Chapter 11
She surfaced at noon. The delicious tingling of her body was the first thing that hit her. She was sore in places she had never experienced soreness before. She had been well and truly used, and it felt wonderful.
Her eyes drifted open, the smile hovering on her lips. The sunlight, though weak, hit her full in the face before it registered that there was someone else in the room and the space next to her on the bed was empty.
She came fully awake when the cheerful voice greeted her. It did not sound like the prince. She was about to sit up when she remembered just in time that beneath the sheets, she was completely and utterly naked. And her very chatty maid was in her bedroom.
"Carmen! I- er-" Clutching the sheets to her breasts, she sent up a silent prayer that the prince had obviously gone to his suite and hoped to God he had left before someone saw him. "It's late. I slept through breakfast."
The woman nodded and bent to pick something off the carpet. To her mortification, Antoinette saw that it was her lingerie.
"I must have left that there," she said foolishly.
"I brought you something from the kitchen. Prince Tomas said not to disturb you."
Her mortification doubled along with her anger. The bastard had done that deliberately. By telling the maid not to disturb her, he had effectively revealed that he had spent the night in her bed. Tamping down the anger with great difficulty, she tried to pass it off as nothing.
"I- I er- he must have checked on me. I wasn't feeling well last night, you see." Her voice trailed off as she realized she was making things worse. "Is the queen back?"
"She's on her way. The prince has left." Carmen was staring at her curiously. No doubt the woman was wondering what the prince saw in her, and was also thinking that she was a slut.
Unable to bear the judgment any longer, she dismissed the woman.
"I was about to draw you a bath."
"I would rather do it myself." She forced a smile to take the sting out of the sentence. "Really. I think I might sleep some more. Take advantage of my time off."
"Are you certain?" The woman looked as if she was about to dig in her heels.
"I'm positive. Thanks for bringing the meal. I really appreciate it."
"Of course." Carmen nodded and turned to leave. Realizing that she still had the flimsy material in her hands, she folded it carefully and placed it on the sofa.
Clutching the sheets to her naked breasts, Antoinette waited until the woman had left the suite before leaning her head back and closing her eyes. No doubt, she was going to be the topic of discussion for the next few days or even weeks. She had specifically told him, had laid down her rules, and no one was supposed to know about them. And what had he done? He had made sure that people knew about them, to force her hand. With a militant look in her eyes, she climbed out of bed and into the bathroom.
*****
The four-wheel drive had no trouble climbing the steep hill or navigating the hairpin bends. The sheer drop would have petrified a lesser person or one who was not familiar with the road, but he was used to it. He had been coming here for years. It was his go-to place whenever he was emotionally uncertain.In the past, it had been when he had a disagreement with the king. A difference of opinion would always turn into a massive argument. The man had lacked principles, doing whatever he pleased, with little or no regard for anyone.
And he had expected his son and heir to follow suit. Tomas had rebelled, something that had alienated his father and put them constantly at odds with each other.
The cottage was nondescript, a washed-out pale red brick stuck on a slight incline and surrounded by a prime piece of land. It had belonged to him, until he handed over the deed to the man and his family who now resided there.
Santiago Delgado had been an employee at the palace for years until he lost sight in one eye and was unable to adequately perform his duties as a gardener to the king's satisfaction. For his years of faithful service, he had been let go with a measly severance pay, barely enough to take care of his family. The cottage they occupied on the palace grounds was no longer available to them.
Tomas had known Santiago since he was a child and the man had shown him more kindness than his own father. When Tomas realized what had happened, he had marched into the throne room and demanded that his father keep Santiago on.
"Give him something else to do. The man and his family have been here for years. You cannot just throw him out like trash. How heartless can you be?"
That made no impression on the king, who told him bluntly, "I'm the king, which means I'm in charge and my decision is law. When you take over, you can do as you please. He goes."
The prime piece of land and the cottage had been inherited from his grandfather on his father's side. Tomas had not hesitated to hand over the deed to Santiago, making sure that they could not be touched. The place was solely his, which gave him the freedom to do with it as he pleased. Santiago had been very grateful and had taken possession of the land and had done wonders with it. The soil was fertile and within a year, the man was growing all sorts of vegetables and fruits and turning it into a business.
Tomas never left them out. He would visit with gifts for Elena, the wife, and their two children. The queen had done her part when she took over by offering scholarships to the two children. Both were now grown with lives of their own and living in Madrid.
Parking the jeep at the base of the steps, he experienced the joy he always felt whenever he stopped by. Someone, no doubt Elena, had washing hanging on the line even though the sky was a dreary leaden gray. Cheerful lime green curtains flutteredin the breeze coming through the window and the door was partially open.
They spotted him as soon as he exited the vehicle and came to stand on the porch.
