“I will. Thank you, Uncle.”
“Dismissed.”
David gratefully exited the room in all due haste. He needed to see how Clara was doing. He speed-walked back to Clara’s room to resume waiting for word on her condition. How could he get her to forgive him? Was Clara the type to hold a grudge? Women tended to like flowers. He did that for the performance. He needed to do something bigger and better. Would she appreciate a pair of shoes he’d made?
Clara awokein the soft bed not unlike the Rose Suite of the St. George. She remembered being awake long enough to be placed in the room before she was given some sort of medicine to drink.
“We need to stop meeting like this, Miss Little,” the kindly Dr. Evans voiced as she blinked a few times to clear her field of vision.
“You have a clean bill of health, other than the need to replace your waterlogged cast. Please try not to get this next one wet. The good news is your foot appears to be healing nicely.”
“Dr. Evans! Please excuse me! I was hoping to make my way back to the hotel and see you tomorrow to save you the trouble of coming all the way down to?…”
“Nonsense. I enjoy taking tea here at the palace when I’m able to. The company of Princess Charlotte is always excellent! Jenna has been keeping Leeds occupied while he waits for word on how you’re doing. Between you and me, Jenna is happy to kick a certain royal’s behind with video games.” Dr. Evans laughed.
David was that worried about her? She shouldn’t have gotten so upset when she told him she wanted to return to the hotel. She wanted to spend time with him since she didn’t have that much time left in London. She couldn’t even think about going home now. She wanted to stay in her fairytale-like world forever.Trying not to let her mind sit on any depressing thoughts, Clara asked, “David plays video games?”
Dr. Evans gathered up the supplies from his medical bag and neatly packed them away. “I think it’s safe to say Leedsthinkshe can play video games. He is horrid at them and is even worse than I. It’s a sore subject for him. Jenna is always enthusiastic to play him whenever I take tea with Princess Charlotte, her godmother.”
Clara’s mood brightened at the thought of David attempting to play any sort of video game. He just didn’t seem like the type. Maybe she could make a suggestion about playing on his gaming console next time they were alone. Clara stretched her body and sat up in the bed.
“Are you up for a guest? Princess Charlotte would like to check in with you if you are feeling up to it,” Dr. Evans probed as he stood to leave the room.
“Princess Charlotte is here? She wants to see me? Um, sure, you can send her in.”
“She thought it prudent to check in on you herself since David seems to have caused the damage this time around. She likes you. Not many can make such an impression so quickly! I’ll see you in about a week to ensure you are cleared to travel home to the States.” Dr. Evans opened the door to the room Clara was in and bid Princess Charlotte to enter.
The Princess Royal, dressed in a hunter-green designer blazer, cream blouse, and matching skirt sat down on the bed. Her red hair contrasted vividly with her choice in clothing, but somehow it worked for Princess Charlotte. “It seems like the men in this family are forever making mistakes. My son should have known better than to trust that rickety old canoe on the pond! He has been asking about you all afternoon. I thought you may need some time to yourself before seeing him.”
“I was pretty angry with David earlier, but I think, now that I’ve had some time to calm down, that I overreacted. I felt overly emotional when we were talking and was caught up in the moment.”
She was embarrassed when she realized she had been changed into a nightgown at some point. Her clothing and undergarments were missing. In their absence, she wore a light blue empire waist dress adorned with various flowers, a black cardigan, stockings, ballet flats, and new undergarments. The dress was made of a light silk fabric that fit her figure to perfection. She wondered if the Princess Royal had a hand in her outfit selection. The clothing was sophisticated enough for the Buckingham Palace dress code, yet modern at the same time.
The Princess Royal rubbed circles on Clara’s arm and remained silent for a moment.
“I’ve told Dr. Evans that you should remain here. David will give you space for the remainder of the evening. You will have your tour of the State Rooms after dinner with Eddie, and tomorrow you are free to return back to the St. George after you shop with me for a gown to wear to the Opera House. It’s already been decided; there will be no arguments with me.”
Clara was too tired to argue with the Princess Royal, even if her heart was in it. Why did she think Clara needed more rest? Clara was tired, but being alone wasn’t going to help.She thinks she’s got my best interest at heart, but she doesn’t even know me.Clara wanted her David time. She wanted to be in his arms. She wanted to watch a cheesy movie while they commentated on how bad it was or beat him in video games. She was still dying to see the State Rooms. The shopping sounded more like a chore, yet if she was going to the ballet with royalty, she needed a dress to fit in.
Clara must have drifted off after speaking to Princess Charlotte. The dark skies outside didn’t reveal what time it was as rain bounced off the windows. The sound was soothing and put Clara in a good mood. She felt refreshed. Clara searched the room and found her crutches on the side of the bed. Clara flicked on the television, revealing the time on the menu screen to be 5:00 p.m. She must have been out for at least three hours. A gentle knock on the door brought a servant with a tray of salmon, salad, fruit, wine, and several other delicious-looking options to choose from for dinner.
The servant didn’t immediately see himself out, but rather stayed in the room and started helping himself to the food selection. Clara stared and wasn’t sure what to think at the bizarreness of the situation.Maybe I’m imagining things? What am I supposed to do or say?
“You’re not even going to ask why I didn’t leave the room or leave you alone to enjoy your meal?” a familiar voice joked. David pulled off a white powdered wig and a red and gold livery jacket. “Servants don’t even dress like this unless it’s an official function.” He threw the items onto the bed.
“David,” Clara said softly and reached out for him. David crossed the room and kissed her on the cheek. “I wanted to see you the first time I woke up. Your mother said you were supposed to leave me alone and I was going to have Eddie as a tour guide later on.” Clara moved over to accommodate David’s large frame so he could sit next to her. The room was small compared to others and only contained the bare essentials.
David didn’t release Clara as he wrapped her in his arms. “My mother wouldn’t be able to stop me even if she wanted to. Eddie will still give you a tour, but I needed to see you. This ridiculous get up seemed like a brilliant idea at the time.”
The two flipped through the channels on the television and settled onStrictly Come Dancingas they enjoyed a quiet dinner together. Eddie stopped by around 7:00 p.m. to begin their formal tour.
10
Passion Projects
At ten the next morning, Clara and Princess Charlotte were taken to some of the top designer shops in Sloane Square. Dior, Hermes, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, all of the famous Paris design houses had a shop near Sloane Square; yet nothing fit Clara’s build or personality just right.
“Your Highness, could we perhaps take a detour to one of the local London designers? I’ve always had good luck in small boutiques.”