Status: In-Progress
Ties That Bind Us
Chapter Five
Chapter Five
HARRY’S POV:
She was right there.
In front of me.
Eva.
I tried not to look like a gaping idiot as she stared at me, but William probably saw it – he always does.
With a slight frown on his face he looked at me. ‘Oh hey Harry, you know Miss Eva Robinson?’
‘Doctor.’ I corrected him.
‘Sorry?’
‘It’s Dr. Eva Robinson, not Miss.’
‘Oh…uhm, well you know Dr. Eva Robinson?’ William gave me a barely noticeable look that spoke volumes that we were going to talk about this later.
‘Yes, we met in Lesotho – she was volunteering for Sentebale.’ I answered.
I took a glance at her standing beside Kate. She wasn’t looking at me at all, her eyes were either on the field behind us or at Kate’s. She was composed, and surprisingly enough – this made me irritated. How can this woman be so calm when I’m not?
‘So, Dr. Robinson –‘ I started, trying to get her to look at me again.
‘Eva.’ She bit her lip, but she was facing me now. ‘Please call me Eva.’
I grinned. ‘Eva, then. How was your first days back in London from four years?’ I asked, trying to create a conversation with the girl in front of me. Now that she was here, I couldn’t get her out of my mind – and I wasn’t trying to.
Her eyes softened and her shoulders loosened a bit. ‘Very good, thank you.’ Unsatisfied by her short but polite answers, I nodded and turned back to Will.
‘So, mate, do you have any extra gloves? I lost mine.’ Will blinked, quite startled from the change of topic and maybe quite still surprised by me knowing Eva.
It was familiar for us to stick to our social circles, to families and houses we know. Especially me.
I couldn’t trust just anybody, and it was safer if I was surrounded by them. Although I knew that Will had a valid reason for looking at me like just did, it still irked me. Even though Eva’s family name wasn’t familiar, she still was a great person.
You couldn’t even notice that she was different from us.
Will nodded. ‘I do, I’ll give it to you in the tent.’ He turned to the ladies. ‘I’ll see you soon, Kate. Dr. Robinson, it was nice meeting you.’
Eva tipped her head, her hat hiding her eyes. ‘It was nice meeting you as well, sir. Will you be in the same team as your brother in the match?’
I laughed and answered her question. ‘No, he’s going to be in the other team. Get ready to lose, brother.’
‘Not if I have anything to say about it, no I won’t.’ We laughed and started walking back to the tent.
I turned to Eva who gave me a slight friendly smile. ‘It was nice to see you again, Eva.’
She locked my eyes with me, her hazel eyes soft. ‘You as well, Harry.’
With that, and William’s look of unending curiosity, I left Eva and Kate. Once we were in a reasonable space away from them, he started. ‘So…’
‘None of your business, Wills.’ I grumbled.
‘She looks lovely,’ He commented.
I rolled my eyes. ‘She is lovely.’ I corrected him. When would he get it right?
Will grinned and I realized how absolutely cheeky my response was. My already red cheeks got even redder. What the hell is this woman doing to me?
‘Don’t start,’ I warned him.
‘Right.’ He nodded with a little smile on his face. ‘None of my business.’
—
I saw her in the stables after the match.
She still had her black cloche on and grabbed an apple from the side to feed the horses. I wiped the sweat from my brow using my polo shirt, being careful not to let her notice me too soon. I wanted to stare at her for awhile.
During the match, I could see men, and a few women, staring at Eva. Some unabashedly staring, while some did it subtly.
But they stared.
They looked at her clothes and made small talk with her. Eva, polite and curious as ever, smiled and laughed politely. The other polo players also took a glance at the newcomer .
It was maddening.
So, now that I was alone with her, I stared.
There wasn’t any other word to put it, and although it sounded creepy – it was all I could do.
Back outside in the field, she looked graceful, poised and had that strong yet subtle femininity about her. However, now, in the protection of the walls of the stables and horses - she was calm and comfortable.
