Escaping Her Curse—Completed

Chapter Twenty-One

Just as the king had stated the previous day, Lydia informed Jessie that she would have a dress fitting that morning. Her schedule had apparently been cleared for wedding decisions. She would not report to Oliver’s early morning practice nor would she be expected in his office that day. Instead, she was expected to make decisions about her wedding. Jessie felt sick to her stomach, but only outwardly nodded at her maid.

Opening the door, she was greeted by a familiar face. Simon looked at her, his face pressed into a scowl. He was leaning against the door frame with one hand supporting his entire body.

“Is it true?”

“And a good morning to you too, m’lord,” Jessie said without missing a beat, giving a small curtsy.

“Tell me I heard wrong. Tell me it’s a lie. Oliver can’t even… Please, Jessie. Refute his words.”

Jessie gave him a bleak, mirthless smile. She saw the pain and terror in his eyes. He so desperately didn’t want it to be true, but she was powerless in this situation. How could she stop the king? He was the law in the land, and there was no way to get around it.

“What can I say? What is done will be done.”

Simon shook his head and whispered, “Is this what you want?”

“We need to go, miss, else we’ll lose our appointed time,” Lydia said from behind Jessie.

“I have to go, m’lord. Please excuse me.”

Simon barely moved out of the way to let her pass and grabbed her arm as she moved by him. “I will figure something out, alright? We can fight this. I’m sure if we just talk to the king, he’ll understand. We can convince him otherwise.”

“M’lord, thank you for your concern,” Jessie replied with a genuine smile. “Thank you for always looking out for me, since the beginning. I have been fortunate to gain your friendship.”

The duke watched her and her maid walk down the hallway and turn a corner. Jessie’s head was held high, and he stared at her retreating figure in awe. It was obvious to him that she had already accepted her fate and that she would accept it graciously. Simon also knew that the king was only doing this to keep his beloved son on the path of his choosing. Nothing about this was for Jessie’s own good. The king was not looking out for Jessie, he only saw her as a threat to his son marrying the “right” woman. But, the king saw Simon like a son. Perhaps he could think of something, anything, to convince him to rethink the proposal.

In the middle of his thoughts, Simon heard the sniveling voice of one Baron Lance Carter down the hallway. His voice was as recognizable as it was annoying.

“Ah, Miss Jessie!” he crowed. “How lovely to run into you like this.”

“M’lord,” Jessie said quietly.

Simon crept down the hallway and got as close as he dared.

“The king informed me that my offer to you has been approved. I have to say that I’m so giddy with joy over the news. Aren’t you?”

“I–I have to say the news took my back a little. I wasn’t aware of your interest, m’lord. I am very flattered.”

“Oh? That surprises me. I have been very outright with my desire to make you mine,” Lance chortled. “I’m just glad the king seemed to think us a good match as well. I have to say, I was slightly nervous when I approached the king with my proposal. But he took to it immediately. I can hardly wait until the end of the month.”

“Uh…”

Simon frowned at the sudden thudding noise on the wall. He leaned in closer and heard Lance whispering, “I can’t wait to do all the things I’ve dreamed about doing to you, Jessie. I have watched you with lust in my eyes. I have seen how the prince looks at you in our meetings, and I have to say that I am not usually a jealous man, but no one can have you but me. The way you tease is simply not fair. Were you not aware of what you were doing to me? How you made me feel? How you made me want you? You must take responsibility for your actions. You must please me however I choose. You must sate my desires. I can see it now: you naked, tied up, begging for me. I need to see what’s under this blouse and skirt.”

“M–m’lord,” Jessie whimpered.

Unable to take any more, he turned the corner. Anger flashed in his eyes as he glared at the scene before him. Lance had pinned Jessie’s body with his own. One hand held her wrists above her head, while the other hand was up her skirt. Lydia, Jessie’s maid was uncomfortably turned away from them. Jessie had her head turned away, and Lance’s mouth was in the crook of her neck.

“What is this?” Simon roared, startling the baron.

