Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 130: Plan Ahead

Though her eyes remained closed, William could feel Lady Taunsen’s strong pulse under his fingertips, which was a relief. Her breathing was steady. He was unsure what to do next - what did one check for in pregnant women? - when suddenly, her eyes opened.

William was about to smile in relief when he realised she was staring at him completely lucidly. His brows twitched with suspicion. The lady gave him the tiniest of smiles and then closed her eyes again.

William sat back on his heels in confusion. Before he could speak, Lady Katerine reappeared, with a cleric and a physician at her heels. Both middle aged men were red faced and panting, as if she’d forced them to run.

William stood up and allowed the men more room around Lady Taunsen to examine her. He strode over to Camilla and pulled her upright with one hand, a hell of a lot more gently than he’d seen the Moraigthian guard do. However, she ended up biting back what looked like a scream when she tried to stand on both feet.

"It’s alright, I’m fine." Camilla hissed at him, her features contorted in pain.

"You’re not. Stop pretending." William whispered back, irritated that she always tried to stubbornly manage without his help, even when she needed it. Before she could protest further, he picked her up in his arms and started striding towards the doors.

Kenneth roared. "I haven’t finished speaking with the girl yet!"

"It’ll have to wait until her injury is seen to, Sire." William said, keeping his voice steady. Cursing out a crowned king wouldn’t help anyone’s case. "She can barely stand right now."

William was about to turn into the corridor when he nearly collided with Lady Meg and Tession.

"Old friend, please see if Lady Taunsen needs a tonic..." William’s voice died in his throat when he looked over his shoulder and saw the aforementioned lady now sitting up on the floor, looking quite alert and almost smiling.

Lady Meg also looked rather satisfied.

What the fuck were all the ladies up to?

Sighing wearily, William then addressed Tession again. "Once you’ve ensured she’s well, I’ll need you to prepare a compress. The princess seems to have wrenched an ankle."

"It’s not so bad-" Camilla tried to protest.

William cut her off sharply. "Don’t bother arguing with me." He started walking, unsure if he wanted to praise the young women for their ingenuity over whatever plan they had hatched, or yell at them all for their risky behaviour.

"I don’t appreciate being carried like a child." Camilla muttered.

"Well, I could throw you over my shoulder like a barbarian. Which would you rather? Because you walking seems impossible."

Camilla shut her mouth so quickly, he heard her teeth click. William smiled grimly as he stalked down the various corridors until they reached the south wing.

When he reached the door to Camilla’s presence chamber, he turned the door handle and kicked it open. He strode through the presence chamber, startling two dour faced maids. "You can both stay here as chaperones." he barked at them.

Carrying Camilla into the bedchamber, he placed her on the bed and started carefully removing her dangerous looking high heeled shoes. He noticed one ankle was noticeably swollen and she flinched when he touched it.

"Tession will have something that will bring down the swelling." William said quietly.

Camilla nodded.

"So while we wait for him..." William’s tone hardened significantly and he stared daggers at her, "you’re going to explain what just went on in your uncle’s rooms. And you’re going to tell me what the fuck you and your ladies had planned amongst yourselves."

Camilla’s eyes skittered away guiltily, which infuriated William further.

"What the hell, Camilla! How could you just put yourself in danger like that? Do you know what kind of man you’re dealing with?"

"Of course I do!" she snapped in reply. "My brothers and I have been dealing with him and his whims far longer than you have."

"Then what the fuck were you even thinking?" William’s voice was harsh from the emotions thundering through him - both intense relief she was safe and the itch to slap sense into the girl. "You walked into his rooms completely unprotected!"

"I wasn’t unprotected. My ladies were with me."

William scoffed. "I’m sorry but I can’t see how three unarmed women could offer much protection."

Camilla huffed in annoyance. "That’s because you’re seeing this through a man’s point of view. No one understand the dangers a girl faces better than another girl."