I couldn’t judge the people who looked at her before, she was worth looking at. Quite tall with porcelain skin and a wonderful, clear smile.
She was also a mystery.
Her family name, Robinson, didn’t ring a bell in the socialite and aristocratic circles. However, the way she carried herself, her polite replies and her smile made you think otherwise.
I breathed in. ‘I thought you were known only with soldiers and bakers?’
She whipped her head around, her eyes wide with surprise.
I took off my hat and gestured to the horses. ‘You didn’t tell me you were also known in the society of horses.’
She laughed, it was loud and wonderful. I grinned.
She shook her head and didn’t answer me. ‘Nice game, by the way.’
‘Thanks.’ I told her. ‘You didn’t know what was happening did you?’
She shook her head, having absolutely no care that she didn’t know the art of polo. ‘Nope. I judged if it was good or not based on your shouts.’
‘Hey!’ I protested. ‘The others were shouting too! Especially Will!’
‘Not as loud as you, however.’ She replied and moved around the stables – grabbing another apple to feed Swipe, Will’s horse.
‘I should send you to the stocks for that, my lady.’ I told her jokingly, and walked towards her slowly.
She looked at me for a few seconds before huffing. ‘Hmph. Where has chivalry and gentlemen manners gone? I thought you princes still had it, I am sorely disappointed.’
I sputtered my words. ‘Hey! That’s not fair –‘
‘You never send a lady to the stocks, dear sir. That’s just a code broken in chivalry. Tut, tut.’ She said to me jokingly. We laughed together.
She fed Swipe the apple, the horse huffing and chewing loudly. We had a few moments of silence. I walked beside her and looked at the horse fondly.
‘Do you ride?’
‘No. I wasn’t fortunate enough to know how to.’
‘Oh,’ I said, and before my mind could even comprehend what I was going to say, ‘I’d definitely teach you sometime, it’s easy.’
She glanced at me, a horrified look on her face. ‘Taught by you, sir? Oh my… I’d think I’ll fall off the saddle in less than a minute.’
‘Ha ha, very funny, Eva. I’d like for you to know that I am an excellent teacher.’
‘Of course you are, sir.’ She giggled softly and I saw her glance at my wrist. ‘That bracelet, I like it. Where have you gotten it?’
‘Oh,’ I put my left wrist and touched the black silk cord that featured the forget-me-not flower. ‘It’s the Sentebale bracelet.’
Her eyes widened in wonder. She stared at the thing before frowning towards me slightly. ‘Why didn’t they have those in Lesotho? I would have loved to buy one.’
I smiled at her. ‘Well, they’re selling some bracelets right now outside. Come, you can buy one.’ I told her. ‘Maybe I can even get you a discount.’ I winked.
‘Oh,’ she bit her lip. ‘How much does it cost?’
‘Around 500,’ I told her. ‘and like I said, I could give you a discount. Everybody likes a discount, even people like me.’
She laughed quietly and slowly, I could see her withdraw. She was no longer the happy, comfortable Eva from three seconds ago. I frowned. ‘What’s wrong?’
Her eyes snapped towards mine, and suddenly her porcelain cheeks started to turn pink. ‘Oh, I just forgot my credit card and I don’t have any cash, so I can’t really pay for it.’
I blinked. Oh, fuck.
Harry, you inconsiderate bastard. You are so fucking stupid.
I tried hard not to grovel down in embarrassment.
Being so taken by her in an unashamed manner, I kept forgetting that no matter how poised and graceful she looked in front of those socialites and aristocrats - she was still the person who had to cycle rather than take a Tube because it caused too much, or take the economy than first-class flights.
She wasn’t one of us.
That’s it there, Henry – you are an absolute bastard. Just fucking great.
I bit my lip from trying to reply and saying that she could just have one for free -that it didn’t matter.
But it did – to her.
