However, the more she got to know his personality, the more she doubted she would ever fall in love with him. He seemed to brag about his money and possessions a lot and was so over-confident that she found him irritating. He acted superior to everyone else and wasn’t polite to the maids which annoyed her. If he had dared to boss around Isabelle that way she would have wanted to slap him, but fortunately Isabelle was not serving them and had other duties. She longed for him to magically turn into the caring and romantic prince she had always imagined he would be.
She began to feel bored of their conversations and listened half-heartedly, smiling politely. He only seemed to talk about himself and didn’t ask any questions about her. She wondered sadly if he really did care about her and wanted to get to know her, because so far he had made no effort.
She couldn’t stand being with him a minute longer and felt the urge to escape.
“Could you excuse me for a moment?” she said politely.
She quickly walked out of the lounge, feeling relieved to get away from him. She went to sit in the empty dining room for some privacy, knowing that no one would disturb her there. She felt miserable as she sat thinking about him and how much of a disappointment their meeting had been.
Isabelle walked past the dining room carrying a basket of laundry and stopped when she noticed Rosanna inside. She entered and took a seat next to her, resting the laundry basket down on the floor.
“What is he like?” Isabelle asked her excitedly. “Is he as wonderful as we thought?”
“I would not call him wonderful,” she answered sadly. “I do not like him at all.”
Isabelle frowned, looking confused, “but he seemed lovely when I caught a glimpse of him. I thought he looked very handsome.”
“Yes, he is,” she agreed, “but he is also very arrogant. I could never have a relationship with someone like him.”
“What kind of gentleman would you like to be with?” asked Isabelle curiously.
“Well…I would like someone who was kind, affectionate and romantic,” she considered, thinking of her fantasy. “He would have a nice personality and look after me and make me very happy.”
“I would love to meet someone like that,” said Isabelle dreamily, imagining it as well. “I am sure you will find someone. Everyone will be desperate to see you tonight.”
“And you will find someone too, just like we talked about,” she reminded her.
“But I am only a maid,” replied Isabelle sadly. “Who would be interested in me?”
“I think they should be. You are pretty and have a lovely personality,” she reassured her. “If the right man comes along, he will love you no matter what.”
“Do you really think so?” asked Isabelle hopefully.
“Of course. Everyone has a chance to meet the one they are meant to be with,” she answered, “and I think you deserve to most of all. You have done so much for me and I am always grateful.”
Isabelle smiled, feeling a little better about herself.
Rosanna sighed, realising that she couldn’t hide away chatting with Isabelle much longer, “I suppose I will have to return before they wonder where I am.”
She said a quick goodbye to Isabelle and returned to the lounge.
Rosanna was finally allowed to enter the ballroom later that evening when the party began. She was escorted there by Prince Ethan, who held her hand and grinned proudly, as if accompanying her was a great prize he had won. They were followed by Leonardo who had to stay close by to keep an eye on her all evening.
She looked around in awe at how magnificent the ballroom looked. She felt very lucky that it had all been organised especially for her. There were beautiful decorations and lively music being played by a group of violin musicians. All the chandeliers had been lit around the room making it look even more magical.
Most of the guests had arrived and were talking happily and dancing together; but they all stopped and looked over when she and Prince Ethan were formally announced. They all stared in awe and clapped for the birthday girl.
She was immediately greeted by friends and family members who talked with her and wished her happy birthday. She smiled as she noticed a few villagers were here and greeted them too.
Prince Ethan asked to be her first dance partner and they waltzed through a few songs together. Although it felt more formal than romantic, she did enjoy dancing with him because he was quite good at it.
A young gentleman cut in to ask for a dance with her. She noticed Prince Ethan looked a little jealous and unhappy that their dancing had come to an end. He let her accept with a forced smile and went to find another partner to dance with.
She seemed to be a popular choice as several other men were waiting to dance with her at every song. She began to feel tired and finally decided to go rest for a while. She politely excused herself from the gentleman she was dancing with and walked over to the side of the ballroom.
She avoided a few hopeful gentlemen on the way and sat down on a chair to rest and watched everyone else dancing. The violin music sounded wonderful and she enjoyed listening to it. Her fingers longed to play along on her piano and she tried to remember the melody so she could try to play it tomorrow.
Her brother stopped by with a young lady on his arm.
“I do not know why father lets you invite the commoners from the village,” Jonathon said to her, looking disapprovingly at her friends. “It ruins the evening seeing them among our guests.”
She immediately forgot all about the music and felt angered by his snide comment.
“It is my birthday and I can invite whoever I want,” she retorted, annoyed by his rudeness. “Not everyone thinks that social status is as important as you do.”
“You will have to think differently once you are married,” he replied. “It is already an embarrassment having you associate with the poor.”
“I will be friends with whoever I chose to whether I am married or not,” she insisted.
He shook his head in disagreement and continued his way to the dance floor with the lady he was with.
