The Colonial Heart ✓ (Editing)

Chapter 8

                          W I L L I A M

"Good morning, Henry," I said with a playful smile, taking my seat beside him. "Oh dear me, for the first time in ages, you've greeted me! Whatever has gotten you in such high spirits?"

Henry chuckled, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "Ah, my dear, it's a mystery, indeed. But tell me, what's behind your radiant smile today?"

I coyly replied, "That, my friend, is a secret for now."

Henry grinned and handed me a letter. "Well, whatever the reason, your father's correspondence might just dampen your mood."

My heart skipped a beat as I took the envelope, adorned with the Windsor Castle crest and sealed with a crimson wax stamp bearing the family motto,

"Fortis et Fidelis"

(Strong and Faithful).

The postmark read

Windsor Castle Post Office Box 221, England, 12 May 1940.

With trembling hands, I broke the seal and unfolded the letter, my eyes scanning the pages with a mix of trepidation and curiosity.

Dear William,

I write to you in the hope that you have commenced your mission with all due haste and are not tarrying unnecessarily. Time is of the essence, and I implore you to remain focused on your objective.

Lady Katherine's melancholy of late has been a source of great concern for me. I can only imagine the depth of your own sorrow, being separated from your beloved. Fear not, dear son, for I have every confidence that you are nearing the completion of your task.

I pray that this letter finds you in good health and high spirits.

Your loving father,
Mathew

As I finished reading, my countenance must have betrayed my emotions, for Henry's expression turned somber. "William, what news does the letter bear?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"That detestable woman!" I thundered, slamming the envelope onto the table. "She is not, nor will she ever be, my beloved!" I exclaimed, my voice echoing through the room.

Henry's eyes widened in surprise as he carefully picked up the envelope, his gaze scanning the contents with interest. "Ah, I see," he said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Lady Katherine's demise is weighing heavily on your heart, my friend."

I shot him a withering glance. "Lady Katherine is a hypocrite, a master manipulator who cares only for herself. Her 'melancholy' is nothing but a ruse to get me to succumb to her whims."

Henry's grin grew wider. "Ah, but William, you know as well as I do that her 'whims' often come with a price. And now, it seems, she's paying the ultimate price."

I turned my back on him, my anger and frustration boiling over. "I'll be in my chambers if you need me. Tell the workers to begin the mining operation immediately. I want no further delays."

I halted in my tracks as Henry's words caught up with me.

"Are you not going to see your mistress?"

he asked, his tone playful. I turned to face him, my expression incredulous.
"Mistress?," I repeated, my voice laced with skepticism.

"Ah, come now, William," Henry said with a playful smirk, "I beheld you and the Ghanaian beauty conversing like lovebirds beneath the tree yesterday. Your words were as sweet as honeyed nectar, and your eyes shone brighter than the stars on a clear night!"

I turned to him, my face aglow with a warm blush. "Henry, you are a rogue! We were merely...ah, discussing the intricacies of statecraft."

Henry's grin broadened, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "Statecraft, indeed! You were practically swooning, William! Your every word was a tender endearment, and your gaze was as ardent as a lover's caress!" He said while batting his eyelashes.

"Oh, hush, Henry! You're indulging in fanciful conjectures, reading far more into the situation than actually transpired!" I exclaimed, my cheeks flushed with a delicate warmth.

"I'm shocked, truly shocked, that a gentleman such as yourself would stoop to eaves dropping on a private conversation! You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself, sir!"

Henry chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Ah, William, you wound me! I was merely...ah, concerned for your well-being, yes, that's it! And I couldn't help but notice the way you and the lovely girl laughed together, your words intertwining like the tender shoots of a vine."

I rolled my eyes, a hint of playful exasperation in my voice.

"Henry, you're a silver-tongued devil, but I won't be swayed by your flattery! Besides, I think you've gotten quite carried away with your romantic imaginings."

Henry grinned, unfazed. "Perhaps, perhaps, my dear William. But I assure you, my interest is purely...ah, observational. Yes, that's it! I'm simply fascinated by the intricacies of human connection."

"Whatever, just mind your own business next time." I said with a hint of jest

Henry chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Ah, William, you're as prickly as a cactus, but I'll take that as a sign of affection. I shall indeed mind my business...but only if you promise to enlighten me about your mysterious conversations with the captivating Ama."

I shot him a wry glance. "You're as persistent as a mosquito, Henry. I'll have you know, our conversations are utterly mundane. We discuss...ah, the weather, and...uh, the latest fashion trends."

Henry snorted, his grin broadening. "Fashion trends? With the beauty? You're as convincing as a fox in a henhouse, William!"

I laughed, shaking my head. "You're impossible, Henry. I surrender. Just don't go spreading any more of your outlandish tales, or I'll have to duel you at dawn."

"Of course, but if you require my assistance in whisking away the lovely lady, that she might become your mistress, I shall obligingly render my services, without so much as a single inquiry."

Henry declared, executing a gallant tip of his hat, which sent me into fits of amused laughter.

"Oh Henry you need serious help!"

I exclaimed, playfully dismissing him as I took my leave of the room.

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I enjoy writing about Henry because I feel as though he reminds me of my own best friend and how we converse with each other and also I have granted you guys with another long chapter,oh how I hope it is interesting to you guys.