Have Hope

Chapter 17

"Listen, there is no way any true man is going to let children live around him in his home and not discipline and teach, fight and mold them until they know all he knows. His goal is to make them better than he is. Being their friend is a distant second to this." Victor Devlin

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Chapter Seventeen

Kit guiltily stuffed his mother's loving wishes of a happy Christmas in the drawer beside his bed. He knew it would have been the right thing to return home and make nice but a significant part of himself just couldn't find the courage to do it.

He supposed he was envious of Olivia in that respect. She was not on bad terms with her family and so she could enjoy the holiday with them.

Kit remained in Hertford, and had elected to journey to London for Christmas instead.

He had spent the time in between travelling organising relief for the families impacted by the snow. Kit had paid for food and ale and hay for the livestock.

But today was the twenty-fifth of December, and it was the first holiday he had spent without his family since they had taken him in. He was lying in what was possibly the most comfortable bed in England in the Palace of William V and was wondering if his sisters likes the dolls and baubles he had sent them.

A royal manservant arrived in his bedroom not long after. Kit was helped into his best suit, his chin was shaved, his hair was combed and his fingernails were cleaned.

"His Royal Highness Prince Edward is waiting for you in the east dining room, sir," the manservant informed Kit once he was ready.

"Thank you," replied Kit as he buttoned his coat. He departed the guest room and ventured out into the corridor.

It was funny now to think that his father's house in Kensington had once seemed like a palace to him. Kit could hardly fathom she sheer size of this building, or the immense cost of each one of the tapestries that adorned the walls.

The sovereign lived here with his three children. The eldest, the Prince of Wales, Edward's elder brother Charles, was the heir to the throne and the favourite son of the monarch, or so Kit was told. Princess Alice was the second, and was equally if not more precious to the King than Charles. Alice was only unmarried because the King could not bear to part with her.

And Edward?

Kit arrived at the east dining room, one of four dining rooms in the palace, and the door was opened for him by a footman.

Edward was slouching on the gold upholstered chairs alone at the round mahogany table, his nose in yesterday's newspaper.

Edward often ate alone and avoided his brother and father as much as he could. There was only so many "I am so disappointed in you, Edward. Why can't you be more like your brother, Charles?" speeches that he could take. And it was a capital crime to strike a sovereign.

"Happy Christmas," greeted Kit. He sat down opposite Edward.

Edward folded the newspaper and set it aside. "Same to you, my friend," he replied and sat up properly. The footmen began to serve the breakfast.

After months on end of eating porridge, it was a real treat to be served pastries, eggs and fruit for breakfast.

"Do you intend to eat at all with your family today?" asked Kit.

Edward's blue eyes narrowed. "Not at all if I can help it. Though I am sure I shall be summoned. My brother cannot think straight if I am not being scolded in front of him. Though I doubt my father would let me out of the royal church tradition."