Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Of course, the prince had also gotten to see him absolutely covered in muddy water after being saved. Far from the perfect moment he would have wanted it to be.
After a second, Hugo remembered himself and ripped his eyes away so he could finish his deep bow, but before he did, he thought he saw a tiny flicker in the prince’s eyes. Was there a chance he remembered Hugo? Would he be grateful for being saved? Maybe this luncheon wasn’t such a terrible idea.
“You must be the man Mother is trying to set me up with,” Prince Everand stated in a weary and irritated voice. “Whatever. Let’s get this over with.”
Hugo’s mind spun while his stomach sank with disappointment. He couldn’t imagine why the prince would think he was being set up with Hugo. The notion was ridiculous. Of all people, the prince would most likely marry another noble or even another prince from a neighboring kingdom. Not a nobody like him.
Yet, even knowing that, Hugo couldn’t help feeling disappointed when the prince didn’t appear to remember him at all.
“Forgive me, Your Highness. I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” Hugo ventured quietly as he straightened.
The prince waved away a servant who stepped forward to move his chair. “What? What do you mean?”
“I wouldn’t presume to know Her Majesty’s thoughts, but I don’t believe she wished you to consider me as a potential match. It was just that there was a misunderstanding at the Winthrop Spring Gala recently. Her Majesty is possibly using this luncheon as a way of removing any lingering awkwardness.”
The prince scoffed and threw himself into the chair. “My mother has never felt awkward about anything,” he muttered. “She has a misunderstanding, and I have to pay the price.” Hugo hadn’t moved a step, so the prince had to twist around to glare at him. “What’s your name? Baker something, right?”
Hugo bowed again as he spoke. “Yes, Hugo Baker, Your Highness.”
“Come along, Hugo Baker. Be seated. They won’t serve until your butt is in the chair.”
Hugo nearly choked on a gasp and practically sprinted across the short distance to leap into the other chair that had been pulled out. He thought he caught a hint of a grin on the prince’s perfect face, but it disappeared too quickly, and the train of servants carrying platters and dishes of food distracted Hugo. Someone filled his glass with wine while others brought one delicate, wonderful-smelling thing after another.
Hugo fought the urge to wolf down everything that was placed in front of him. It was all delicious, and he was starved. He clung to his manners and ate at a leisurely pace. Here and there, he sneaked glances over at the prince, who continued to lounge in his chair, picking at his food as if he wasn’t hungry in the slightest. There were dark circles under his eyes. Had he spent a late night out with his friends? Or maybe he had a string of lovers who wouldn’t let him catch a minute of sleep.
The lunch was awkward and painfully quiet. Normally, he would try to make some pleasant small talk. However, he was also a commoner seated with a prince. It was inappropriate for him to speak without being spoken to first. All he could do was eat his delicious food and wait for the prince to say something.
They had finished an amazing potato soup and were starting a delicate chicken in a tangy sauce with honey-glazed carrots when the prince suddenly spoke up, jolting Hugo so badly that his fork nearly flew out of his hand.
“So, what was this misunderstanding that got you sentenced to lunch with me?” the prince asked, not sounding interested at all.
Of course, he would ask about the one topic Hugo preferred not to talk about. And he couldn’t even be bothered to recall how Hugo had saved him from injury and embarrassment.
“Oh, it’s nothing important.” Hugo set down his utensils and dabbed his mouth with a linen napkin.
“Really?” Prince Everand opened his tired eyes a little wider and cocked his head at Hugo. “Come on. What happened? Get caught sneaking off to the gardens with one of my cousins? One of my married cousins?”
“No! Definitely not! It was a misunderstanding regarding something that was said at the gala and overheard by Lady Hawthorne.”
The tiny spark of interest that lit up in Prince Everand fizzled, and he slumped in his chair. He resumed picking at his food. “Huh. That could be any number of boring, ridiculous things if Lady Hawthorne is involved. At least your punishment was relatively benign. You could have been forced to lunch with Mother instead of me.”
“Actually, I was wondering what you could have done to be punished with having to eat with a commoner like me,” Hugo replied without thinking. He was about to babble out an apology when the prince’s sharp, surprised laughter sliced through the room.