Lance quickly let Jessie go, her skirt dropping to the floor. He then bowed his head at Simon, and Jessie curtsied shakily.

“Duke Simon,” Lance said, clearing his throat. “She, uh, she is to be my wife. I would not harass just anyone in the hallway.”

“Baron Lance, whether she is to be your wife or not does not mean you have the right to put her in such a position. You will refrain from over doing anything like this again in public, and if I so much as catch a whiff of it happening again, I will take action,” Simon said with so much venom that Lance took a physical step backwards. “You may leave, now, Baron.”

Lance nodded, shocked at what had just happened. He briefly glanced at Jessie before fumbling away from the small group.

“Th–thank you,” Jessie said, clearly shaken up.

Her eyes were glazed over and her heart sped out of control. Jessie did her best to regain her composure.

“Maid Lydia,” Simon boomed, making the poor girl jump.

She curtsied deeply, unable to even look at the duke.

“Whatever it is that you feel towards your mistress, you will put that aside and do your due diligence to protect her. Do you understand?”

Lydia nodded frantically.

“You will never stand by idly again, especially if a situation like this happens again. No matter what he threatens you with, you will have the protection of house Ponce. Tell me you understand.”

“I–I understand. Yes, m’lord. I will protect her,” Lydia said weakly.

“Good. I will accompany you to wherever it is you’re going.”

Jessie swallowed nervously. “Are you sure, m’lord?”

“Yes, why?”

“We are going to get fitted for my wedding dress.”

Simon angrily let out a sigh, but nodded nonetheless. “Yes, though I’d like nothing better than to shove that weasel into the gutter, I will take you safely to the in-house boutique. Mark my words, Jessie, I will think of something. I will not let you marry that pig.”

They walked in silence for the rest of the way. Simon couldn’t stop dwelling on what he’d overheard and seen. Anger welled up within him as his mind raced to think of a solution. And Jessie felt horribly embarrassed about the entire endeavor. Between Lane acting as he had and Simon stepping in like he did, she didn’t know what was worse. She pondered over how things had even come to this.

“We’re here,” Lydia said, grabbing both Jessie’s and Simon’s attention.

“Thank you for walking us here,” Jessie smiled, turning towards Simon. “And for, uh, earlier.”

Simon relaxed into an easy grin when his eyes fell upon the woman before him. “Always, Jessie. For you, I’d do anything. I’d say to have fun, but… Don’t worry. I’ll think of something.”

Both Jessie and Lydia curtsied and walked into the dress-maker’s studio and were greeted by the infamous Lady Grey.

She gave Jessie a once over after Simon left them. “So, this is what I’m working with, eh?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Lydia, dear, grab my measuring tape. The king tells me the wedding is at the end of the month. That doesn’t give me much time. But, like I told him, nothing I do ever looks half-assed. I only present the most scrumptious of outfits and your dress will be no different. It’ll be a masterpiece, for I can do nothing else,” Lady Grey said, her eyes sparkling. “I am Lady Mary Grey, royal seamstress and clothing extraordinaire. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Jessie smiled. “I am Jessie Montgomery, Prince Oliver’s personal assistant.”

Lydia brought everything Lady Grey needed, and she twirled around Jessie, taking every measurement needed with Lydia’s help. The two worked fluidly and were in perfect step with one another.

“Have you two worked together previously?” Jessie inquired, unable to hold her curiosity.

She watched the other two women exchange a silent glance, as if reading the other.

“Why would you say that?” Lady Grey asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh,” Jessie chuckled. “Just the way you two work together. It’s as if you know exactly what the other needs. It’s quite beautiful.”

“I have helped other ladies here,” Lydia jumped in. “I have learned to anticipate what Lady Grey needs in order to be useful, as a dutiful maid should.”

Jessie only nodded and smiled at them. She did not miss the knowing look the two shared before they continued in their work. Though she wasn’t exactly thrilled with the ‘why’ behind getting fitted, she did enjoy the smiles and laughter she participated in with Lydia and Lady Grey and how easily it came forth. For possibly the first time since arriving at the palace, Jessie felt at ease with the company in the room.