Coleman would come around some corner and join us on our walk.

"You and my son have been getting close this past month," the King stated.

"We have been, your majesty."

"He is in love with you."

I flushed slightly. "He is. And I'm in love with him."

"Of course. 'Tis the way of young people."

'The way of young people?' What the crap is that supposed to mean? I thought. "I suppose so," I answered. Please let this conversation end. Please. I'd rather go back and beg Coleman to take Charlie on as butler again than endure this convo.

"My wife is very pleased," King Collin continued.

"Oh, I'm glad to hear that," I said. "She's been really kind to me."

"She has, hasn't she? But of course, there was reason for her kindness."

I glanced at his face, and I saw the hint of an amused smirk.

"Klara always has a reason," he said.

"Does she?"

"Surely you've had your suspicions," he said. "She saw from when you first arrived that you'd captured our son's attention and that he was very attracted to you and your fiery spirit. Over the past several years, Coleman has engaged a lifestyle of rampant sex and promiscuity with no desire to settle down and raise a respectable family, and with little partiality towards a particular woman. He has chased after instant gratification, and in his station, it was quite easy to receive."

Obviously I knew about Coleman's playboy past, but I still felt uncomfortable having everything laid out so blatantly before me.

"There are many respectable matches for Coleman within the collegiate—princesses, nobility. We'd hoped for Coleman to settle down with someone of similarly high status, but as time went on, my wife's heart slowly broke watching her precious son devolve into a moral fiend. We tried to discourage and curb his behavior, but he was not to be stopped for long. Hence, when you arrived and Coleman showed an abnormal glimmer of partiality and interest towards you, she wanted to nurture that little spark." He looked at me with his stern blue eyes. "She was desperate enough that she'd settle for a maid if it meant that Coleman would settle down."

The King was that he was certainly more straight-forward than his wife, and while I appreciated the clear answers, I couldn't help but feel stung.

"You are where you are now because of the Queen," he said. "She turned you into her Queen Maiden, into our daughter's lady-in-waiting. She gave you lessons and education and as much status as she reasonably could. She built you so that you would be just adequate enough to potentially wed my son, should you prove charming enough."

Wed? I thought. I think we're jumping the gun here!

"Her plan has worked quite well up until this point," King Collin said. "And while I have allowed your ascent in society, it does not mean that I am in favor of your match to my son."

The sinking feeling in my stomach only grew worse.

                He glanced down at me. "Do not worry so. I am not here to tell you that you cannot continue to court my son. I know that that would be a foolish request. Why should you follow the command of an old man when you are young and in love? But I do want to provide you with caution. This is a worry I would have with any young woman seriously courting Coleman, but if you were a princess, perhaps I would keep my concerns to myself. That is perhaps wrong of me that I tell you selectively, but it doesn't mean that my words are any less true."

                "And what is it that you wish to caution me of?" I asked, my voice coming out snippier than I meant.

"Coleman may love you now, but I fear that his years of irresponsibility and indulgence will make him incapable of being a good husband in the long term."