"Alright then. Enlighten me! How were they ever going to help you?" William was trying to tamp down his anger but he was losing the battle.

"I knew their intention was always to raise the alarm and draw others into the room, if I ever ended up alone in my uncle’s company. And see? They did."

"You thought it was a good to make these plans without me present? Without any man to protect you?" William bellowed in outrage.

"A man present wouldn’t have been any help with my uncle. It would’ve just raised his ire more. And your presence would’ve been a disaster, William. I’m sorry, but it’s true." she hurriedly added when she looked at William’s furious expression. "A more subtle approach was needed, something the king wouldn’t see coming. He has no great opinion of women’s intelligence so he’s not too hard to fool."

"So Lady Taunsen always planned to faint like that?" William gritted his teeth.

"I assume that was planned but I’m not exactly sure. My ladies said I couldn’t know all the details of what they had planned because I needed to be able to look truly surprised in front of my uncle, when it happened."

"Is she even pregnant? Or is that a lie too?"

Camilla had the grace to look abashed. "That, I don’t know. The first I heard about it was a few moments ago. But Bess isn’t the kind to lie about something like that so yes, I suspect she truly is with child."

William squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Do you know how risky what you did was? How horribly wrong things could have gone, facing a lecher with only your ladies there?"

"Yes. But sometimes the risk is worth the reward. You said that to me not long ago."

William scowled. "Don’t try to compare! It’s a different thing me taking risks and you doing it!"

"Why? Because I’m a girl and you think I lack the intelligence?"

William sighed. "A lack of intelligence isn’t the problem. In fact," he stared hard at her, "I’m beginning to realise that you ladies and your cunning are a law unto yourselves. It’s that if things had gone wrong, you wouldn’t have been able to defy your king."

Camilla nodded. "I know. But I still think this was the best way to outwit him. His sanity is doubtful - he called me Isabella almost the entire time." She gestured to her ankle. "At least now, I have an excuse for not being summoned to his rooms again. And my ladies never leave me alone in my own apartments."

The two of them stared at each other, neither willing to concede. Camilla started twisting the ring on her smallest finger and finally said, "I’m sorry if I worried you by not telling you beforehand, but you would have tried to stop me. This was the best way, I think. I refuse to be a victim again." Her voice turned hard. "It’s a horrible thing to feel powerless about your own life."

William wasn’t sure he could explain the panic he’d felt when he’d barged into Kenneth’s apartments. Then again, he had to grudgingly admit Camilla had managed to outfox her uncle this time. He understood her need to have some control over her destiny, particularly after what had happened with Richard Bentworth.

"You’ll never pull another stunt like that again without my knowing. You understand?" William posed a statement, not a question.

"Once we’re married, I won’t have to." Camilla’s smile was coquettish and he knew it was to appeal to his masculine pride.

"And I’ll have your ladies and maids tell me daily who tries to visit you in your rooms." William continued.

Camilla nodded agreeably, then turned serious. "You’re sure King Edward will insist on our original betrothal to stand?"

"Yes." William said. "In fact, I know the two kings are scheduled to discuss it over today’s midday meal."

"Well, good luck to King Edward then, trying to get the message through." Camilla murmured, nose wrinkling. "My uncle’s already quite drunk. No wonder he struggles to tell past from present."

William saw Tession hovering by the bedchamber door, waiting patiently. He had a quick word with the old man and asked him for something to treat Camilla’s ankle. He then returned to her bedside.

"Was twisting your ankle part of your plan too?" William realised he had no idea what these seemingly mild young ladies were capable of.

"No, that was an accident. A rather painful one." Camilla looked at him as if his words were just ridiculous. "And I blame that brute of a guard for pushing me around. I’m usually very good at balancing on high heels."

Tession returned a few minutes later with a poultice and bandages. William carefully applied the strong smelling concoction on Camilla’s ankle and then wrapped the area with the gauze bandage. Her face went pale but she refused to cry out in pain.

"Don’t ever worry me like that again." he sighed.