To Kiss a King 2

chapter 31

Chapter 31

“You keep refusing my maid!” Eloise laughed. 

“I don’t need you to help me look suitable.” Nora spat the word. 

Eloise’s demeanor didn’t falter for a second. 

“Oh come now, I just want you to look your best next to me!” 

Nora slowly brushed her hair as she felt the anger begin to well up inside of her. 

“Besides, I have the recent fashions from Paris and I don’t want to completely outshine you!” She laughed and Nora loudly dropped her brush against her vanity. 

“Are you quite finished?” 

Eloise paused, as something flickered across her amused face. 

“What ever do you mean?” She shook her head eyes wide. 

“I mean..” Nora spun on her stool to face Eloise. “I mean are you finished berating me, and spiting me and making me look a fool now?” 

“I’m doing no such thing!” Eloise took a step back and placed a hand on her heart as if genuinely shocked. 

“Oh. No of course not.” Nora spun her back to face her. 

“You know something, I thought we were friends!” 

Nora blanched and her anger exploded instantly, she rose so quickly her stool tipped over and she advanced toward Eloise with murder in her eyes. 

“Friends?!” She screamed pointing the hairbrush still in her hand at Eloise’s chest. 

“You thought we could be friends?!” Nora laughed bitterly. “I would rather friend the scum of the earth than you.” 

Eloise’s lips pursed and her face turned a deep shade of red.

“You- the girl who ruined my entire life, no my families life, I have no future because of you.” 

Eloise took a step forward and swatted the brush out of Nora’s hands. It hit the floor with a loud thud but neither noticed. 

“Oh, silly Nora!” She scoffed. “Is that how you get by? Blaming your downfall on me?!” 

Nora opened her mouth but Eloise cut her off sharply and took another step. 

“You’re right, it was my fault you got pregnant out of wedlock!” 

Nora gasped at the words, they hit her hard, knocking the air out of her. 

“And with farm boy no less! What was his name again?” She chuckled evilly.

“Don’t, don’t you-” 

“Erik wasn’t it?!” 

Nora felt tears sting her eyes and the anger died in her stomach. “I trusted you, you were my best friend.” 

Eloise’s grin died on her face. “You were my best friend too...you still are.”

“You were the only one I told, it was going to be a secret, no one had to know.” The tears came freely now. 

Eloise shook her head. 

“But you told everyone in court, we lost my father’s benefits, and I was dead to society. Ruined.” 

Nora sunk to the floor, feeling sobs rack her body, sobs of betrayal and a deep friendship lost. 

“I’m sorry Nora.” Eloise placed a hand on her shoulder but Nora shrugged it off. 

“But it wasn’t me who told.”