Even though I barely knew her – very barely knew her – the love that she put into raising her son, Aiden, her dignified look alone in front of people that she knew were in a higher type of class than her and her intelligent answers to seemingly pointless questions…it mattered.
‘Could they be ordered from the internet?’ she asked , interrupting me from my musings.
‘I think so.’
‘Well, I’ll just get mine there.’ She smiled before turning back to the horses.
I nodded. ‘So about that horse-riding lesson.’
‘You’re kidding right?’
‘Absolutely not.’
She raised a brow and put her hands on her hips. ‘How exactly are you going to teach me?’
‘I’m a Prince – I can do anything.’
‘Of course you can. Besides, I’m quite terrified of mounting a horse.’
I gave her a look that spoke volumes. ‘What?!’ I said. ‘What kind of excuse is that?’
‘It is not an excuse!’
‘It is.’
‘It is not!’ she protested. ‘I hate heights and just thinking of mounting a horse that tall’ she gestured to Swipe. ‘scares me.’
Again, I gave her a look that just said that was shit. ‘You don’t believe me, do you?’
‘No.’ I answered. ‘Since I saw you bike across Lesotho in a four-wheeler without a care for a protection hat and diving on a waterfall head first, I have made a conclusion that you are lying about this and you just don’t want me to teach you how to ride a horse.’ I crossed my arms together, looking upset.
‘You stubborn bastard!’ She stomped her foot.
I raised an eyebrow, looking undisturbed by her faith and her calling me a bastard. What a breathe of fresh air. ‘Did you just stomp your foot?’
‘Yes.’ She glared at me.
‘I thought girls only did that in the movies.’
‘Well, now it’s not.’
‘You’re right.’ I frowned. ‘ Wait. You’re not one of those Mean Girls from that US movie, right? If you are, then I demand you get out of my sight.’
She looked at me, totally having no clue of what I was saying just then. ‘What?’
We looked at each other before laughing at the hilarity of our conversation. We laughed, laughed and laughed until I started crying and Eva was sitting on the ground, her legs bunched up together to keep her from dying of amusement. Her hair ties loosened and strands of her curly black hair went undone.
‘Oh thank God the stable door is closed.’ She said. ‘They’d think we were trying to murder each other or something.’
I didn’t tell her that I told my guards specifically not let anyone in, or that they probably heard the banshee laughing fit that we had as well. Instead, I told her, ‘I’ll tell you were the one that started trying to kill me first.’
She looked up from her comfortable seat on the ground. I could finally see her eyes. Warm like molten milk chocolate, her eyes shone and was calm like the ocean during sunset.
‘Oh, absolutely. Like they’ll believe a ginger.’
I huffed. ‘I’m not just a ginger. I’m a Prince too, and that makes my head extra insured. Tabloids and the royal firm had to make sure I have my sexy head and my gingerness.’
She laughed, her head tilting up to the sky.
She looked so joyous and free.
Once we parted ways, she going back to Julia. And I, to entertain some special guests and dignitaries.
I asked Eric to call Sabine Roemer and to tell her that I needed help making another, yet fresher, forget-me-not-bracelet.
—
Will and I returned home to Kensington after the polo match.
We had a few minutes to spare and eat dinner before we had to go to a monthly meeting in Buckingham Palace. I was already dreading it.
Soon, too soon, we were on our way. ‘So Kate told me that she found Eva to be really friendly.’ Will started. His posture relaxed, but I knew he was curious. Very curious.
I nodded. ‘She is. Friendly.’
‘And that apparently Eva has a brother in the name of Christian Robinson.’
I frowned. ‘I don’t see where you’re getting at.’
Will sighed.
‘Christian Robinson, the young businessman who is quickly getting on top of the corporate world in the US and here in England as well?’
I tried to act nonchalant, but another new knowledge of Eva’s life made me quite giddy. Like I was someone close to her. ‘So?’
‘Well, Mr. Robinson will be attending an awards event – and it seems like we’re going to be there as well.’
I groaned. ‘Is this The Royal National Business Awards? Please don’t say yes. You know how much I hate those types of events.’
