Chapter 135

“Sorry for keeping you up so late,” Princess Freda apologized.

“No need, I was enjoying my book while waiting,” the lady-in-waiting, Olivia said. Olivia has been Princess Freda’s lady-in-waiting for the past five years, ever since she turned twenty and finished a course in hairdressing, and learned how to sew. Olivia had a fair complexion like most British citizens, with big blue eyes and blond hair, always kept in a low net in her neck.

“I did not know you know how to read,” Princess Freda said, standing in front of her vanity mirror so that Olivia could undress her.

“It is something we get taught when training to be a lady’s maid,” Olivia said, undressing Princess Freda.

After being dressed in her nightgown, Princess Freda sat at her vanity table so that Oliva could brush out her hair.

“Do you think Miss Emily is prettier than me?” Princess Freda puts Olivia on the spot.

“You are a princess. She is nothing more than the daughter of a butler. One would think now that they have become reach, Emily would invest some of that money into a new wardrobe instead of still wearing your hand-me-downs, trying to be you,” Olivia said, not wanting to admit that Emily, even though without title are by far prettier than Princess Freda.

“You are right. I suppose if she did not dress like me, Lord Deacon will realize that it is me he really wants,” Princess Freda said, looking at herself in the mirror.

“So, you have finally set your mind on someone? Am I hearing wedding bells?” Olivia asked, excited.

“I only met him today, but he is so beautiful. For me, it is like love at first sight. If only I could get Emily to step aside,” Princess Freda said with a sigh.

“She thinks because she is rich, she is a lady now. Perhaps she just needs to be reminded of who she really is. Besides the fact that she is ruined...” Princess Freda said, but then changed her words. “Can't believe she sold herself. She is kind of pr*st*t*te, don’t you think?”

***

Before sunrise, Prince Deacon woke up, naked in his human form, wrapped in Emily’s arms.

Prince Duncan did not realize that he was back in his human form and was still in a haze when he swept his hands over Emily and when he realized that he can actually feel the softness of her nightgown. He woke fully and froze, opening his eyes slowly. ‘Please be asleep,’ he thought as he opened his eyes.

Relieved that she was still asleep, he tried to get out of her embrace without waking her up and he was almost successful, but then a loud squeal from Zelda the housemaid came from the street.

Prince Deacon flung himself to the floor, out of sight as Emily startled awake. “What on earth is going on?”

Emily completely forgot that she brought a wolf into her room last night as she left her room to go see what the squealing was about, putting on her night coat and wrapping it around her tightly.

Prince Deacon, still naked, sighed with relief, laying on his back on the floor, next to her bed, looking at the ceiling of Emily’s bedroom.

‘Where are you?’ Wynn’s mind link came through.

'You won’t believe me if I tell you,’ Prince Deacon mind linked him back as he shifted back into his wolf form.

Just as he was done shifting, Emily stormed back into her room. “Puppy?”

Emily looked around, panicked, when her eyes landed on Prince Deacon’s as he lifted his head just above the bed.

“Come on then, out with you.” Emily looked out of her room to see if the coast was clear before running down the stairs with Puppy.

Lord Eliot, Princess Freda, Zelda the maid, and Benjamin noticed Emily’s front door open and the large wolf running out.

“That’s it!” Princess Freda shouts furiously, storming over to Emily’s residence since she knew that the wolf was actually Prince Deacon.

Princess Freda stormed into Emily’s mansion and ran up the stairs, catching Emily halfway up, and grabbing her by her hair. “You are such a slut!”

Emily grabbed onto the staircase railing. “What is wrong with you?!”

“What is wrong with me?” Princess Freda shouted, furious.

‘You better make sure Emily is ok,’ Prince Deacon mind linked Wynn as he made a dash for his residence so that he could shift back into a human.

Wynn ran over to Emily’s house and dashed up the stairs to grab Princess Freda. “Stop it!”

Wynn managed to separate Princess Freda from Emily’s hair.

“I want all my clothes back!” Princess Freda shouted, screaming and kicking in Wynn’s hold.

“What on earth is going on here?” Princess Bently asked, running into the mansion after a maid came knocking, telling her that Princess Freda ran into Emily's residence, looking like she was ready to kill.

Alfred followed Princess Bently with a fast walk.

“Emily, are you ok?” Alfred asked, running up the stairs as his other children came out of their rooms to see what was going on.

