Inside Darling (Darling #1) [complete]

Chapter Seven

"A H.  S O, you are ready to quit being stubborn now?" Thatcher queried teasingly, but also hopeful, as he ambled across the great room to a patiently waiting Louelle.

He noticed her a few moments prior, but was in deep conversation with a foreign ambassador, Alec Hemsworth of England, their neighboring country. Alec was making his arguments on why Darling should not inflict war upon Spain, as if the decision was the prince's and King James would listen to Thatcher's opinion. Many of the ambassadors who often brought up issues with him were aware of this. Regardless, they still confronted him as if he had any sway in the king's decisions.

Louelle attempted to conceal her grin at her prince's teasing, but miserably failed. Oh, how she missed him.

"I came by your quarters this morning." She meandered to meet him in the middle. His smile slightly faltered. Although he was quick to recover, Louelle did not miss it. She never missed a thing he did. "But Mister Albernathy had informed me you were with Maryann."

She had come to see him. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to wrap her in his arms and inhale her sweet, flowery scent. He often lied awake in the night staring at his ceiling with his mind circling around the thought of her, as always. He was curious to know if she had done the same, longing for him as he longed for her. He wished she did, though he was unable to imagine it from the way they had left things between them - when she announced they needed to distance themselves.

Perhaps she did yearn for him considering she went to see him that morning in his quarters, and she seemed despondent he was not there and was away with Maryann. He saw a spark of envy behind her irises and in a way, it had felt promising. 

The two often flirted lightheartedly here and there. On his side of things, he purposefully led her on, only because he positively loved her. However, he was unsure why Louelle partook in the banter with him. She'd never insinuated their friendship was anything more than just that, but he hadn't either. He only did not tell her the truth of what was on his mind because if his feelings were not reciprocated, he was aware his ego would deflate. He feared what it would do to their friendship.

But Louelle seemed concerned in regards to why Maryann stole the prince away that morning. Not for the reason of Maryann and her antics, as Louelle often complained of, but due to Louelle possibly being jealous.

His skin tingled at the chances.

"Missed me, did you?" He grinned boyishly.

The sight of his smile ruffled Louelle's feathers in a good kind of way. Yes, she missed him. She did not realize exactly how much she did until he was standing in front of her, speaking to her. His attention was something she craved and she did not want to take it for granted again. There would never be another day they would not go without speaking, she swore to herself.

She wondered if the sudden change in demeanor in the prince was the cause of her. He appeared to be tense at breakfast (perhaps because Maryann frightened the prince with her straightforward personality) and even so when she found him speaking with Alec Hemsworth. But upon spotting her standing off to the side, waiting for him, it was as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. He visibly relaxed. His pupils dilated and she was physically able to see him return to focus. And when their eyes connected, she may have been imagining it, the room had grown brighter.