Page 23 of Learning to Love

The raging voice falls silent, and I’m left shivering in fear at the authority behind it. Dalton, though, looks unaffected. In fact, he seems angry.

“I’m sorry, Father. I didn’t want to worry you or Mother this way. I have been living like a monk as requested, but in the last few days, I’ve been enjoying the company of the lady in the picture. Her name is Miss Elodie Nash. She’s a yoga teacher at the resort we’re staying at. She is the only woman I’ve seen since I’ve been here, and I can assure you, I’ve not been using her like a whore. She’s a woman of high standards, and we’re getting to know each other before we make any decisions on anything physical.” Dalton looks over at me as he speaks. I smile at him, liking the words he’s said about me.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, are you telling me that this isn’t you dicking about, but the prospect of you having a relationship with one of those goddamn awful Yanks?” The king sighs.

I gasp at the derogatory way he’s talking about Americans, but I do know the European royal families haven’t encouraged their male rulers to marry American women since Wallis Simpson.

“I am, Father. May I have your permission to issue a statement to the press: denying I’m sleeping with all the women at Serendipity, stating Miss Nash and I have developed a mutual love of yoga, and requesting we’re left in peace so we can get to know each other better.” Dalton remains standing while he asks for his father’s permission. I suppose that’s the natural order of things in a royal family. As the ruler, Dalton’s father is in control and has the final say on everything.

“Yoga?” his father spits back. “Have you turned into a freaking hippie? No, you do not have my permission to issue a statement to that effect. My God, I can’t believe I’m hearing this. You do not have my permission to date this woman at all. She’s a commoner and obviously not a high class one. She’s only a yoga teacher, according to the press. She’ll never make a suitable princess. She knows nothing about royal protocols. God, I bet she doesn’t even know how to address you properly. Is she calling you by your real name? It’s disgusting.”

My heart falters, hearing the king’s words. He’s not even prepared to try to learn about me. In fact, he doesn’t even want Dalton to get to know me better. I feel tears prick at the corner of my eyes. Why should I even care? It’s not like this will go anywhere, anyway. I don’t need all this luxury—all I need are my yoga students and the smiling faces they give me every lesson. Mr. Hinchbottom gets to his feet and comes over to me as the king continues to rage at Dalton.

“Shall I take you elsewhere, Miss Nash? I don’t think this is something you should listen to.”

I shake my head to indicate I want to stay. He pulls a handkerchief from the pocket of the full suit he’s still wearing, despite the fact we’re at sea and it’s hot, and he hands it to me. I use it to dab at the corner of my eyes.

“Thank you,”I tell him.

“Is she there listening?” I hear the king ask. “God, even that breaks protocol. This is not an issue she needs to be involved in.”

I hear the growl rumble in Dalton’s throat. Mr. Hinchbottom turns around quickly and frantically shakes his head at Dalton.

“Your Highness-” The personal secretary begins to speak, but Dalton cuts him off with a sharp outthrust of his hand.

“I’ll answer this, Hinchbootie. Don’t worry.” Dalton sits down on a seat at the table and pulls the laptop closer to him.

“Prince Dalton, I’ve not given you permission to sit,” the king admonishes.

“No, you haven’t, but I don’t give a fuck. You’re going to listen to me, for once. You sent me to America because I was making a disgrace of myself, and yes, I was. I was bored and sick to death of the rules I have to live by. I need to discover the true king I’m going to be when I take over the throne, and that’s what I’m doing. Elodie is teaching me that everything doesn’t have to be rigid and prescribed. So listen here, Father, I will be issuing that statement when we return to the harbor. In the meantime, Elodie and I will be on this yacht, getting to know each other better to see if we want to form a long-lasting relationship. She’s the only person who’s ever shown kindness to me without getting paid for it, and I’m not going to walk away from that. If I want to ask Hinchbootie to write a statement announcing I’m becoming a yoga-loving hippie, then I will. Have a good day, Your Majesty.” Dalton slams the laptop shut as he stops speaking.

Mr. Hinchbottom and I both freeze and look at each other.

“I can’t believe I just did that.” Dalton has both his hands on top of the laptop. They are curled into fists, and the whites of his knuckles are showing. “Did I really just do that?”

“You did, Your Highness.” Mr. Hinchbottom is the first to speak.

“Okay.” Dalton doesn’t move.

I get to my feet and go over to him.

“Yoga breathing. In…1…2…3 and out …1…2…3,” I instruct, placing my hand on his chest. He breathes with me, and behind us, I can hear the personal secretary doing the same.

“Thank you, Elodie.” Eventually, Dalton speaks as he takes my hand in his. “This is what we’re going to do today. We are not going to phone my father back. We’ll let him think about what I’ve just said in the hopes it might sink in. Hinchbootie, you’re going to get changed into something more casual and go read that book of yours for a few hours-”

“What about the statement, Your Highness?” Mr. Hinchbottom interrupts.

“It can wait. Have a bottle of wine tonight and write it then. We’ll issue it when we get back to the harbor.” Dalton leads me around the table and back in the direction of the swimming pool. “As far as I’m concerned, I came on this trip to get to know Miss Nash better. I want to see if we’ll develop the kind of relationship I can share with the people of Janastria. This has to be the right thing for all of us, and today I’m going to do the right thing for Elodie and me. Please arrange for all communication devices to be turned off, so no one can contact us directly. If it’s a matter of life or death, they can reach us via the captain. I’m going to take control of my own life for once.”

We leave a still shell shocked Mr. Hinchbottom behind and make our way to the pool.

I pull Dalton to a stop.

“Are you all right?” I ask, wanting to make sure. The situation with his father had been explosive.

“I am. I’ve never stood up to him like that before, but I meant every word. Now I want to hide away with you for the rest of the day. Talk, laugh, and learn all your innermost secrets. Will you let me do that? Please tell me my father’s words haven’t scared you away.”

I shake my head. “They weren’t pleasant, but I can stand in the tree pose for a couple of hours, and you know how hard that is. Your father’s wrath is nothing compared to that. Let’s forget about everything for the rest of the day and just be us. I want that more than anything.”

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