To Kiss a King 2

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Nora slowly lowered herself into the warm bath water and sighed as her muscles relaxed. When ever she got stressed or had too much on her plate, a warm bath would always help her unwind. 

“So...Erin seems nice.” Jenny laughed folding towels in the corner of the bathing room. 

Nora sighed and kept her eyes shut. 

“She’s young, easy to manipulate. Perfect for Eloise.” She scoffed lowering her head under the water. 

“Now, you mustn't be so judgmental of the poor girl!” 

Nora surfaced. “How can I not?!” 

Jenny turned sharply away from her work to face Nora. 

“Have you ever talked to her about it? Perhaps she feels guilty about what she did-” 

“Hah!” Nora raised her arms, splashing water about her in anger. 

“She’s not sorry. And I don’t want to talk about it, I just want to forget about it.” 

Jenny sighed heavily. “Perhaps you’re not giving her or yourself the opportunity to forget about it when you show your hatred so plainly to her all these years later.” 

“My hatred?! Don’t act like I don’t have a right to hate her! I have-” 

Jenny cut her off abruptly, “Listen, all I’m saying is that maybe there’s more to the story. And maybe talking about it will give you some peace.” 

“I have peace.” Nora grumbled sinking lower into the water so that just her nose and eyes were exposed. 

“I hear you late at night, when you think no one will hear your tears. Don’t tell me you have peace.” 

----

Nora sat in the bath for as long as she could. Once the water lost all of it’s warmth Jenny urged her out for fear she would catch a cold. Nora almost wished it would happen, that way she could beg sickness and not attend the ball that night. 

On her way back to her room she encountered Erin again, who this time was sent to help her pick out something “suitable” from her wardrobe for the ball this evening. Packing down her anger she refused as politely as possible and retreated to her room. 

A light knock on her door came the minute she sat down at her vanity. 

“Come in” She called weakly, thinking it would be Jenny to brush and braid her still slightly damp hair. 

But instead in came Eloise, as painted up as ever. She wore a bright yellow dress with a lace shall draped about her shoulders with matching lace gloves and her hair pined up elaborately with a pink clip. 

“Nora!” Her small red lips pursed in a fake smile. 

Nora smiled for a brief moment and let it fall, picking up a brush she hoped to appear in the midst of getting ready and not at all in the mood for conversation.