Penelope walked in and curtsied fully, Edna simply waved gesturing for her to be at ease. Penelope joined her on the floor where she was sitting and reading a book.
"Anything for me?" Edna asked even though she did not look up at Penelope or glance at her even once.
"Lady Eleanor is hosting a tea party this afternoon, and you are uninvited" Penelope said Edna scoffed "and when have I ever honoured her invitation? She must have gotten tired of beating stone" Edna said chuckling "his majesty, prince Arthur will be taking a new mistress next week, princess Frances' suitor will be visiting next week..." "So why did Lady Harriet not share? I take the hag as my friend, you can imagine the level of cockiness. Do they now think me a plague?...we must get princess Caroline a suitor... increase her dowry to sixty thousand pounds... without the king knowing" Edna ordered Caroline was her only daughter, and she was still unmarried. She was just of age although.
"As you wish, my lady" Penelope said lowering her head. Edna put her book down
"Who does Arthur wish to take as a mistress?" She asked. Penelope raised her head
"Minister Harold's daughter; Lady Lucy" she replied
Edna moped "not bad"
"I also learnt from my source that the crown prince is on his way..." Edna's eyes widened
"Why didn't you tell me that first?!" Edna cried Penelope lowered her head "I apologize my lady...I didn't know how you would take the news..." "How far is he?" Edna asked. Penelope shook her head vigorously, she was almost too afraid to answer "May-Mayfair market..." "Oh my goodness - oh my goodness..." Edna gasped
"I am sorry my lady..." Penelope apologized, but it was too late as Edna collapsed
"My lady!" Penelope cried
****
"My lady, the crown prince has returned" Theresa whispered to Coral who furrowed her brows
"Where is he?" She asked "the Grand palace" Theresa replied. Coral glanced at her stomach, then Theresa.
"We must prepare you, your majesty"
"Are they aware?" Coral asked, she was asking about Reginald's mistresses. Theresa nodded
"Most certain. It is why we must prepare as well, you have to look your best. I shall prepare your bath" Theresa said.
Theresa was Coral's head lady in waiting, Coral had two ladies in waiting and the second lady in waiting was Theresa's daughter, Crystal.
****
Coral curtsied fully, she was startled although at how Charles broke free from her hold and ran into Reginald's arms.
"Father!" He cried
Reginald smiled picking him up "did you miss me?" he asked Charles who nodded "I kept asking Grand prince Mason about you, you sent me just two letters, unlike what you promised" Charles said grumpily. Reginald nodded "I apologize"
"Forgiven" Charles muttered to Reginald's amusement. He walked to Coral all the while with Charles in his arms.
"Your highness" Coral greeted with a smile. Reginald glanced at her from head to toe but said nothing, he walked past her to the horror of Crystal who was upset at seeing her Lady humiliated in front of the crown prince's other women. Theresa her mother simply kept her head lowered.
****
Jonathan stood up from his seat and peered at Reginald. He seemed to be in some sort of disbelief. Reginald wore a smirk and sat down opposite Jonathan the table separating them
"I'm back old man" he said his smirk increasing
Jonathan took his seat joy replacing the shock he had felt "you are indeed back...and safe" he muttered Reginald nodded affirmative "Luther must be so disappointed..." "What do you mean Luther?" Jonathan asked furrowing his brows
"Relax sire..." "Tell me..." "Can't ruin the surprise" Reginald said standing up and leaving before he said more than he was supposed to.
****
Mason bowed slightly, but Reginald ignored his show of respect and crashed on the couch, even he thought his brother overdid it at times.
"Thank you for passing my order discreetly, I owe it to you" he said glancing at Mason who nodded
"You owe me a lot actually" he said taking a seat as well. Reginald moped "that is true..."
"Yes" Mason muttered "I have a lot to ask you" he added Reginald averted his gaze from the ornament on the table to Mason
"Ask away" he said shrugging slightly
"You told me you made a friend...who is that friend?" Mason asked Reginald sat up
"Charlotte... Charlotte Brumble..." "A lady?" Mason asked stoked, and it showed in his raised eyebrows. Reginald scoffed "can we call her that?" He asked rhetorically, Mason shrugged gesturing 'you tell me'
"Well she's a crackhead...a doctor...a quack" he said chuckling
"A qua..." "She treated me when I got shot, she is good actually..." "I do hope you remained just friends?" Mason asked Reginald who burst laughing
"With Charlotte? No certainly we couldn't be more, she acts like a witch... keeping scorpions and all, also her love for money is next level; she barely even noticed me." Reginald began reminiscing, he almost wanted to go back. Mason nodded slowly "I do not think anyone can ignore you..."
"I am not you, Mason" Reginald said looking away from Mason who scoffed "why me?" He asked dryly Reginald furrowed his brows "are you joking or something?"
"Tell me more about the quack" Mason said resting his chin on a palm.
