The Bastard (Darling #2) [complete]

Chapter Fifteen

L A T E R  T H A T afternoon, Thatcher found himself trapped in the ballroom looking at carnations for his upcoming wedding. The king stood off to the far edge of the table the carnations were laying on, a bored expression painted on his face. The queen was excitedly looking at each carnation. Her first born son had a wedding coming up and he was going to marry a lady whom he loved with his whole heart - unknown to King James, that was. Thatcher was feigning interest in the carnations. Although he was excited to marry Louelle, wedding planning wasn't something he was entirely keen on.

But he was there under the king's orders.

Maryann hastily entered the room with a bright, cheery, face-eating grin.

"My sincere apologies for my late attendance," she called out as she drew closer to the trio. She bowed to the king and queen. As she rose, she ran the palms of her hands across the skirt of her dress to smoothen out the wrinkles. "I was in the sewing room with my dear sister Louelle. She needed advice on the sort of gown I requested for my wedding."

She met the eye of Thatcher who raised his eyebrows.

Maryann cleared her throat and nervously giggled. "I meant - our wedding," she corrected herself. Her face was flushed pink.

The king stepped closer to the group with his brows knitted together in confusion. "Lady Louelle is making your wedding gown?"

"Yes, His Majesty. I was just with her getting my proper measurements and the sort of fabric I request for my design," Maryann concurred.

She stood on the opposite side of the carnation display, standing straight and proper as she always had. Thatcher recognized the dress she was wearing from Louelle's wardrobe. It was a pale green dress with a corset sewn into it. Although it did compliment Maryann, it did not look nearly as nice on her than it did his true bride. Maryann's dark, long hair was pulled into a half uo-do with braids dangling in the front. With her hair pulled back that way, and accompanied by her flushed cheeks from rushing to the ballroom, she appeared innocent.

It was what the group of them needed to keep any suspicions the king might have had at bay. If they both behaved as if the wedding was truly going to happen for Maryann and Thatcher instead of the real union to happen between Louelle and Thatcher - it would have kept King James off of their tails.

For as long as they could, anyway.

"I would not trust anyone else but Louelle to make my gown for such a special day," Maryann added after King James made no remarks.

They needed to get his approval for all things in regards to the wedding. Afterall, it was mostly his wedding. He was the one who had announced it to all of his powerful peers and wished to impress them with the expensive decorations, hor d'oeuvres, and clothing attire. It was why he was in attendance for choosing the carnations. Although they were all lovely, King James needed to have the final say for them to move onto the next step of planning - cutlery and china.