‘Well, Dad and Gran want us to go. So we can’t really say no.’
‘Do I have to go?’ I asked. I was the fun one, the spare – I didn’t have to go. William was the most suitable one.
‘Oi! Stop it, you’re coming. And don’t even bother asking Grans to bail you out – I’ll know.’
I groaned.
When was this going to end? Although I am grateful that I was born into a high-standing family, the boring consistency of Royal life sometimes, just sometimes, gets me to the bone. The constant scrutiny, the strict protocol and the lack of physical affection (that even I, a handsome and strong man, needed) from the firm became somewhat a nightmare. I just wanted to be normal who could still help people.
And I knew I couldn’t get both of them.
But you can. I thought surprisingly. It felt like a light had switched on and suddenly I could hear Eva laughing as she said: ‘And that’s why you have Africa!’
I shook my head, smiling slightly. This woman was doing things to my mind already. ‘You know I hate you, right, Wills?’
Will looked at me from his phone. He smiled in response and returned back to his phone, chuckling. ‘I love you too, Henry.’
—
The next time I saw Eva, it wasn’t face-to-face, but rather on the telly.
She was only featured for about three minutes long, but for me who was living a chain of boring duties and consistency that included attending meetings and royal duties that I absolutely had no care for, seeing Eva’s face broke whatever dreary regularity that I just had.
Now, the only question was why she was on the telly.
Apparently, if the reporter speaks the truth (you can almost never trust anybody in the media these days), Eva’s volunteer work in both humanities and sciences were being heavily recognized by the charities and people she worked with. Also, there was a video uploaded on YouTube that showcased what her group was doing in South America. It was uploaded three days earlier and it started to gain attention fast.
In those three minutes, a reporter in the name of Sammy Hollands interviewed people Eva knew. They commended her bravery, humility, poise, intelligence and much more that I know is true about Eva.
As the feature on her ended with Sammy reporting back, my mind race. I was already thinking of Eva’s safety in the hands of the press. She was an Oxford graduate, and mostly anybody in Oxford gets a feature in the news one or two times their whole lives. But Eva was different. She had a degree for three sciences in a PhD level at the age of 25, she has an eight year old son at the age of 25, she was travelling and volunteering for philanthropic causes and well…. she knew me. If her popularity with the press increased, how will I keep her mine?
What. the. fuck?
I shook my head furiously, not caring that I probably looked like a madman. Where the hell did that thought come from?! I sighed. She wasn’t anything to me. Yes, we shared a few laughs and had a sentimental talk about normalcy, Africa and whatnot… but that was it.
I wasn’t her friend and not even an acquaintance…I was just a person that she met.
Two times.
Well, three if you count this one.
Then why did you fucking commission a 2000 pound bracelet just for her, huh?
I willed my thoughts to vanish as I drank a shot of vodka . I crossed my legs together on the bed and let my throat burn. I set my arms out on the headboard and watched the ending feature of Eva.
Friend or not, I had to keep my eye on Sammy Hollands, the reporter. My gut tells me she has something in store for Eva. I just wasn’t sure if it was good or bad.
As I finished my shot, I sighed at my big room in Kensington and stood up to get my laptop. I knew this was hysterical, stupid and dumb…but fuck rationality.
Fuck it all.
I hadn’t been as interested into anyone as much I had to Eva.
I wanted to fucking watch the damn YouTube video.
HARRY’S POV:
She was right there.
In front of me.
Eva.
I tried not to look like a gaping idiot as she stared at me, but William probably saw it – he always does.
With a slight frown on his face he looked at me. ‘Oh hey Harry, you know Miss Eva Robinson?’
‘Doctor.’ I corrected him.
‘Sorry?’
‘It’s Dr. Eva Robinson, not Miss.’
‘Oh…uhm, well you know Dr. Eva Robinson?’ William gave me a barely noticeable look that spoke volumes that we were going to talk about this later.