"Really??" Reginald was almost irritated, but Mason simply wanted to know everything that went on while Reginald was in Ramsbottom
"Yes"
"Alright" Reginald muttered, he began
"She is an uncertified doctor..." "A criminal"
"More" "ohhh"
"At some point she started charging the girls to see me, they paid actually" Reginald was still stoked about it "that is not surprising" Mason said shrugging "but I am surprised... Charlotte is a good doctor, and I want to help her. I just have to find how to. When do the courtier exams start?" Reginald asked curiously "is she that good?"
"Yes, she makes the medicine she administers to her patients herself. And she really likes what she does even though she claims it's all for the money, I can tell it's something she loves doing" Reginald said nodding, all these while Mason listened paying keen attention. Reginald continued "and she's bloody rude, always cussing and cursing me..." "I still don't believe you had nothing other than friendship" Mason said disbelief in his voice
"Even though I wanted anything with Charlotte, it would be impossible. She's very strict and uptight, Granny is the exact opposite of her..." " 'Granny'?... who is that?" Mason asked "her grandmother. And the only person she actually loves" Reginald replied chuckling "oh wow..." "Yes. Her grandfather was a physician as well, she learnt everything she knows from him. Everyone hates her... including her patriarch" Reginald laughed shortly "Lincoln?" Mason asked unsure
"Yeah, her curiosity is next level and she eventually entered his bad books" "from everything you've said she is a horrible lady" Mason confirmed "not exactly..."
"Have you seen the crown princess? She is pregnant" Mason said changing the topic Reginald's countenance changed
"She is?" He asked dryly. Mason nodded "I say you start paying attention to her, it's good for h..." "I don't have to" Reginald replied lowering his head
"She's your wife, Reginald..." "I know" Reginald muttered showing his discomfort
"You can't keep ignoring her, she is the crown princess..." "I know..." "I know you feel bad when you ignore her..." "I do not..."
"You have nothing to fear if you love her" Mason said shrugging "I do not"
"Why? You ignore her all the time to the mockery of your mistresses..." "That's not my proble..."
"It is, hence I am telling you this: I know you love her but you keep using other women to cover up for it, because you hate her father does not mean you should hate her as well, no one wants that from you" Mason said shrugging, Reginald inhaled and faked a smile.
"Enough of me, what about you?"
Mason furrowed his brows " 'what about me?' there's nothing about m..." "No-no, there has to be something. You have no woman, no...or is there someone you do not want me to know about?" Reginald asked
"I thought you know I'm gay?" Mason asked, Reginald chuckled "says wh..." "You told Coral I'm gay..." Reginald laughed shortly "when? No... never, when did she tell you that?" He asked
"Whilst you are away..." Mason replied, he continued "...I visited her often..." Reginald gave him a scrutinizing glare, then scoffed
"What? You won't ask me why?" He asked Reginald who looked away
"No..." He muttered, he ran his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat "... why did you visit her often?" He asked dryly
Mason shrugged a shoulder before replying
"You were away and I just thought she will be bored..." "Wow... Mason the jester, you did very well." Reginald commended dryly
"Thank you, your highness..." "No thank you, for keeping her compan..."
"Are you sulking at me??" Mason asked tilting his head back. Reginald stood up
"I should leave..." "Drink with me your highness..."
"My doctor advised against alcohol... it's bad for my..." "The quack and crackhead?" Mason asked scoffing
"She's not a quack..." "You literally called her that" Mason said cutting him off. He nodded "give me a minute" Reginald said leaving.
Mason wore a mope watching Reginald leave
"Betrayer"
Coral's father was king Logan of Scotland. Seven years ago when Jonathan wanted a wife for Reginald he asked for Coral's hand in marriage on behalf of Reginald. Logan had blatantly refused and insulted Reginald. He decided to marry his daughter to Arthur who was a year older than Reginald and more likely to be crown prince. Logan preferred marrying his daughter as a second wife than to marry her to Reginald.
He called Reginald names and humiliated him, even spitting in his face and claiming Jonathan was only trying to insult him by asking him to marry his daughter to Reginald. This was clearly because Reginald was the illegitimate son. Tired of all the criticism his family was getting because of his cowardice, Jonathan made up his mind and deposed Lady Edna. He crowned Helen and made Reginald the crown prince to the shame of all those who had treated him as a nobody and Logan was part of that circle.
The first thing Reginald wanted to do as crown prince was marry Logan's precious daughter. At first everyone including Mason thought Reginald wanted to pain Arthur, or just prove a point because of how he began ignoring her at first. But along the line, Coral became pregnant and when she gave birth to her son Reginald made her his crown princess. Most people claimed Coral's son was Mason's, but Mason knew too well.
No matter how Coral was treated, she never complained, it surprised Reginald and Mason. Mason wanted her to weep at how bad her husband was treating her, how much Reginald was a bad husband, how his mistresses were bullying her, and how she was breaking under the weight on her shoulders. But she never complained, was Reginald treating her too well? Did he already forget all Logan did? Or was Coral just indestructible?
How could they pay Logan back if Reginald was in love with his daughter?