The Crown's Obsession (WN)
chapter-384

Music Recommendation: For her heart by Sid Acharya

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Mrs. Harris' eyes held tears in them, and with heaviness in her chest, she hugged her daughters again before she was helped to get inside the carriage by her husband. Their father gave them a smile, and he turned around to join his wife. They saw the coachman place the luggage in the back of the carriage. According to her Aunt Mary, there were people who were going to come for her, and it felt better knowing that her parents would be somewhere safe. Only the coachman knew the destination where her parents were being taken to which was ordered by the King, and this would keep them safe.

Calhoun had already spoken to her parents before they had stepped out of the castle, while leaving her and her sister to see her parents off in the carriage.

"Are you sure you don't want to go with them?" Madeline asked Beth.

Beth nodded her head, "I will stay here for a week or two. I am a little worried where Jennine might follow me and do something to mama and papa. It's better if I stay here with you and the rest."

And as much as Madeline wanted to send Beth safely with her parents, she was glad that her sister had decided to stay back longer with her.

When the carriage started to move, her mother waved her hand looking at them, and so did her father. With a heavy heart, Madeline waved her hand, and her other hand was held by Beth as they looked at the carriage turn smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared.

After seeing their parents' departure, the Harris sisters went inside the castle and parted ways to go to their own designated rooms.

Biting her bottom lip, Madeline made her way to the room. On her way, she couldn't help but feel nervous at the thought of how the night might transpire. Since the last few days, Calhoun had held himself back, and the most he had done was brush his hands or his lips against hers. The light kisses from him had only made her yearn more, and she knew if she were to ask him, he would give her what she wanted, but Madeline was embarrassed to ask it.

With the snow that covered the grounds of the castle, Madeline walked in the quiet corridor, and when air blew in her direction, she tucked the piece of her hair behind her ear. Away from the guest's presence and intruding eyes, she could now hear her heart beat against her chest. Reaching the room that was previously just Calhoun's, and now also hers, Madeline stood in front of the closed doors. She wondered if he was inside or he was still in the company of the guests who were staying back in the castle.

Slightly nervous, she took more seconds than she had intended to, and before she could push it, the door opened. She met Calhoun standing in front of her. Gone was the neatly combed hair, replaced to his tousled hair that looked slightly wet as if he had taken a bath. He had even changed his wedding clothes to a black silk robe that was long and had long sleeves. The robe was tied with a lace belt around his waist and because of the V shape of the robe at the front, she could see his smooth chest.

"Planning to stay outside?" asked Calhoun, his expression serious, and it only made her heart stutter. Madeline shook her head, and when he moved to the side, giving her way, she stepped inside the room.

When she heard the door close, Madeline didn't turn to look, and instead, she took three more steps into the room. She heard Calhoun ask,

"Did you see your parent's off?"

"Yes," she answered, and wiped the palms on her skirt, "Beth said she would be leaving after a week or two. I think she's worried about what Jennine might do to her." In Madeline's memory, Beth wasn't there when she killed Jennine, but her sister did come to stumble upon the dead body lying on the ground. The memory must have shaken Beth.

Calhoun stepped behind her, and she heard him say, "They will be safe and be well taken care of." He placed his hands on her shoulders before they went to pull out the coat that she had been wearing when she had gone to see her parents. His movements were slow, and her heart skipped a beat when he completely took off the coat. "I asked Theodore to have new guards appointed in the mansion where your parents will be living from now on as the guards who work here are useless when it comes to protecting this place. They are nothing less than showpieces to intimidate thieves and intruders."

With the coat gone, Madeline rubbed her hands together. She turned to see Calhoun go to the stand and hang the coat there. Even though the fireplace in the room was emitting enough warmth, she felt her nerves wreck with just a single gaze of his when he looked at her.

"Thank you for making sure they are alright." Unable to hold her gaze for too long as Calhoun looked seductive, she broke her gaze away from him.

When Calhoun started to walk back to her, his feet quiet against the room's floor, Madeline looked at the bath that wasn't far away and asked, "I should go take a bath," her voice quivered at the end. She knew the inevitable was going to happen, but then, why did it feel like everything was happening for the first time?

When she took a glance at Calhoun, he had already reached where she stood, "Unless you rolled in mud which I doubt you did, I don't know why you would want to dip in cold water at this hour of the night."

Madeline closed her eyes when Calhoun brought his hand up to caress her cheek. Calhoun said, "Don't make me wait longer. I have reached my limit."