‘Yes, we met in Lesotho – she was volunteering for Sentebale.’ I answered.
I took a glance at her standing beside Kate. She wasn’t looking at me at all, her eyes were either on the field behind us or at Kate’s. She was composed, and surprisingly enough – this made me irritated. How can this woman be so calm when I’m not?
‘So, Dr. Robinson –‘ I started, trying to get her to look at me again.
‘Eva.’ She bit her lip, but she was facing me now. ‘Please call me Eva.’
I grinned. ‘Eva, then. How was your first days back in London from four years?’ I asked, trying to create a conversation with the girl in front of me. Now that she was here, I couldn’t get her out of my mind – and I wasn’t trying to.
Her eyes softened and her shoulders loosened a bit. ‘Very good, thank you.’ Unsatisfied by her short but polite answers, I nodded and turned back to Will.
‘So, mate, do you have any extra gloves? I lost mine.’ Will blinked, quite startled from the change of topic and maybe quite still surprised by me knowing Eva.
It was familiar for us to stick to our social circles, to families and houses we know. Especially me.
I couldn’t trust just anybody, and it was safer if I was surrounded by them. Although I knew that Will had a valid reason for looking at me like just did, it still irked me. Even though Eva’s family name wasn’t familiar, she still was a great person.
You couldn’t even notice that she was different from us.
Will nodded. ‘I do, I’ll give it to you in the tent.’ He turned to the ladies. ‘I’ll see you soon, Kate. Dr. Robinson, it was nice meeting you.’
Eva tipped her head, her hat hiding her eyes. ‘It was nice meeting you as well, sir. Will you be in the same team as your brother in the match?’
I laughed and answered her question. ‘No, he’s going to be in the other team. Get ready to lose, brother.’
‘Not if I have anything to say about it, no I won’t.’ We laughed and started walking back to the tent.
I turned to Eva who gave me a slight friendly smile. ‘It was nice to see you again, Eva.’
She locked my eyes with me, her hazel eyes soft. ‘You as well, Harry.’
With that, and William’s look of unending curiosity, I left Eva and Kate. Once we were in a reasonable space away from them, he started. ‘So…’
‘None of your business, Wills.’ I grumbled.
‘She looks lovely,’ He commented.
I rolled my eyes. ‘She is lovely.’ I corrected him. When would he get it right?
Will grinned and I realized how absolutely cheeky my response was. My already red cheeks got even redder. What the hell is this woman doing to me?
‘Don’t start,’ I warned him.
‘Right.’ He nodded with a little smile on his face. ‘None of my business.’
—
I saw her in the stables after the match.
She still had her black cloche on and grabbed an apple from the side to feed the horses. I wiped the sweat from my brow using my polo shirt, being careful not to let her notice me too soon. I wanted to stare at her for awhile.
During the match, I could see men, and a few women, staring at Eva. Some unabashedly staring, while some did it subtly.
But they stared.
They looked at her clothes and made small talk with her. Eva, polite and curious as ever, smiled and laughed politely. The other polo players also took a glance at the newcomer .
It was maddening.
So, now that I was alone with her, I stared.
There wasn’t any other word to put it, and although it sounded creepy – it was all I could do.
Back outside in the field, she looked graceful, poised and had that strong yet subtle femininity about her. However, now, in the protection of the walls of the stables and horses - she was calm and comfortable.
I couldn’t judge the people who looked at her before, she was worth looking at. Quite tall with porcelain skin and a wonderful, clear smile.
She was also a mystery.
Her family name, Robinson, didn’t ring a bell in the socialite and aristocratic circles. However, the way she carried herself, her polite replies and her smile made you think otherwise.
I breathed in. ‘I thought you were known only with soldiers and bakers?’
She whipped her head around, her eyes wide with surprise.
I took off my hat and gestured to the horses. ‘You didn’t tell me you were also known in the society of horses.’
She laughed, it was loud and wonderful. I grinned.