“Is she ok? Is she ok?! What about my Freda?” Princess Bently asked in a high-pitched tone, shocked to see her daughter being roughed handled.

Emily ran to her bedroom, furious and red-faced, and grabbed all her hand-me-down clothes from Princess Freda.

“Put me down!” Princess Freda demanded as Wynn walked her down the stairs.

“Please put Princess Freda down,” Princess Bently asked in the politest tone she could manage.

“Are you going to behave?” Wynn asked.

Before Princess Freda’s feet touched the ground, Emily threw the clothes from the top of the stairs before turning around and going back to her room, making everyone gasp.  It was at that same moment that Prince Deacon ran into the mansion.

“You’re ungrateful-,” Princess Bently was about to swear when Wynn stopped her.

“No need for that, my dear,” Wynn forcefully walked Princess Freda out of the mansion.

Princess Freda’s eyes meet Prince Deacon’s, and she whispered with a stealthy look. “If you don’t marry me, I will tell everyone what we really are.”

“No, you won’t,” Wynn said, forcing her out of the house.

“Do you have to handle her so roughly? You will make her skin bruise,” Princess Bently protested, walking after them.

“Hardly,” Wynn said.

“Pick up these clothes and take them over to Princess Bently’s residence,” Alfred instructed her maid.

“I was wondering why Miss Emily had such strange taste in fashion. I would like to take her shopping,” Prince Deacon said, meaning it as a question to Alfred.

“You have caused enough trouble, Lord Deacon. If I may be so forward to ask you to leave?” Alfred asked with a show of hand to his front door.

“Please come for breakfast. You and your children,” Prince Deacon invited Alfred.

“I am afraid I am going to have to decline. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a house to run,” Alfred said, walking Prince Deacon out of his house and shutting the door before walking over to Princess Bently’s house.

“Why are you even still working? You should have your own butlers and servants with the amount of money you have,” Prince Deacon stated.

“I made the Princess a promise and I am a man of my word,” Alfred said.

“Princess Bently, please accept my apologies for the ruckus,” Alfred said as he walked into the mansion of Princess Benty.

“It is not your fault your daughter is ill-mannered. I suggest you get her a governess to set her right as soon as possible,” Princess Bently said, still flushed from all the unpleasant excitement.

“I will take my leave now,” Wynn said before turning to leave.

“Please do stay for breakfast,” Princess Bently said.

“I don’t eat breakfast, perhaps luncheon?” Wynn counteroffered.

“You are just like your father; he didn’t eat breakfast either, well unless he was eating, well, never mind,” Princess Bently quickly caught her own words before saying too much.

Wynn smiled mischievously, as he knew exactly what she was about to say. After Wynn took his leave, Princess Freda turned to her mother. “Mamma, please order them to move far, far away.

“Let’s talk about it over breakfast,” Princess Bently said, signaling Alfred to serve breakfast.

‘That might be a good idea,’ Alfred thought as he walked to serve the breakfast.

“I really cannot believe you and Emily are willing to end your friendship over a man,” Princess Bently said before dipping a piece of toast into her poached egg.

“She is the one that does not want to step aside. Who does she think she is?” Princess Freda asked in a pitched tone.

At Prince Deacon’s residence…

“Deserey, please ring for a cab and go into town and buy Miss Emily a dress,” Prince Deacon ordered.

“My Lord, it is best to have a seamstress come over,” Deserey suggested.

“I am assuming that Miss Emily has no clothes to wear but her nightgown, so do as I say and go buy her a dress,” Lord Deacon said.

“But what if it does not fit?” Deserey objected again.

“Then buy different sizes,” Prince Deacon said, finding it hard to believe that Deserey cannot think for herself.

After Deserey phoned for a cab, it didn’t take long to arrive. With enough money to buy a whole new wardrobe, she left to go buy Miss Emily a dress.

While in town, Deserey overheard ladies and maids talking about the morning incident and bad-mouthing Emily for acting out of rank.

***

“Lord Deacon, people are talking about Miss Emily and how she has forgotten her place,” Deserey informed Prince Deacon about what she heard in town when she arrived back home just before luncheon.

“I have asked Benjamin to throw together a picnic basket. Please go get it,” Prince Deacon said, taking three dresses from Deserey.

“Yes, my lord,” Deserey said, rushing off to the kitchen to fetch the picnic basket.

With Deserey carrying the picnic basket and Prince Deacon carrying the dresses, they walked over to Emily’s residence.