One Look

Chapter 37

I stood still for a moment, taking a break from pacing the entrance hall. It was now two days until the ball. Nathaniel and I had barely spoken since he told me he loved me. Something I still could not quite believe. A feelng I was still wondering if I returned. The sound of gravel crunching under carriage wheels, and the trotting of horses snapped my attention away from my thoughts. I let out a little squeal as the carriage came to a stop, and I ran to greet the passengers. I had the doors of the carriage open before anyone else had a chance, and I practically pulled my father out.

"Eloise", he exclaimed, as he righted himself on his feet before I threw myself into his arms. He lifted me up as he hugged me tight. "My darling Eloise".

"Father", I whispered, tears pricking the corners of my eyes as I breathed in his scent. I had not realised how much I had missed him until he was standing in front of me. His blue eyes softened as he looked at me. "Father, I broke mothers' necklace". My eyes cast downwards as I took sudden interest in the gravel, not wanting to see the grief on his face.

"Darling it is only a thing, do not worry. We do not need it to remember her by, what we have are our memories of her. And that is something that can never be broken".

I squeezed him in for another hug, as I heard a throat being cleared awkwardly from behind him. I opened my eyes, and a huge grin broke out across my face at the sight of my younger brother.

"Patrick", I squealed and gently pushed away my father to pull my brother in for a hug. He awkwardly patted me on the back before I pulled away to get a proper look at him. "Excuse me but you have grown so much since I seen you last. You are now even taller than father". Patrick chuckled softly as he pushed his light brown hair out of his eyes. "And you are in dire need of a haircut".

"I keep telling him that", my father chimed in, "but he keeps insisting it is the latest style that all the young men have".

"I like it like this", Patrick huffed, and I suddenly could not recognise the boy who gave me a bunch of wildflowers only a few months back. He was now a young man.

"William", the Queens voice rang from behind me, and I saw my father straighten up before he turned to greet her, only to bow in her presence. Patrick followed suit so I quickly threw in a curtsy.

"Your majesty", my father greeted as he returned to a stand.

"Enough with the formalities", Adelaide sighed, as she waved her hand as a sign of dismissal. "We are old friends and that shall account for something".

I winced at her words knowing my father did not feel the same way. After my mother's accident and not a word from the royal family about it, he quickly pushed any form of friendliness he felt for them away.

"Did Lady Elizabeth join you?" she asked after a moment of silence, which my father should have filled.

"My mother is ill at the moment", he replied. "So, she will not be joining us". I blinked in surprise; I had not known my grandmother was ill.

"Oh, I do hope she feels better soon", Adelaide sighed. "Eloise, Oscar asked that you and Patrick meet him in the library. He didn't specify which one and I forgot to ask".

"No worries, your highness", I smiled. "There is only one where we all meet in".

I nearly shouted in relief as me and Patrick made our escape from the awkwardness that was our father.

"Please tell me he has been socialising", I whispered to Patrick as we made our way inside.

"Hardly. The poor man has fallen into himself even further since you left".