The Prince's Secret (Prince Harry Fanfic)

Part 70 - Sleep Interruptus

Samantha

The hotel was incredibly posh. Colin had booked me into a suite called The Prince's Lodge, which made me laugh and wonder if Colin had a dry British sense of humor. The four-poster bed could have slept four people comfortably, not that I was planning on sharing it with anyone.

I spent most of my time in a tiny little study attached to the suite. I swept the lamp and writing things off the little desk and set up my sewing machine, hoping that the intermittent humming of the machine was not disturbing the people in the suite below.

The butler showed up just as I was getting settled in, bringing a fruit plate and some biscuits. There were pieces of dark blue velvet laid out all over the enormous bed and the study was a welter of blue floral lining, thread, and pins, none of which seemed to disturb him. I guess working in a fancy hotel like that he had seen much crazier things and learned not to show surprise, like the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace.

Maybe the butler thought I was a famous fashion designer, working desperately to finish a creation for a rich client. Which in a way I was, except for the famous part. Infamous, maybe. He took one look at my setup and asked some questions, then took away the lamps I had set aside and brought me a proper desk chair to replace the leather wingback chair so I could work without killing my back. He asked me what time I liked my meals and took my orders for dinner and breakfast, and I really began to feel like a pampered princess trapped in a tower...without a prince. So I texted Harry.

Me: At the hotel. Very nice. Sewing like mad. How are the elephants?

It took a while for him to answer, but it made me smile.

H: Elephants settling in. Glad you are too. Hope they are taking good care of you. Don't kill yourself over those coats. E can wait. Rest and relax. See you Monday.

I didn't kill myself over the coats, but I did finish them late Sunday afternoon. Since I had the time and nothing better to do, I added lots of little extra hand-stitched touches while sitting in the comfy window seats of the suite listening to music. The concierge brought up gift boxes and tissue paper and I spent an hour hand writing notes for Eugenie and Beatrice, folding the coats, and wrapping them in layers of exquisite paper and ribbons. I would ask Harry to deliver them to Eugenie.

And then, just because I could, I went down to the spa and had a long massage while Paulo hovered grimly in the waiting room. It was glorious, and I settled into bed very relaxed and looking forward to seeing Harry the next day.

My phone ringing, kilometers away on the night stand since I was in the middle of the giant bed, woke me out of a sound sleep. I figured it was my dad calling about my travel plans, forgetting that the time difference made it 7 hours later in London. I crawled across the bed and snatched up the phone, noticing two things: it was 3am, and the call was from Harry.

"I'm back," he said, without any other pleasantries, "and I'm wide awake. How are you doing?"

"Waking up," I said, somewhat groggy.

"I didn't mean to wake you...well, yes I did. We were driving back from the airport, and I just thought maybe...instead of going back to Nott Cott...I might come up to see you instead. And stay with you until your flight tomorrow. If you wanted."

That woke me up like a cold shower. "Yes. Of course. How long until you get here?"

"Only the amount of time it takes me to get up to your room. I'm parked outside right now."