She shook her head and didn’t answer me. ‘Nice game, by the way.’
‘Thanks.’ I told her. ‘You didn’t know what was happening did you?’
She shook her head, having absolutely no care that she didn’t know the art of polo. ‘Nope. I judged if it was good or not based on your shouts.’
‘Hey!’ I protested. ‘The others were shouting too! Especially Will!’
‘Not as loud as you, however.’ She replied and moved around the stables – grabbing another apple to feed Swipe, Will’s horse.
‘I should send you to the stocks for that, my lady.’ I told her jokingly, and walked towards her slowly.
She looked at me for a few seconds before huffing. ‘Hmph. Where has chivalry and gentlemen manners gone? I thought you princes still had it, I am sorely disappointed.’
I sputtered my words. ‘Hey! That’s not fair –‘
‘You never send a lady to the stocks, dear sir. That’s just a code broken in chivalry. Tut, tut.’ She said to me jokingly. We laughed together.
She fed Swipe the apple, the horse huffing and chewing loudly. We had a few moments of silence. I walked beside her and looked at the horse fondly.
‘Do you ride?’
‘No. I wasn’t fortunate enough to know how to.’
‘Oh,’ I said, and before my mind could even comprehend what I was going to say, ‘I’d definitely teach you sometime, it’s easy.’
She glanced at me, a horrified look on her face. ‘Taught by you, sir? Oh my… I’d think I’ll fall off the saddle in less than a minute.’
‘Ha ha, very funny, Eva. I’d like for you to know that I am an excellent teacher.’
‘Of course you are, sir.’ She giggled softly and I saw her glance at my wrist. ‘That bracelet, I like it. Where have you gotten it?’
‘Oh,’ I put my left wrist and touched the black silk cord that featured the forget-me-not flower. ‘It’s the Sentebale bracelet.’
Her eyes widened in wonder. She stared at the thing before frowning towards me slightly. ‘Why didn’t they have those in Lesotho? I would have loved to buy one.’
I smiled at her. ‘Well, they’re selling some bracelets right now outside. Come, you can buy one.’ I told her. ‘Maybe I can even get you a discount.’ I winked.
‘Oh,’ she bit her lip. ‘How much does it cost?’
‘Around 500,’ I told her. ‘and like I said, I could give you a discount. Everybody likes a discount, even people like me.’
She laughed quietly and slowly, I could see her withdraw. She was no longer the happy, comfortable Eva from three seconds ago. I frowned. ‘What’s wrong?’
Her eyes snapped towards mine, and suddenly her porcelain cheeks started to turn pink. ‘Oh, I just forgot my credit card and I don’t have any cash, so I can’t really pay for it.’
I blinked. Oh, fuck.
Harry, you inconsiderate bastard. You are so fucking stupid.
I tried hard not to grovel down in embarrassment.
Being so taken by her in an unashamed manner, I kept forgetting that no matter how poised and graceful she looked in front of those socialites and aristocrats - she was still the person who had to cycle rather than take a Tube because it caused too much, or take the economy than first-class flights.
She wasn’t one of us.
That’s it there, Henry – you are an absolute bastard. Just fucking great.
I bit my lip from trying to reply and saying that she could just have one for free -that it didn’t matter.
But it did – to her.
Even though I barely knew her – very barely knew her – the love that she put into raising her son, Aiden, her dignified look alone in front of people that she knew were in a higher type of class than her and her intelligent answers to seemingly pointless questions…it mattered.
‘Could they be ordered from the internet?’ she asked , interrupting me from my musings.
‘I think so.’
‘Well, I’ll just get mine there.’ She smiled before turning back to the horses.
I nodded. ‘So about that horse-riding lesson.’
‘You’re kidding right?’
‘Absolutely not.’
She raised a brow and put her hands on her hips. ‘How exactly are you going to teach me?’
‘I’m a Prince – I can do anything.’
‘Of course you can. Besides, I’m quite terrified of mounting a horse.’