She was left feeling cross and wondering how she could be related to someone so offensive and judgemental.
“Are you enjoying your night?” Isabelle stopped beside her.
Her mood lifted at the sight of her best friend and she smiled, forgetting all about Jonathon’s lack of respect.
“Yes, it is lovely,” she replied. “The ballroom looks so beautiful tonight.”
She felt sorry for Isabelle who had been busy waiting on guests all evening, serving out glasses of white wine. Isabelle was worn out by now, but she wouldn’t dare sit down beside Rosanna like she wanted to. She knew she would be in trouble if she was caught neglecting her duty.
Rosanna noticed and stood up to chat with her, “I wish you could enjoy the party with me,” she said sympathetically.
She could tell how disappointed Isabelle was at missing out on the fun, even though she was doing her best to hide it.
Rosanna tried to stay positive for her best friend, “Have you seen any nice gentlemen while you were serving?”
“There are a few,” answered Isabelle, “but I do not have time to talk with them. Besides, they barely pay any attention to me.” She felt upset and her self-confidence was low again, feeling as if she wasn’t good enough for anyone here.
“Well, I can see there is someone interested in you,” she grinned as she looked over.
Isabelle’s mood was immediately lifted, “Who?” she asked hopefully.
She followed Rosanna’s gaze towards Leonardo and her cheeks flushed.
“He is watching over you, he was not looking at me,” Isabelle said dismissively, not believing that Leonardo would ever return her interest.
“I think you are wrong,” she teased her.
Leonardo had been keeping his distance from Rosanna so far letting her socialise alone, but now he smiled and walked over to join them.
“Why are you no longer dancing?”
he teased Rosanna. “I thought there were several gentlemen begging to dance with you.”
“I am having a rest and avoiding any more offers,” she replied. “Are there no ladies hoping to dance with a knight?”
“Maybe they are waiting for me to ask them,” he said and his gaze moved to Isabelle.
She looked down shyly, hoping he wouldn’t notice her blushing and work out the secret crush she had. Rosanna thought it was sweet how Isabelle had stared after him adoringly for years.
“Isabelle,” he said, waiting for her to look up again. “Would you like to dance with me?”
She looked surprised and flattered, blushing even more. Rosanna smiled at her, feeling pleased for her best friend.
“I would love to…” Isabelle answered wistfully, “but I am sorry, I cannot. The king will be furious if I am not working.” She felt regretful and heartbroken knowing she would have to miss her opportunity to dance with him.
“No one will notice if we have one quick dance,” Leonardo persisted, “and if they do, I will explain it is my fault.”
“I suppose I could…” Isabelle said hesitantly, considering the risk and whether she dared to go with him.
Rosanna took the tray of glasses from her, “Go now while my father is too busy to notice,” she encouraged her. “You deserve to have a good time.”
Isabelle smiled at her gratefully.
“But I really must return to work afterwards,” she told Leonardo anxiously.
“Of course,” he agreed.
He led her to the dance floor while Isabelle smiled as if all her dreams had come true. Rosanna smiled as she watched them go. She felt happy for Isabelle and hoped that a romance would happen between her two friends.
She watched them dance together and suddenly felt alone without them. She knew she could go back to dancing with Prince Ethan or several other gentlemen, but she didn’t feel like it. She wanted to dance with someone special, who would be like the version of Prince Ethan she had always fantasised about.
Chapter 3
Nicholas waited in line outside the castle entrance, feeling nervous but excited that he might finally get his chance to meet the princess.
He had first seen her two months ago when she had visited his village. He remembered being surprised at seeing a royal carriage and had stared in amazement. He then caught sight of Rosanna, who looked beautiful and was happily greeting everyone around her. He usually didn’t have much interest in royalty and expected them to be spoilt and arrogant; but he noticed that Rosanna was different. She acted very friendly and seemed to treat everyone as an equal.
He watched her talk with people and laugh with children. She even walked over to an elderly man begging on the street to offer money and talk with him. He was impressed by her compassion because most people ignored or avoided them.
Unfortunately, there were so many people gathered around desperate to see her that he didn’t have the chance to meet her properly. He had to be content with admiring her from afar. He had been unable to stop thinking about her since that day and had even dreamt about her a few times, knowing he must see her again.
He soon heard everyone in the village talking about the royal ball to celebrate her birthday and realised this was his one chance to finally meet her. He had travelled for two hours on horseback to be here; and even though he knew the chances of talking with her would be slim, he was determined to try. If he couldn’t then at least he would be able to see her again from a distance.
His heart was beating fast as the queue of guests moved on and he was almost to the entrance. He noticed that the people in front of him were showing their invitations to the knights and immediately felt foolish. He had hoped it was a public event but obviously it wasn’t. He didn’t have an invite to the special occasion so they would refuse to let him go through. His heart sank with disappointment and he looked upset as he turned to leave the queue.
“Is something wrong?” Bernadette asked, waiting behind him.
