Escape from the Obstinate Prince ✓

Chapter 9

Pride is not a pretty trait.

Jack frowned. He didn't know whether to go apologize or to just stay where he was and wait for the Princess to come to her senses and apologize to him for threatening to dump her drink on his head.

Father would want me to say sorry. So would Mother. And Madison as well. But I don't want to! She shouldn't be a brat all the time and go off in a huff, his frown deepened. Why did girls have to be so touchy? All he said was something about how only children drank milk. He cringed. Maybe it did sound a bit mean, he sighed. But she still threatened me!

"Well I should probably be getting back to my father's shop." Portia's voice cut through his thoughts and he looked up.

"Right." he said. He had completely forgotten that she was still there.

"I don't suppose I'll see you again after you get married." Portia sighed wistfully. "It's a shame you have to get married to her."

Jack shrugged. "It's a shame I have to get married at all." he tugged at his collar. "This savage heat is going to be the death of me."

He sat back in his chair and pulled the letter out of his agonizingly hot tunic, fanning himself with it.

Then a thought struck him, the letter came to a stand-still. He turned to Portia. "How would you like to come with us and be Ami's lady-in-waiting?"

Porta looked at Jack with a black face. Slowly a smile grew on her face and she jumped at Jack, wrapping her arms around him. "Why, yes! Yes, of course!"

Jack grimaced and warily eyed the guards that stood nearby. "Yes, very well." he patted her back and tried to pry her arms off of him. "I'll have a guard go with you to your bakery and you can gather your belongings and tell your father that you'll be going."

"My bakery?" she pulled back.

"Your father's bakery, if you want to be technical." he corrected himself.

"Oh." understanding filled her eyes. "But you needn't send a guard with me, I'll just be right back."

"As you wish." Jack nodded. "Once you're done you may go to the Princess' room and tell her that you're her new lady-in-waiting."

Portia quickly nodded before going out the door, and within minutes she was back with her bag of possessions in tow.

"That was quick." Jack evaluated her clothing. "That'll do for now. We'll get you some nicer clothes when we reach the castle."

"Thank ya, Jack." she practiced a curtsy and hurried up the stairs, presumably to break the news to Ami.

Jack chuckled to himself, almost hoping that Ami would hate her new lady-in-waiting, and almost hoping that she would approve of who he had picked.

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"You're what?" Ami's eyes blazed, and if looks could kill, Portia would have had a hole searing through her body.

"Your new lady-in-waiting." Portia looked as if she were trying to withholding a smug grin, and yet trying to look quite innocent at the same time. "Jack appointed me, and who am I to say no to the Prince?"

You're a very conniving old girl, that's who! Ami took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Very well then, you may start by helping me undress. With this dreadful heat I'm afraid I shall need some more suitable clothing. In my haste, I regret to say that I did not consider the difference in climate when I was packing."

"Such a shame." Portia put her bags on the floor and started to unlace her dress. "Didn't you have any servants?"

"Of course I did. But what is the point in being lazy? I'm not one of those girls who flirts with any boy she comes across." Ami stepped out of her dress and let Portia work on her corset. "Oh!" she jerked as a Portia pulled tightly on the strings of her corset. He closed her eyes and gritted her teeth to keep from lashing out at Portia.