Chapter 13
Henry stood on the little spit of sand by the riverbank skipping stones across the still water.
How could he have been so blind as to believe the local gossip and his father at the same time? He had always loved Danielle for as long as he could remember, but duties, studies and his father had kept him from seeing her as much as he would have liked. Now with Marguerite's departure with Francois, Danielle became the preferred choice to take as a bride.
Everyone still referred to Danielle as a servant, but that didn't mean she really was one. He never believed it, not since the day she showed up at his aunt's chateau. She was beautiful then and from what little he had seen of her, she was more beautiful than ever. Why, he had even called her an angel.
His father had frowned upon his visiting the chateau, explaining that it didn't look right for a prince and a servant girl to see each other. And so he stayed away, not wanting to anger his father. So he took to sneaking out of his room every night, right after supper to see if he could catch a glimpse of her.
When that wasn't enough, he took to following her, sometimes on errands or while she did her chores. Alex was something that he didn't expect and had heard about, but had not seen.
Well, Henry had seen plenty this time around.
He had come upon them by accident at the riverbank and had heard Alex's proposal.
He hadn't heard Danielle's answer though for he had been staring at her face. If she ever looked like an angel, this was the time.
Henry wanted so desperately to make his presence known, but he held back for fear that she would be angry with him and never speak to him again. So he bit his lip, watched and waited until they walked away, hand in hand.
Now he was standing helplessly by the riverbank throwing stones into the water. There must be something he could do to rectify the situation and he needed to do it quickly before she married Alex. He was determined to keep that promise that they had made so long ago.
That's when it dawned on him. He would speak to Aunt Thérèse. She was always wonderful to speak with, understanding and patient. She would know what how he felt and what to do about it. He knew how to get her alone even when she had a crowd full of people when he was younger. Now that he was eighteen, he didn't see why he still couldn't do it. He would go and she would happy to see him, especially after he told her how he felt about Danielle.
Smiling, Henry threw the last of the stones into the river and with a look of triumph on his face ran off into the woods on his way to his Aunt's house. Everything was going to be all right now, he was sure of it.
Henry stood on the little spit of sand by the riverbank skipping stones across the still water.
How could he have been so blind as to believe the local gossip and his father at the same time? He had always loved Danielle for as long as he could remember, but duties, studies and his father had kept him from seeing her as much as he would have liked. Now with Marguerite's departure with Francois, Danielle became the preferred choice to take as a bride.
Everyone still referred to Danielle as a servant, but that didn't mean she really was one. He never believed it, not since the day she showed up at his aunt's chateau. She was beautiful then and from what little he had seen of her, she was more beautiful than ever. Why, he had even called her an angel.
His father had frowned upon his visiting the chateau, explaining that it didn't look right for a prince and a servant girl to see each other. And so he stayed away, not wanting to anger his father. So he took to sneaking out of his room every night, right after supper to see if he could catch a glimpse of her.
When that wasn't enough, he took to following her, sometimes on errands or while she did her chores. Alex was something that he didn't expect and had heard about, but had not seen.
Well, Henry had seen plenty this time around.
He had come upon them by accident at the riverbank and had heard Alex's proposal.
He hadn't heard Danielle's answer though for he had been staring at her face. If she ever looked like an angel, this was the time.
Henry wanted so desperately to make his presence known, but he held back for fear that she would be angry with him and never speak to him again. So he bit his lip, watched and waited until they walked away, hand in hand.
Now he was standing helplessly by the riverbank throwing stones into the water. There must be something he could do to rectify the situation and he needed to do it quickly before she married Alex. He was determined to keep that promise that they had made so long ago.
That's when it dawned on him. He would speak to Aunt Thérèse. She was always wonderful to speak with, understanding and patient. She would know what how he felt and what to do about it. He knew how to get her alone even when she had a crowd full of people when he was younger. Now that he was eighteen, he didn't see why he still couldn't do it. He would go and she would happy to see him, especially after he told her how he felt about Danielle.
Smiling, Henry threw the last of the stones into the river and with a look of triumph on his face ran off into the woods on his way to his Aunt's house. Everything was going to be all right now, he was sure of it.