“I have not received any information. We shall have to wait and observe, shall we?”
Joseph shut the door and traversed the room to her. He extended the plate of food as though it were a peace offering, yet Molly merely desired to swat it from his grasp, scattering every morsel onto the filthy floor. She had recently acquired substantial knowledge regarding challenging those who wielded power over her. It consistently concluded unfavourably for her; however, he appeared capable of enduring a few jabs from her.
Molly carefully placed the plate on the bed. “Thank you,” she stated.
Joseph smiled at her and slightly inclined his head. “It is my pleasure. I will leave you in solitude and remain just outside should you require assistance. New clothing should be arriving shortly for you to change into.”
As he turned away, Molly extended her hand to seize his arm. “Pause.” He halted and regarded her with elevated eyebrows as his gaze shifted to her hand on his arm. “When will the man who brought me here visit me? I would like to converse with him soon.”
“Mr. Hugh indicated that he would visit you shortly. However, I would not be concerned about him; he is not as unpleasant as you may perceive.”
“He abducted me and is utilising me as leverage for ransom. Forgive me if I perceive him as unkind,” Molly stated flatly, releasing her hand. She observed the knife affixed to his belt adjacent to a collection of keys. She flexed her fingers, but he averted his gaze before she could make an attempt to grasp either.
Inhale, Molly. One must avoid impulsiveness; a strategy is essential. She contemplated internally. In Cordelia’s absence, she recognised the necessity of a voice to maintain her stability. Thus, if it were indeed hers. Ultimately, she could rely solely on herself; she would extricate herself from this situation.
“I concur with your assessment. I would not regard him highly either,” Joseph remarked with a slight chuckle. She fixed a glare upon his back. How audacious of him to attempt friendship with her while she was incarcerated! What was his objective? This must have been a form of deception to elicit trust. She would not succumb to that.
Joseph cast a backward glance at her over his shoulder. “He poses no threat to you; his sole objective is to capture the prince.”
Molly stated that she would be unable to assist him after he had already departed. She seated herself on the bed and nibbled at the plate of food. Despite her hunger, a warning in the back of her mind cautioned her against consuming anything from this establishment. What if they contaminated everything she came into contact with? Her existence would be more advantageous if she were deceased. If she succumbed to poison, it was inevitable given her lifestyle. Molly consumed every morsel and placed the plate by the door before she traversed the room.
There was a single elevated window that appeared to be accessible only to a small animal. Molly positioned the dresser beneath it and attempted to open it, but it remained immovable. Accursed object!
“Would you like assistance in opening it?” a voice enquired from behind her. Molly nearly toppled off the dresser upon hearing him. “The sole opportunity for passage is if one is a rabbit.”
Mr. Hugh stood with his arms folded across his chest, wearing an amused expression. Molly meticulously descended from the dresser and adjusted her attire.
“I would appreciate it if you could open it, as it is quite warm in here.”
“Is it?” He surveyed the frigid room, seemingly in search of the source of warmth. What a foolish falsehood; it felt frigid in here. “I will attend to that immediately.” He indicated the bed. “Would you like to engage in a brief conversation with me?”
Molly paused before sitting on the edge of the bed opposite the chair he occupied. He nonchalantly crossed his legs and smiled at her as though they were long-standing acquaintances.
Molly interjected, “Jayce will not return for me. He explicitly stated that if I remained, he would not reconsider.”
Mr. Hugh chuckled softly. “Do all the maids address their princes by their first names? I heard that Prince Jayce is the one who prohibits this.”
Molly internally recoiled at her error. She had been addressing him as Jayce so often that she forgot it was inappropriate for a maid to do so. Her mind would not acknowledge him as the same prince she departed the palace with; ultimately, she ought not to have been so naive. Observe the outcome of her actions.
“He asked me to address him by his first name during our time here, as he preferred to avoid drawing attention to his title,” Molly stated smoothly. She removed a small amount of dirt from her trousers. “My assertion remains unchanged. He would never jeopardise himself for a maid, regardless of his nobility.”
“I would not expect him to do so. However, you are not merely a maid to the prince. Numerous witnesses have attested to the prince’s intense infatuation with you, observed directly, which is not to be dismissed.”
“I contend they are erroneous. The prince safeguarded all individuals in his entourage due to his sense of obligation towards them-”
“Does he share a bed with each member of his party, or solely with the most attractive one?”
Molly pursed her lips. An individual within the camp had disclosed all information to this man, and she was certain it was one of the resentful men who desired Colton to expel the prince and his entourage. They had all observed Jayce’s protective demeanour towards Molly, yet they were unaware of the private remarks he made to her. They were oblivious to his declaration of indifference towards her and the absence of concern from anyone else in the world. She was merely a burden to him, and she inherently recognised this reality. She was sufficiently imprudent to feign otherwise while he embraced her at night.
Molly cleared her throat. “Prior to his departure from the camp, he expressed his indifference towards me. I am certain he exploited me as he did with numerous other girls at the palace, but his involvement has concluded, and he will remain unconcerned about the consequences. Once the prince has concluded his interest in a girl, she ceases to occupy his thoughts.”
Mr. Hugh observed her for several minutes with his head inclined. “Are you aware of the recipe for the antidote he employed for poison?”
“I do not. He has evaded my observation.” Molly regards him with caution. “Is the remedy the true motive for your desire to have the prince return?”
