The King's Daughter (High Born Book 1) (19 page)

“What are you doing here?” But I get no answer. I stand facing them, a mixture of anger and anxiousness at seeing the two naked women in my room, spread out on my bed. “Get out now!”

“But we are here to serve you,” the redhead answers. The two women get up on their knees, naked as the day were born and beckon me to the bed.

“We are here to satisfy your desires,” the blonde adds, rubbing her breasts and pinching her nipples.

“I did not ask you here,” I announce. “Who sent you?”

“Does it matter?” Redhead asks, beginning to play with her friends’ breasts.

The blonde moans and I do my best to ignore it. Before I had met Grace, I would not even be contemplating it, I would in the bed with them already. However, I am a man in love and as attractive as the women are, I am not even slightly tempted.

“I want you out of here right now,” I growl in anger but they do not move.

I hear the door opening, and in an instant he two girls jump up and literally wrap themselves around me. Groaning and giggling like we have been enjoying pleasure together. It is now, that Grace enters.

She doesn’t see me at first as she shuts the door behind her but as she spins around, her smile dies and she freezes on the spot.

“Grace!” I shout. “This is not what it looks like.”

She does not say a word, but tears gather in her eyes and pain fills me at seeing her like this.
What the fuck is happening here?

“James, how could you do this to me?” She demands.

“Do not fret my child,” comes from The Queen as she appears from the other side of the room, hidden by a corner with a smile on her face.

“What is happening here?” I demand, looking from the naked girls now dressing in robes and to Grace who looks as confused as I do and then her mother.

“I could not let you wed my daughter without a little test,” the Queen says.

“A test?” Grace asks, wiping the fallen tears from her cheek.

“You may go now,” The Queen tells the girls, as they leave Grace scowls at them and her mother laughs. “Do not be so angry with them Gracey, they were here because of me and not for your future husband.”

“You did this?” I shout. “Why?”

I am utterly furious but glad when Grace joins my side to face against her mother, “Mother, explain before I walk from the room and never speak to you again.”

“There is no need for threats,” her mother sobers. “I simply did this for you.”

“For me?” Grace screams. “You had naked whores brought to my fiancé’s chambers for me?” Grace is like a whole different person right now, but I am glad she is as mad with her mother as I am.

“I did not want you to have a marriage like mine,” the Queen delivers straight to her daughter. “The King’s mistress is no secret around court but she was not the only one. I do not want James to do this to you.”

“I would never,” I declare.

“I know that now,” the Queen looks to me.

“This was all a test?” I growl. “You had girls brought to my room to test me!”

All of a sudden, George pops his head round the door and frowns at the three of us, “What is happening here?”

“Mother arranged for naked whores to test James with to see if he would be faithful,” Grace answers him.

“You did what?” George storms in.

“I do not have to explain myself again,” the Queen brushes off.

“Yes you do!” George shouts to her. “Are you forgetting what Grace went through at the hands of your nephew and then you do this?”

The Queen lowers her head, “I did not mean to hurt her, I did not know she would be here.”

“Well I did, because I had heard the news about King Alexander’s health and wanted to console my fiancé. Instead I walked into this, all because of you,” Grace shakes her head and sighs a long and exhausted breath. “However, I forgive you.”

“What?” George and I ask at the same time.

Grace looks to her mother, “As much as it saddens me, I understand why mother did it. I dislike mistresses as much as any woman.”

“Do not worry,” I turn to face her. “I never want another as long as I have you.”

“And you do have me,” she smiles back at me.

“If you ever do anything like this again mother,” George threatens his mother and she nods, understanding the damage she could have caused.

George leads his mother out the room, intending to inform the King of his wife’s behaviour and what it has just done to their daughter. I hold Grace in my arms as soon as we are alone. Savouring her embrace and loving how perfectly she fits against me. As much as I am certain I will never stray, I do have one thing I have not told her yet and I fear she will in fact hate me for our entire marriage.

“You look beautiful,” Louisa stands back and looks at me with admiration.

“Thank you,” I smile.

All of my Ladies are here with me, they are helping me dress for dinner and I wanted to inform them on what has happened. They are all appalled as I am, but I actually understand why my mother did this.

