Chapter Eleven
I still had a couple hours before dinner, so I decided to go on my little hill, near the pond to think and plan. And as I walked to the back doors, I almost bumped into Denielle and Caitlynn.
"Good afternoon, Ladies!" I slightly bowed, but saw something wasn't right. Caitlynn was as pale as a ghost. I frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Caitlynn felt light-headed and dizzy and very pale, so I'm helping her to the hospital wing."
"Oh, thank you Denielle, I'll take it from here." I scooped Caitlynn in my arms, nodded to Denielle and headed for the hospital. She was limp, rested her head on my chest and brought a hand to her forehead, whimpering along the way.
"Don't faint, Caitlynn, we're almost there." The double doors were closed, so I opened one with my elbow and pushed it with my foot. All the beds were empty, and I gently laid her down on the first bed.
Nurse Roberta came in running. "Oh my goodness, what happened?"
"I don't think it's serious. She was just dizzy and light-headed."
"All right. Let me check her."
I stepped out of the way and went to the other side of the bed, sitting on the mattress next to her. Nurse Roberta checked her pulse, her tongue, her throat, and her eyes.
"Well?"
"Your Majesty, she simply is dehydrated." She turned to talk to Caitlynn. "Miss, have you been drinking enough today? Water, tea, or anything else?"
Caitlynn frowned. "I can't remember." Her voice was so weak!
"Okay, I'll be right back." Nurse Roberta scrambled away.
Caitlynn weakly grabbed my hand like it was her only line to life. "Please stay with me?"
I smiled. I couldn't leave her like this. She was as white as porcelain, and now she really resembled a fragile doll. I gently squeezed her hand. "I'm not going anywhere." And kissed her forehead.
Nurse Roberta came back with a tray. She put it on Caitlynn's bedside table and poured water in a glass. A cup of tea was waiting, too.
"You're Majesty, will you help me sit her up a bit?"
"Of course." I gently pulled her upright while Nurse Roberta piled pillows behind her back. She sat back and the nurse helped her sip the water.
Between sips, Nurse Roberta talked to her. "Miss, where do you come from?"
"Carolina."
"Well, no wonder you're dehydrated. You see, here in Angeles, summer is very dry and hot. You are used to much more damp summers. You need to be drinking all day long."
"Okay…"
"And do not hesitate to ask the maids for water, tea, lemonade, or whatever you like. They're here to help you and make you comfortable."
I smiled at the pretty young Lady on the bed. She looked so vulnerable. „Please do as the nurse says, okay?"
She smiled and nodded at me. "I will."
"All right, I'll leave you two alone. I'll come check on her in a little while. Your Majesty, please make sure she drinks the whole pitcher and the cup of tea."
I liked nurse Roberta. She was always a little bossy, and it made me laugh. "Yes, sir." I made a mock salute and chuckled. She giggled and went away.
I filled the glass again and handed it to her. "Here, you have to drink it, but not to fast." She took the glass from my hand and our finger brushed. It sent tingles in my arm, and I felt my cheeks redden a little. But I don't think she noticed.
"Are you feeling better? Your cheeks have coloured again."
"Yes, thank you." She smiled shyly. "It's a good thing you found us. I don't think I would have been able to walk all the way here, and Denielle couldn't have carried me."
I nodded. "But I think she would have known what to do. She's a nurse, you know?"
"Really? She's the one who noticed I wasn't well and insisted on bringing me here."
"A good thing she did, then. I was just headed to the pond when I bumped into you."
"Oh? Needed some time to think?"
"Yeah." I still had her hand in mine, and I gently stroked it with my thumb. I checked the time. "I'm afraid you won't have time to change before dinner."
"I wasn't planning on going anyway. I think I'm going to ask to have it in my room."
"Yes, you need to rest."
She looked at me shyly. "Would you want to join me for dinner?"
I cocked my head and thought about it for a few seconds. This was perfect for my new plans. "You know what? This is an excellent idea. I'd love to."
