Chapter 14
#Chapter 14 I didn’t realize you were good at scheming
Doris followed Melody back to her own chamber in silence. Each step closer to the room only made
Doris’s nerves re through the ceiling. Melody’s posture was more stiff than usual, she’d probably
already made a list of things to scold Doris about that went beyond what just happened. Doris silently
wondered if Melody was secretly excited to have an excuse to unleash all of her wrath upon Doris
when they got back to her room.
As they turned down the hall, there was a group ofdies blocking her door. Doris immediately
recognized a few of them as the ones who’d been talking behind Melody’s back and spreading those
vicious rumors that kept Melody hidden away for so long. Now they surrounded her with eptance,
excitement, and… gifts. News of her night with Prince William must have traveled much faster than
Doris expected. It made her wonder if there even was anyone trustworthy in the castle, she could only
assume it was Prince William’s footman who tipped off the gossip—unless someone else saw them on
their way to his room.
“Lady Melody, there you are!” One of thedies pushed her way to the front, her voice was dripping
with false sweetness. “I should have visited you much sooner but I heard you weren’t feeling well. I
thought it was better to let you rest more, I brought you a weing gift!”
“Oh, that’s quite alright Lady Daphne.” Melody smiled widely as she unwrapped the gift to see a shining
gold bracelet. “How lovely! Thank you my dear.”
“Well well, girls. Since Lady Melody is fully recovered I bet Prince William won’t get enough of her
company now!” One of thedies near the back said, Doris almost rolled her eyes.
Anotherdy pushed a gift in Melody’s hands with a bright smile. “I had a custom perfume made for
you, mydy.”
Doris stepped back and watched Melody grow overwhelmed with the amount of gifts presented to her.
Extravagant nes and dresses, delicate roses and purses. Doris couldn’t believe they showered
her with such beauty all because she’d spent the night with Prince William. Did all of thedies get this
treatment?
“Thank youdies foring!” Melody said over the chattering voices. She looked over the crowd and
noticed Lady Jane was one of the few missing from this show of affection. “I’ll have the kitchen prepare
some tea, why don’t you all join me?”
“Oh, yes!”
“That would be lovely!”
This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.
“Finally, some girl time…”
The crowd excitedly filed into her chamber, Doris waited until they all stepped fully in before she started
to enter herself.
“Not you!” Melody shouted the second her foot hit the carpet. “Get out and kneel at the door!”
Doris froze in shock, her face grew red from embarrassment. Everyone’s eyes fell on her at once as
the room went silent enough to hear the sound of her own heartbeat. Humiliation scorched every inch
of her body and she wished it would have burned her alive right there.
“Are you deaf? I said to kneel!” Melody shouted again, her voice like a gunshot through the room.
Doris fell to her knees at the sound, she had no choice but to obey. The cold from the ground chilled
her entire body, Doris closed her eyes to keep in the tears that tried to escape. Of course she would
choose now to punish Doris, in front of a crowd like always.
The otherdies were frozen in their own shock, they nced at each other—confused and worried.
“What has she done?” Lady Daphne asked cautiously as if she were talking to a wild animal that might
snap at any moment. She wasn’t wrong to treat Melody that way—she was always a small misstep
away from screaming at someone.
“She’s nothing but a shameless maid. She fell on Prince William’s chest in hopes he would notice her.”
Melody scoffed and seated herself on one of the couches between thedies. “She clearly believes the
ridiculous rumors that he’d take any maid to bed.”
The loudest silence Doris had ever heard filled the room, not onedy dared to respond. They all knew
what Melody was referring to, they knew she’d heard the gossip they all spread about her. She took her
opportunity to make a statement by abusing Doris and using her as an example. By the looks on their
faces, it had worked. “I’m thedy that Prince William chose himself and titled. Not a silly maid
anymore. If any of you think of continuing to speak of me so little, I’ll make sure to repay the favor.” The
ladies stared at Melody with their lips parted, after a moment she smiled brightly again as if it never
happened. “Now, let’s not let this nonsense ruin our day. Let’s have some tea.”
Melody waved her hand and locked eyes with Doris as someone closed the door in her face, still
kneeling on the cold ground.
Her knees grew numb, soon the chattering continued behind the door and it seemed the awkward
moment was already forgotten. The sounds grew distant to her ears, she moved to lean back against
the wall as her vision blurred. After a horrible sleepless night, she finally felt the exhaustion tug on her
senses. Doris closed her eyes for just a moment and soon the world faded away from her.
Cold water sshed on her face, Doris woke with a gasp.
“How dare you sleep when you’re being punished!” Melody stood with one hand on her hip and the
other clenching an empty ss.
Doris hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep, slowly she straightened herself and dried some of the water
from her face. “Sorry, mydy.”
Melody snorted and crossed her arms. “You honestly think you should be the one to take my ce,
don’t you?”
“Of course not.” Doris paled. “I have no desire to ever take your ce.”
“Right.” Melody gripped her chin to stare into her eyes. “You should take a good look at yourself. Do
you think this is the face that could ever win Prince William’s heart?” Melody snorted. “What a joke.”
“No, mydy. I know what my ce is in this castle, I never wanted Prince William’s attention. My only
job is to serve your needs, please believe me.” Doris wasn’t lying, she didn’t wish to be in Melody’s
shoes. The only thing she wanted was to make her happy enough until the amnesty was signed and
she was free—nothing more despite what Melody thought.
Melody narrowed her eyes before she loosened her grip. “Good. I hope you don’t forget your own
words. Now rise.”
Doris gripped the wall to stand on shaky legs she could barely feel. “Thank you, mydy.” Doris bowed
her head and watched the drips of water slide off her face.
“Get out of my sight.” Melody said with a disgusted expression, but all Doris felt was relieved at her
words.
It wasn’t a far walk to her room from Melody’s, but it might as well have been miles. She slowly walked
on her numb legs with her hand clenched to the wall so she wouldn’t fall. The only thoughts that kept
her going was her own warm bed and a bath to rid her of the past 24 hours.
An elegant figure appeared at the end of the hall. When Doris noticed it was Lady Jane, she curtsied
but the woman walked right past as if she didn’t even notice Doris.
“I didn’t realize you were good at scheming.” A voice said from behind her.