James knocks on the door, entering and looking as handsome as ever. I still have the craving to dig my fingers into his thick head of hair, and I do it regularly but my desires have developed wonderfully the more time I spend with him. My Ladies leave before us and once we are alone, James leans down to kiss me, leaving me wanting more as always, “You look wonderful.”

“Thank you, and so do you,” I kiss him back, teasing myself. James moans into my mouth and my body comes alive. I sigh against him as we continue to kiss. “I cannot wait to be married.”

“You read my mind,” James laughs.

After calming ourselves down, we walk through the castle and smile at everyone as they look to us. News of our engagement is rife, and the amount of well wishes we received walking down to dinner nearly made us late. The closer we get to the great hall to eat, the more excited I become

“Princess Grace and Prince James of Scotland!” The royal announcer shouts and I place my arms in James’ as we walk together. I feel everyone’s eyes on us and I look to James, smiling at the man I love before I look to the table where my family sits, all of them happy and prideful and when I look to my mother I see her wiping her tears away. 

James escorts me to my seat beside the Queen, but before he allows me to sit he leans in for a kiss and then finds his place beside my father. George is out somewhere with Arthur dealing with politics but I think it is a lie. He wants to get away from Jane for a while.

“You look better, Gracey,” my mother comments as we begin to eat.

“Yes I am feeling better now,” I respond.

“I am truly sorry,” she confides and I look across to her.

“I understand your intentions but I do not like how you went about it,” I add. “Promise me you will never do anything like that to me or anyone again.”

“I promise,” She nods. “Your father wants to meet after the feast.”

No doubt he wants to talk about what happened to put this all behind us.

“You look very beautiful,” Mother continues. “When I saw you enter with James, I was so proud of you.”

After thanking her, we get on with the feast in mine and James’ honour in good spirits. When it is over, James and I follow my parents to his study while the guests enjoy the private party. Father has drinks poured for us, toasts to our engagement and then sits down. We all follow his lead.

“I am aware of what your mother has done and I want us all to draw a line under it. She knows how wrong she was and regrets her actions,” Father begins.

“I really do,” Mother adds. “I am so sorry, to the both of you.”

“As I said before eating mother, I understand why you did it but I do not agree with how you went about it and I forgive you as long as you never do it again,” I answer.

“And I the same,” James hold onto my hand.

“I am sorry you had to go through this Grace,” Father apologises. “Your mother thought she was doing best by you and to prove this, I think we should arrange the marriage date.”

I become breathless and clutch my chest, “Really father?”

He nods and I wrap my arms around James. “Thank you,” James speaks to my father.

“I have written to your father and spoke to his council when they arrived, he is in favour of this marriage and agrees with me that you should wed here, in England before you start your lives in Scotland,” Father announces, speaking directly to James.

James holds my hand and I squeeze it hard. As the men talk about dates, my mother joins my father’s side and gives me sad smile. The date is soon set, four days from now and I cannot believe it. In four days I will be James’ wife and will begin my brand new life.

There is no point in staying around, so after a celebratory drink together James and I leave but before we do, my mother stops me.

“Grace, I did not want to hurt you. Please believe that that was my last intention,” she pleads.

“I believe you mother,” I truthfully answer and she kisses me softly on the head and I leave with James. The biggest smile I have ever worn spreads over my face and we laugh on our way to our bedchambers.

I feel devastated by the hurt on my daughters’ face. I had the girls I had paid to wait for James in his room removed from court. I do not think I will ever forgive myself for what I have done and I do not want to see the reminder walking around the castle.

“Our daughter is in a better mood thanks to you,” I turn to face Stephan when the doors close behind Grace and James.

“I was going to plan the date with James tomorrow, so one day does not make much difference,” he shrugs.

“Thank you,” I sit beside him. “I feel terrible for what I have done.”

“You have been naughty,” he nods.

“Do not make me feel worse,” I frown. He takes hold of my face and lets his thumb pull down my bottom lip.

“That was not intentional,” I am lost for words and he groans deep in his throat. “You know I love your games, they always makes my cock hard.”

My heart speeds, “You say it is what made you fall for me.”

“And it is true,” he smiles. “Watching you, scheming your way into my heart made me want you more.”

When I came to England to attend court to catch the future King of England’s eye, I wanted every other girl gone. So I went out of my way to cut out my competition and place myself in his line of sight.

“It worked,” I tease.

The King growls again and attacks my mouth with force. I have a feeling I will be having some much needed fun tonight.