One Look

Chapter 5

"Do you believe Charles will be able to ensure Edmund speaks about this to no one?" I asked Nathaniel when we were alone in the stable. We were still soaking wet, even though the wind from riding the horses had dried us a little.

"Edmund might be a bit of an idiot, but he won't spread gossip", Nathaniel said. "Though I have never seen him so horrified".

"All I did was run through a field and fall in the lake", I smirked, and he nodded his head but no smile appeared on his face.

"True, but Edmund had never seen a lady do either of those things  before. And you spoke your mind to him, and I believe no lady has ever spoken her mind to Edmund", Nathaniel sighed and I frowned, my eyebrows knitted together.

"Remind me why you are friends with him?" I questioned.

"Eloise, not everyone is used to ladies acting in the manner that you do", Nathaniel explained, and I glared at him, my hands on my hips.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" I snapped; my eyes narrowed.

"Elle", he sighed, his old nickname for me slipping from his lips. "I did not mean to upset you, I just meant that you do not act like any of the ladies in the royal court".

"What? So, he does not like me because I didn't let him mock me, and you think I should of allowed him to mock me?"

I knew I was being petty, and that Nathaniel had done nothing wrong. I just hated the fact that he was making excuses for a man who believed that ladies should be seen and not heard. Maybe I had been so wrapped up in my little country life where everyone never batted an eyelash, besides my grandmother, to how I behaved.

"No Eloise that's not what I meant, and you know that", he snapped, as he squeezed the bridge of his nose. "Edmund is just an adamant believer that ladies are fragile creatures, who should only speak when spoken to, and are quiet and polite. My advice to you would be to just stay out of his way".

"You better tell him to stay out of mine", I huffed, and he shook his head in amusement at me.

"Charles was a little shocked at your behaviour too", he chuckled.

"Did I frighten him off?" I asked and was met with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I do not think you frightened him off", he stated. "We need to sneak you inside, come on". He motioned for me to follow him as we crept out of the stables and dashed through the garden and into the servant's side entrance.

"Did I embarrass you today?" I asked as we quietly walked through the servant's corridor together, they thankfully barely looked our way and if they did they just went about their business, ignoring us. "I felt like I may have annoyed you for speaking to Edmund like that".

"Elle", he chuckled softly. "You definitely didn't embarrass me. And if you had not of said anything to Edmund, I would have. I would never allow him to talk about my old friend like that. Only I can scold you".

After his little speech, I felt a lot happier as I had been slightly worried that he would of hated me for being rude to his friends. He glanced down at me then when I had let the silence stretch.

"You're shivering", he commented, and I glanced at him, the concern evident in his eyes.

"How are you not?" I gasped. "I feel like I was submerged in an ice filled bath".

"You did fall into a very cold lake", he pointed out.

"I am still going to kill Oscar", I pouted, and he laughed lightly beside me. I let out a little breath as I tried to ignore the numb feeling in my arms. Just then a servant appeared in front of me with a towel in her hands.