He felt embarrassed, “I forgot my invitation,” he thought it was better to lie rather than admit he had tried to get into the ball uninvited.
She felt sorry for him and smiled reassuringly, “Do not worry, you can go in with us. Our invitation is for three guests but my husband is too unwell to attend.”
He smiled at the offer, feeling lucky and relieved, “thank you. That is very kind.”
“It is no trouble. I am sure you would have done the same,” she replied.
He smiled politely at Gretel who was looking up at him curiously.
“I made Rosanna a birthday cake,” Gretel told him proudly. “She is one of my best friends.”
“Is she really?” he replied, convinced the young child was pretending but felt a little intrigued in case she did know Rosanna. “What is she like?”
“She plays games with me and she let me try on her crown once.”
Bernadette smiled fondly, “My daughter is always thrilled to see Rosanna. She has not stopped talking about the ball since we got invited.”
The line moved forward and Bernadette showed her invitation as they walked through the entrance.
“Thank you again,” Nicholas said to Bernadette. “I am very grateful for your help.”
“You are welcome,” she replied and quickly followed Gretel, who was running towards the ballroom excitedly.
Nicholas followed the rest of the guests and entered the ballroom. His eyes scanned the large room for Rosanna, hoping he would catch a glimpse of her. His heart almost stopped as he recognised her standing nearby, talking with Bernadette and hugging Gretel. He stood watching her mesmerised. She looked even more beautiful than he remembered. Her wavy, auburn hair cascaded down to her waist and her ball gown looked magnificent.
He politely waited until she had finished talking with them and approached her nervously. He noticed her sigh, looking across the room as if searching for someone. He followed her gaze, wondering if she was waiting for a partner, but she didn’t seem to be. She was so busy looking around the room that she didn’t notice him approaching.
“Good evening, your Highness,” he bowed to her.
She looked at him and gave a warm smile in greeting which made his heart melt. She didn’t recognise him as anyone she knew, but he was the same age as her and she noticed he was not rich looking. She assumed he must be one of the villagers she hadn’t met so far and thought he looked quite handsome. He was tall and slim with brown hair and a friendly smile. His green eyes looked deep into hers as if she was the most special person in the world. He didn’t admire her in the way Prince Ethan had as if approving of her good looks. Instead he gazed at her adoringly and she felt quite touched by it.
“My name is Nicholas Turner,” he introduced himself, feeling a little shy now that he was finally talking to her. “It is a great honour to meet you. I have come to wish you happy birthday.”
He gave her the pink carnation flowers he was holding, which he had picked for her earlier that day. She felt surprised by the gift and accepted them with a smile.
“Thank you, they are lovely,” she admired them and met his gaze again.
“You look very beautiful tonight,” he complimented her.
She blushed and felt lost in his handsome eyes, “thank you.”
They both stared at each other for a while before Nicholas looked away shyly.
“Would you like to dance?” he dared to ask, feeling nervous and expecting her to politely decline.
She smiled at his offer, no longer feeling tired, “Yes, I would be happy to.”
He looked stunned that she had accepted and smiled happily. She put the flowers down on a nearby table before walking to the dance floor with him.
Nicholas could hardly believe this was real as they both started to dance together. It was like a dream come true for him and he had never felt so incredibly lucky. He couldn’t stop staring into her eyes and soon the music melted away as if they were in a world of their own.
After a fe
w songs Rosanna began to feel tired again, but she was having such a good time she didn’t want it to end.
“I should rest for a while,” she told him regrettably.
She wanted to stay and talk with him, but she knew it wouldn’t be long before other guests interrupted them. She had an idea and smiled, knowing how they could avoid the crowds for a while.
“Would you like to go into the garden?” she asked him. “It looks so beautiful at night.”
“Of course,” he replied and followed her, still unable to believe she wanted to spend time with him.
She managed to leave the ballroom without anyone stopping her to chat and felt relieved as she walked outside into the night air. It felt fresh and cool against her skin and the dark sky above them looked magical. The moonlight shone down illuminating parts of the garden and the stars sparkled brightly.
They strolled along the peaceful garden leaving everyone else and the noise behind them. He was still holding her hand from when they danced and she was happy not to let go.
“I have never seen you in the village before. Where do you live?” she asked him curiously.
“I live quite far away,” he explained. “I am from Ruddington, it is a two-hour ride from here and I live in a cottage in the forest.”
“That sounds wonderful, like something from a fairy-tale,” she replied, imagining it.
“I think your life is more like a story than mine,” he smiled. “What is it like living in a castle?”
“It is a beautiful home and I am very fortunate to live here, but it does get very lonely.”
“Why would you feel lonely?” he asked confused. “You have a lot of guests here tonight for your birthday.”
“It is very lively on social events,” she agreed, “but usually I do not see many people. My father is always busy and my brother tries to avoid spending any time with me. Most of the people here work for us, but I am best friends with my maid Isabelle. We talk about everything and she is like a sister to me.”
Love Letters Page 2