Page 25 of A Royal Obligation
Thinking back on how she had acted while they were dancing made Jules internally groan with mortification. Not only had she said a stupid comment about him being hot out loud, but then she had sniffed him. That subtle woodsy scent that she had smelled outside the school was so close to her and she hadn’t been able to help herself. He probably thought she was crazy.
As if she couldn’t have embarrassed herself further, she had stepped on his foot with the heel of her stiletto.
Feeling the need to apologize again, Jules walked over to the handcrafted oak desk that was in her room and pulled out a piece of plain paper and a pen. She sat down in the desk chair that probably cost more than her whole apartment in Findorra and wrote him a note.
Slightly limpy Prince Barrett,
I wanted to apologize again for my clumsiness during our dance last night. I am humiliated that I caused any harm to your royal foot. I hope the pain has subsided overnight. I’m also sorry that I called you hot and sniffed you. Please don’t throw me in a dungeon. (Do you even have a dungeon? Or is that a TV show/movie thing?) You just have this woodsy scent, and I had smelled it the day we met and so I was trying to double-check it was really you. Okay, I’m going to stop talking about how you smell.
Anyhow, I wanted to say that I was sorry. I am Lady Charlotte’s employee, and it was inappropriate for me to call you attractive. I do hope that you will accept my apology and don’t tell the guards, “Off with her head”! (Is that only a movie thing too?)
You know how you asked for my discretion after our first phone call where you thought I was Charlotte? Well, it seems that I am now in need of your discretion as well. Please know that I’m sorry, and it won’t happen again.
Sincerely,
An Embarrassed Jules
Jules folded up the note and wrote Barrett’s name on top of the parchment. As she was walking to the restroom to get ready, Rory knocked and then came into the room.
“Hi, Rory,” Jules greeted her. “Would you mind helping me with my hair? It’s still a bit of a tangled mess from last night.” She sat in front of the vanity in the bathroom.
“Of course, Miss Jules. I’ve been dying to hear about what happened at the ball.” Rory said as she got to work on detangling Jules’s hair.
“I will tell you everything. First, I want to know more about you though. I feel like I’ve done all the talking. How did you come to work at the palace?”
“My whole family works here. My dad is in charge of the horse stables and manages all the grooms and stable hands. My mom is a sous-chef in the kitchen. They met here and fell in love and stayed here even after they had me. I was raised downstairs in the servant’s quarters.”
“So, you’ve never really known anything outside of life at the palace?” Jules asked.
“Not really. We have days off where we’ll go into town and explore. But now that I’m older, I’m still trying to decide what’s next for me. I love working here and am so thankful for my position, but I’m not sure if I want to stay here forever like my parents have.” Rory brushed out the final knot and set the hairbrush down on the vanity.
“That’s completely understandable. Do you have any siblings?”
“Nope, only me.”
“I’m an only child, too.”
“Do you think sisters do each other’s hair like this?” Rory asked as they both gazed into the vanity mirror.
“I imagine it would be just like this.” Jules squeezed her hands. “I guess I can tell you about last night now.”
“Yes, please spill,” Rory squealed in anticipation.
Jules recapped everything as Rory began working her hair into an updo. She started with the run-in she had with Barrett at Brookside Primary School and the way she felt when they touched.
“Then, when we danced together at the ball, all those feelings and memories came flooding back. I leaned in and sniffed him to make sure it was him. I literally sniffed the Crown Prince, Rory! Then I thought about how he was even more attractive than a Hemsworth brother. But it gets worse. I didn’t think that … I said it to himout loud.”
Jules dramatically put the back of her hand to her forehead. “I was so caught off guard by the whole thing that I stepped on his foot, and I think I hurt him. He was simply too kind to say otherwise. So, yep, that’s what happened. What am I supposed to do?”
Rory’s fingers stopped moving in her hair. Her shoulders shook and a loud burst of laughter escaped her lips. After a moment, Jules joined in. They both laughed until tears were streaming down their faces.
“I can’t … breathe,” Rory choked out as she wiped the tears from her face.
Jules held her hands to her stomach. “I’m going to have abs if I keep laughing like that.”
“I cannot believe all of that happened to you. It’s like your life is a romantic comedy movie. Have you talked to Prince Barrett about it?” Rory asked as she finished pinning her hair up.
“No, we didn’t get much of a chance to talk after I stepped on his foot. I wrote him a note to apologize again and let him know I will be strictly professional from here on out.”