Diana

Chapter 4

He poured himself into the book. He skims read the book. He read until he was almost cross-eyed and the words merged into nonsense. He lived each page in breathless rapture. The characters leapt out at him. Just when He was about to be captured into the book but he was interrupted by a voice.

"sir Mr James is calling you," he said.

"Tell him I'll be there in a few minutes" Samson replied.

The man walked out of the Samsons room and closed the door quietly.

Samson soon got up from his seat and headed out of his room, walking towards his uncle's study.

When samson settled before his uncle, his uncles said "I got something to tell you Samson " He peered Samson's way, face resolutely unimpressed.

"Is it about the princess?" He asked

"no, it's about you Samson," he said as He nodded and took a sip of his coffee, offering no ongoing conversation of his own, so he began again. " the king is aiming to find out where you come from and your background"

"and what's wrong with that uncle."

" you know Samson, your background is really helping when it comes to the king favouring you "

" am Sure the king won't judge me because of my background uncle "

" am afraid he would Samson "Darius looks downward briefly and then whispered "you're just a boy whom I took as my own, and am doubtful that even this families background can't cover yours"

" Whether I came from a wealthy or underprivileged family, I am fortunate to be here"

"if that's what you think, then I by no means will correct you"

Samson replied with a nod.

Mr James replied in a shout " you may take your leave now "

The was a silent pause before Samson started to speak once more.

" If you please," Samson said as he walked off closing the door with ease.

He glided down the marble steps like a slinking panther.

"Samson " a soft voice sounded.

" yes, Emma" Samson replied as he turned around.

Emma ran towards Samson as she wrapped an arm around Samson's shoulders and pulled him close, gently rubbing his arm. Despite the heaviness in her stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of her body pressed against his. She sunk into the warmth of his, appreciative of the simple gesture. His touch made the room warmer somehow, her future within its walls seems a little less bleak.

" I was looking for you Samson" she continued " where were you?"

" with your dad Emma, now can you please let go of me," he said as he Pushed her arms aside as he continued to walk past her.

"hey samson wait I want to ask you something"

Samson paused and turned his head to face Emma" what Emma"

"  I keep seeing you go out a lot recently, Why?"

" that's not your concern Emma" he replied and continued with his walk.

"hey, Samson!" Emma shouted.

Emma Mr James daughter had always been fond of Samson since the day he came to live with them. Well, why wouldn't she, after all, Samson was handsome and dashing, any girl would have fallen in love with him at first sight. Samson and Emma met the day Samson started living in their house. She remembers being so very cross with Samson all the time because he would never pay attention to her.

She remembers his teasing could get her so hot in the head and set a burning glow to her cheeks. But there was laughter. What a shrill chorus they made. Giggling over such naughty things. Cramming their thumbs into an occasional cooling pie on M. Darcey's windowsill, using the dumbwaiter as their own personal elevator, yowling at the neighbour’s hounds till they had them foaming at the mouth.

How gracefully she seemed to evade punishment. With such clumsy, tripping feet, she could never follow so slick a dance. They were always getting her into trouble, but then again, just as easily get her out of it.

As Samson walked, he remembered that he had agreed to meet Diana at the garden. As soon as he did he rushed to the carriage and entered it.

" Mr Peter take me to the princess house" he demanded.

"Alright sir" Mr Peters Answered as he whipped the horse demanding it to go.

When at last Samson arrived, the house was a grey blur behind the rain-washed window of the truck. It was large, certainly, almost intimidatingly. The paintwork on the trim was brilliant white, flawless and the path wound to a double oak front door was loose pea shingle.

The windows weren't the large ones that are so fashionable now, but more the size he used to see in old country cottages, and like them they were mullioned. The floors were polished concrete and the furniture Scandinavian, high-end designers only. The only compromise to comfort was the sheepskin on the floor, so clean it was hard to believe anyone had ever stepped foot on it. The only mess was the wet footprints Samson had tracked in on the floor. Samson gently knocked on the wooden door waiting for someone to open it.

A woman soon came and opened the door" yes Mr Fernandez what may I do for you "

" can you please inform the princess that am here "

" yes Mr Fernandez, but first you should probably come inside, it's pouring outside"

" Thanks, Mr's Brooks" Samson entered soon afterwards, Mr's brook's soon closed the door and directed Samson to wait in the hall.

The stairs ahead were twisted in a perfect spiral, as a child's Slinky toy pulled from each end. Each stair was likely a deep walnut, but with the thick layer of undisturbed dust, it was hard to tell. The inner edge was painted antique cream. Samson soon saw Diana walking down the stairs, She let her hand fall on to the black iron rail, rough in its rustic charm and placed her weight on the first step. There was no creak or sign of rot, they were as solid as the day they were made. She walked swiftly to the bottom leaving her shoe prints behind.

" Samson"

" Sorry I came late,  my uncle and I  were having a conversation"

" it's fine Mr Fernandez, it's not too late for us to talk"

" yes I guess so my princess" he continued " you lead the way"

Samson obediently followed Diana to the garden. The gate of the the the garden was as big as a cow and ivy cascaded over the fence, growing tendrils in every direction. The stone path was punctuated with weeds after every stone. The dishevelled, un-manicured lawn was more moss than grass and was overshadowed by huge weeping willow flowing down onto the dank and squishy ground.

Clusters of defiant daffodils reared their golden heads amidst the gloom and there were smatters of fuchsia alongside the scarlet and saffron hued primroses.

" so what had you been wanting to discuss with me Mr Fernandez" Diana curiously asked.

Diana was tense. Samson slowly started to move close to her. While he charmed her, she ran her eyes over him to look for contradictions. His clothing was dirty like a forest trapper should be, his face was unweathered but then he was young. Her blood ran cold when he got to her hands. They were perfect, baby soft and smooth, like an infant. Nobody had hands like that anymore, people had calluses and scars, red welts from hard work and behind their nails was grime that no amount of washing in the river would shift.

This man had never done a day's manual labour in his life. Then her training kicked in. She relaxed her face, unknitting her brows and changing her posture from "anxious" to "relaxed." She saw Samson tense moments before she too relaxed her posture and quipped her line again. " Mr Fernandez, what had you been wanting to discuss with me"

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