Chapter 102

Chapter 102 He’s not as awful as you might think.

Joseph closed the door and crossed the room to her. He held out the plate of food as if it was a peace offering but Doris only wanted to slap it out of his hands and send every piece to the dirty floor. She’d learned a lot recently about poking at the ones that held power over her. It never ended in her favor—but he looked like he could take a poking or two from her.

Cautiously, Doris took the plate and set it on the bed. “Thank you.” She said.

Joseph smiled at her and bowed his head a little. “My pleasure. I uh, I’ll leave you alone. I’ll be right outside if you need me. They should be sending you new clothes soon for you to change into.”

As he was turning away, Doris reached out to grab his arm. “Wait.” He paused and looked at her with raised brows as his eyes flicked to her hand on his arm. “When will the man that brought me here come see me? I’d like to talk with him soon.”

“Mr. Hugh said he’d be by to check on you soon. I wouldn’t worry about him though, he’s not as awful as you might think.”

“He kidnapped me and is using me as ransom. Forgive me if I don’t think he’s very kind.” Doris said flatly and dropped her hand. She glanced at the knife he had tied to his belt next to a set of keys. She flexed her fingers but he turned away again before she could even attempt to take either.

Breathe, Doris. You can’t be brash, you need a plan. She thought to herself. Without Cordelia, she realized she needed some sort of voice to keep her grounded. So be it if it was her own. All she could truly count on was herself at the end of the day, she would get herself out of this. 1 “I can agree with you there. I wouldn’t think much of him either.” Joseph said with a small chuckle. She glared at his back. How dare he try to be her friend when she was a prisoner! What was he aiming at?

This had to be some sort of trust ploy. She wouldn’t fall for that.

Joseph glanced back at her over his shoulder. “He won’t hurt you. He only wants to get ahold of the prince.”

“Well, I won’t be able to help him.” Doris said after he already left. She sat on the bed and picked at the plate of food. She was starving but the back of her head warned her about eating something from this place. What if they poisoned everything she touched? She’d be better off dead anyway. If she died by poison, it was bound to happen sooner or later at the rate she’d been living. Doris ate every last bite and left the plate by the door before she circled the room. There was one high window that looked like only a small animal could squeeze through. Doris pushed the dresser underneath it and tried to push it open but it wouldn’t budge. Damned thing!

“Would you like someone to open it for you?” A voice said from behind her. Doris almost fell right off the dresser when she heard him. “The only chance you’ll get through there is if you’re a rabbit.”

Mr. Hugh stood with his arms crossed over his chest and an amused look on his face. Doris carefully stepped off the dresser and smoothed out her clothes.

“I would like it open, if you wouldn’t mind. It’s rather hot in here.” “Is it?” He glanced around the freezing room as if he was trying to find the heat source. What a stupid lie, it felt like ice in here. “I’ll get right on that.” He gestured to the bed. “Would you care to have a small chat with me?”

Doris hesitated before she sat on the edge of the bed across from the chair he took. He casually crossed his legs and smiled at her as if they were old friends.

“William isn’t coming back for me. He made it clear that if I stayed he wouldn’t turn back.” Doris blurted before he even had a chance to speak.

Mr. Hugh laughed a little. “Do all the maids refer to their princes by their first name? I heard Prince William was the one that never allowed that.”

Doris inwardly cringed at her mistake. She’d been calling him William so frequently, she forgot that it wasn’t proper for a maid to say. Her mind refused to see him as the same prince she left the palace with, but in the end she shouldn’t have been such a fool. Look where that led her.

“He requested for me to call him by his first name while we were here. He didn’t want to draw attention to his title.” Doris said smoothly. She brushed a bit of dirt off her pants. “My statement still stands. He would never risk himself for a maid, no matter how noble he may be.” 1 “I wouldn’t think he would. But you’re not any maid to the prince. I have several witnesses telling me how feral the prince has gone for you right in front of their eyes and that isn’t something to brush off.”

“I believe they’re mistaken. The prince protected everyone in his party because he felt responsible for them—”

“Does he also share a bed with each of his party? Or only the prettiest one?”

Doris pressed her lips together. Someone in the camp had told this man everything and she didn’t doubt it was one of the bitter men that wanted Enzo to kick the prince and his party out. They’d all seen how protective William was over Doris, but they didn’t hear the things he said to her privately. They didn’t hear him tell her how little he cared about her and how no one else in the world did either. She was nothing but a dead weight to him, and deep down she always knew that was the case. She was just foolish enough to pretend otherwise while he held her at night.

Doris cleared her throat. “Before he left the camp, he told me that he didn’t care for me. I’m sure he used me like he used many girls at the palace but he’s done now and he won’t care what happens. When the prince is finished with a girl, she’s no longer in his thoughts.”

Mr. Hugh watched her for a few minutes with a tilted head. “Do you happen to know the recipe for the cure he used for poison?” 1 “I don’t. He made it out of my sight.” Doris eyes him warily. “Is the cure the real reason you want the prince back here?” 4 “There are many reasons I’d like to have him in front of me.” Mr. Hugh said. He leaned forward a little.

“And I can always smell a liar. I know that prince wouldn’t act the way he does with just anyone. I’ve heard many stories about him and how he treats women at the palace, it’s no secret even to the north.

The stories I’ve heard today about how he treated you—that’s what makes everything you say unbelievable.”

“You’ll be waiting a long time, then.” Doris said. “As I said, you’re wasting your time on me. He’s probably back at the palace by now.”

Mr. Hugh laughed and clapped his hands once. “I can see why he likes you. There’s a bit of fire in your eyes. I don’t think I expected you to have any.” He stood.

“Many don’t.” Doris stood as well. She noticed he didn’t have a weapon at his belt but something told her that he wouldn’t need one if she tried to attack him. He wasn’t as tall as William, but he was quite larger than her. “How long will you hold me here until you realize he isn’t coming?”

“Hmm, maybe a month. I have all the time in the world to wait.” Mr. Hugh brushed his finger along her cheek, she leaned back away from him. “Don’t worry, dear. I don’t like women in that sense. I have no intention on hurting you as I said before.”

“Is the price on his head truly large enough for you to keep me here against my will?”

Mr. Hugh looked a little surprised at her words. He quickly shook off the look and smiled again. “He’s a prince. He has the biggest price on his head imaginable.”

“If you have no intentions of hurting me, why can’t you just let me go?” Doris tried one last time before he went for the door and locked her in with all of her useless thoughts.

“I may have said I have no intentions of hurting you, but that doesn’t mean I won’t if it means it would hurt him.”