The Lost Princess ( The Compulsion Bride Series) Book 1 (Unedited)

Chapter 57

Halley sat on the enormous wool rug that covered her entire bedchamber, the brush stroking her hair without haste as she listen to carriages approaching towards  Amara castle. She had nestled herself at the side of the bed, resting her back on the boarding. Though her body was facing the window, were the drapes waved merrily at the guests, and beckoned her to peek. She had no interest to see the passenger's escaped their lavish carriages or to hear the incoherent chattering and fake laughter of the invited guests. She wished she could slip out of this chaos, a mere cough or cry of headache would not do. Her father would be worried and she would not ruin his night.

For the past years it has always been the same, she would be introduced to ladies and gentlemen she had never heard of before, if she had, she didn't remember and would have to be pretentious. The dresses she would all own from a collection a month ago that Señorita Luria had done for her, it was a routine to allow the royals to have the latest designs before anyone else but it did not mattered to Halley what others wear, for her mind would be on how fast she would get to leave the ballroom tonight.

She thought of Lord José Collard, the man she had agreed upon courting and despair painted her brown eyes. He had been nothing but patient with her these past months, knowing how much she loved her dead husband, he had desperately tried to woo her with all the fine materials that would melt any lady's heart, not Halley's.  Halley's heart was too broken to melt. She had accepted the gifts with as much enthusiasm, that she almost convince herself that she adore them and heart was soothing at his thoughtful gestures. It was making her sick, the deceive, only because she wanted to prove to herself that she was moving on. How selfish! This is what she had become, a selfish, pitiful lady, who use men that display some sort of affection towards her.

To make things worse she had even used her children as a way of never being alone with him. Every event, she string them along like they were tied to her and her boys oblivious of what their mama was doing was more than enlightened to be with the both of them. Since José had given each of  them, a puppy for their birthday last week. They had not stop talking about him and asking to be in his presence.

The thought of her children's birthday brought a smile to Halley's face. She had never seen them so excited before, the sweets, the late night staying awake, the presents. She had an entire room reserved for the gifts that did not caught her boys attention, like the brown wool hats with white feathers sticking out at one side. Halley bit her lips remembering how Aiden had took one look at it before it sailed across the room. Lady Castina the Duchess of Alba was mortified. Halley could still see the look on the lady's face, dark eyes round as a full moon and mouth hanging opened like a fish, while her husband, a rather handsome gentleman looked on amused. Aundre who had seen the hat tossed his unopened box aside. Not bothering to see what’s inside.

She sighed, tucking her cotton chemise under her folded legs as a gust of wind whipped around her body causing her to shiver.  Her now straight long tresses slump over her shoulders seems to bid her to stop. Placing the brush beside her, Halley lifted her hair and stared at it, it looked so thin. Felt so thin.

“ Princess! I thought you would be dressed by now” Halley flinched at the young maid's outburst. The hair immediately fell back on her shoulders. She was like a child who had been caught doing something naughty. She looked away from Penelope, hiding her embarrassment.

Penelope took no notice to the Princess as she made her way towards the golden gown, that shimmered under the candlelights. “ you need to be in this immediately” she cautiously lifted the gown, draping it over one hand and made her way back to Halley who was slowly getting on her feet.

“Your hair!”The distress maid cried, covering her heart with the hand that was free. “ how could we possibly get that curl in the next few minutes, the guests have already began to arrive”