The Lost Princess ( The Compulsion Bride Series) Book 1 (Unedited)

Chapter 45

What was taking her so long? Joshua thought as his pocket watch snapped shut with an audible click. After all, they were preparing for a fight not a bloody ball! He glanced at the top of the stairs, his mouth thinning as he placed the watch in his pocket. Foxie had asked for a moment of preparation before escorting them to their destination. The gentlemen had obliged with the thought that a moment would have been a few minutes or half an hour the most. How wrong they were! It was now almost an hour they had been seated on the steps of the staircase. With a frustrating groan, Joshua rubbed the back of his neck with his hands and suddenly found admiration in his shining tassel boots.

A lady choose that moment to approached the gentlemen. Joshua could smell the strong suffocating perfume she wore, that was causing his head to throb. "Need a drink fellas?" At the mention of  liqueur, Joshua lifted his head and gazed upon the scandalously dressed woman. Blond ringlets framed her pleasant oval shaped face as she smiled at each of them.

"No, thank you" Jake replied with a frowned, before adverting his gaze back to the scenery below him. He didn't want any drink. What he wanted was for this night to be over. Very soon.

"I'll take one " the prince mumbled something under his breathe as Joshua took the glass from the sliver tray in front of him. The woman retrieved the tray too quickly causing the edge of tray to collided with the bottom of Joshua's glass. The glass tilted, Spilling the liquid all over his waistcoat.

Shit!

"Oh I'm sorry" She giggled nervously, placing the tray with the two remaining glasses she managed to save, on the ground. She withdrew a handkerchief from her bodice and began wiping the liqueur off his waistcoat which was useless. His waistcoat was already ruined.

" No need to worry it's just a piece of fabric" He dismissed her, with a worried glance she refrain from her task, picked up her tray and left with haste.

"A clumsy little miss, isn't she? Probably a new recruit." he mumbled, taking a sip of his drink. It was very smooth but did little effect to him compared to his rum which he left at home. Joshua didn't want to be reunited with his wife, with a flask of rum in his pocket. Besides he wouldn't need it once Halley was back in his arms.

Jake rolled his eyes and leaned back on the railings of the staircase with his hands folded and legs stretched. "You really have no clue what had just happened do you?" The Prince started to chuckled with amusement while Joshua looked on bewildered. " Search your pockets see what she took"

It looks like not just the prince had been watching the scenery below, of the ladies stealing from men. They were very entertaining and skillful. He had to admire.

"Shit!" Joshua felt everywhere on him for his pocket watch. It was gone " she took my bloody watch! " he discarded the drink in his hands, it shattered into pieces on the floor. Joshua no longer felt the need to continue drinking the liqueur,  he had accepted from that thief. What did she think he accepted the drink with exchanged for his lucky pocket watch, that saved his life? The drink couldn't even held as compensation.

"Where is she!"

"Don't worry Fisher " Alejandro coaxed, when Joshua surged to his feet. " at least it wasn't your wedding ring" On instinct Joshua's eyes fell on the golden band around his finger. Where it should be. He didn't want to meet his wife without it. What would he have said? Darling a woman stole my wedding ring in a bar while she was cleaning liqueur off my waistcoat? That would surly send Halley into a fazed. He smiled. "A poor fella just lost his a while ago." Prince Alejandro continued.

"Woman are crafty creatures, stay clear of them," Jake said, glancing at the top of the stairs. " Christ! How long does this lady need to get prepared!" He closed his eyes and rested his head on the railing. Gabrielle was testing his patience.