A sparkle of triumph gleamed in her eyes for a second, and I wondered about it.
"Good! Then I'll ask for two trays and you can come whenever you're ready."
Nurse Roberta came back and checked Caitlynn again. "You're okay to go, but first drink the tea." Caitlynn obeyed and drank the now warm tea, under the nurse's scrutiny. When she finished it, Nurse Roberta nodded, took the cup from her hands and carried the tray away.
"You can go, now!"
I held out my hand to help her out of the bed and escorted her to her room.
"I'll let you get ready and order our dinner. I'll be back shortly."
She curtsied and I almost ran to my room.
"Jacob?"
"Yes, Your Highness?" I frowned at him. "I mean, Logan."
"I won't be going down to dinner. I'll be having dinner with Lady Caitlynn in her room. No one is to disturb us. I'll be back when I'll be back."
He bowed. "Very well, Sir."
I quickly checked my reflection and smoothed my hair down. If I was going to have several girlfriends at once, I'd better start now. Although it still felt weird. Normal people dated only one person at a time. Well, as mother had reminded it so well, I'm not a normal person: I'm the Prince and I can do whatever I want, however I want. I smiled mischievously at my reflection.
I nodded to Jacob and headed to Caitlynn's room. I turned a corner and literally bumped into Haley.
"Ow!"
"Oh my God, Haley! I'm so sorry… Are you alright?" I put my hands on her shoulders.
She looked at me, holding her nose. "Yeah, I think so. What are you doing here? It's already late for dinner."
"I'm having dinner with Caitlynn… um… in her room."
A painful expression distorted her face for a split second, but was then gone. I'll never forget that look, because I felt my heart shatter in a million pieces. I wanted to tell her I had been invited and that it wasn't my idea in the first place. But she was already gone downstairs.
I wanted to kick myself for saying that. But I knew I couldn't lie to her face. She had always been honest with me, I had to return the favour. And besides, the Selection made it possible for me to date 35 girls at the same time. I never thought it would be this hard. There's only one me, and I only have one heart. And I was afraid I had already given most of it away.
Reluctantly, I made my way to Caitlynn's room. I knocked and she opened. She had time to change her gown – this one went all the way down to the ground and was a deep red, very revealing. I had difficulty keeping my gaze to her eyes, it would always go down a bit, before I forced myself to look anywhere else.
Our dinner arrived a few minutes later, and we ate and talked all evening. My concentration for not gazing at her cleavage took my ability away to listen and to remember what she was talking about.
Each time my gaze slipped down for a second, tingles spread in my body. My hand was resting on the table, clenching and unclenching my fist. I think she saw my nervousness, because she brushed my hand with her fingers and came closer to me, resting her free hand on my thigh. I leaned back trying to escape her grasp on me. But it was too late.
My hands grabbed her waist and I pulled her to me. She kissed me first, looping her arms around my neck. I couldn't resist her and kissed her back. She was intoxicating and I totally fell for it. My mind was empty and all I could do was enjoy her proximity and her touch, and kiss her with all of me.
Suddenly a memory of Haley crept into my mind, and I froze.
"What's wrong, Logan?" her honeyed voice tried to take me back to her. Her hands on my chest almost made me come back, but I willed myself to grab her wrists and gently push her away from me.
"I'm sorry, I can't do this." My breathing was hard. I forced myself to stand and head to the door.
"Logan, come back! I can show you other things…"
I didn't answer. I wanted those other things. But not with her.
Damn! Having several girlfriends was really not for me. I couldn't cut my heart in two and give it to two different women. I ran back to my room and slammed the door. I let myself slide to the floor, my back on the door.
I took my head in my hands and stayed like this I don't know how long. I wouldn't be able to look at Caitlynn. Nor Haley. I felt like I had betrayed her. I wanted to kick myself to have fallen in Caitlynn's trap. That look of triumph in her eyes, back in the hospital, made total sense now. I was such an idiot! I almost wanted a whipping from father for what I had done to Haley. Almost.