I gave her a look that spoke volumes. ‘What?!’ I said. ‘What kind of excuse is that?’
‘It is not an excuse!’
‘It is.’
‘It is not!’ she protested. ‘I hate heights and just thinking of mounting a horse that tall’ she gestured to Swipe. ‘scares me.’
Again, I gave her a look that just said that was shit. ‘You don’t believe me, do you?’
‘No.’ I answered. ‘Since I saw you bike across Lesotho in a four-wheeler without a care for a protection hat and diving on a waterfall head first, I have made a conclusion that you are lying about this and you just don’t want me to teach you how to ride a horse.’ I crossed my arms together, looking upset.
‘You stubborn bastard!’ She stomped her foot.
I raised an eyebrow, looking undisturbed by her faith and her calling me a bastard. What a breathe of fresh air. ‘Did you just stomp your foot?’
‘Yes.’ She glared at me.
‘I thought girls only did that in the movies.’
‘Well, now it’s not.’
‘You’re right.’ I frowned. ‘ Wait. You’re not one of those Mean Girls from that US movie, right? If you are, then I demand you get out of my sight.’
She looked at me, totally having no clue of what I was saying just then. ‘What?’
We looked at each other before laughing at the hilarity of our conversation. We laughed, laughed and laughed until I started crying and Eva was sitting on the ground, her legs bunched up together to keep her from dying of amusement. Her hair ties loosened and strands of her curly black hair went undone.
‘Oh thank God the stable door is closed.’ She said. ‘They’d think we were trying to murder each other or something.’
I didn’t tell her that I told my guards specifically not let anyone in, or that they probably heard the banshee laughing fit that we had as well. Instead, I told her, ‘I’ll tell you were the one that started trying to kill me first.’
She looked up from her comfortable seat on the ground. I could finally see her eyes. Warm like molten milk chocolate, her eyes shone and was calm like the ocean during sunset.
‘Oh, absolutely. Like they’ll believe a ginger.’
I huffed. ‘I’m not just a ginger. I’m a Prince too, and that makes my head extra insured. Tabloids and the royal firm had to make sure I have my sexy head and my gingerness.’
She laughed, her head tilting up to the sky.
She looked so joyous and free.
Once we parted ways, she going back to Julia. And I, to entertain some special guests and dignitaries.
I asked Eric to call Sabine Roemer and to tell her that I needed help making another, yet fresher, forget-me-not-bracelet.
—
Will and I returned home to Kensington after the polo match.
We had a few minutes to spare and eat dinner before we had to go to a monthly meeting in Buckingham Palace. I was already dreading it.
Soon, too soon, we were on our way. ‘So Kate told me that she found Eva to be really friendly.’ Will started. His posture relaxed, but I knew he was curious. Very curious.
I nodded. ‘She is. Friendly.’
‘And that apparently Eva has a brother in the name of Christian Robinson.’
I frowned. ‘I don’t see where you’re getting at.’
Will sighed.
‘Christian Robinson, the young businessman who is quickly getting on top of the corporate world in the US and here in England as well?’
I tried to act nonchalant, but another new knowledge of Eva’s life made me quite giddy. Like I was someone close to her. ‘So?’
‘Well, Mr. Robinson will be attending an awards event – and it seems like we’re going to be there as well.’
I groaned. ‘Is this The Royal National Business Awards? Please don’t say yes. You know how much I hate those types of events.’
‘Well, Dad and Gran want us to go. So we can’t really say no.’
‘Do I have to go?’ I asked. I was the fun one, the spare – I didn’t have to go. William was the most suitable one.
‘Oi! Stop it, you’re coming. And don’t even bother asking Grans to bail you out – I’ll know.’
I groaned.
When was this going to end? Although I am grateful that I was born into a high-standing family, the boring consistency of Royal life sometimes, just sometimes, gets me to the bone. The constant scrutiny, the strict protocol and the lack of physical affection (that even I, a handsome and strong man, needed) from the firm became somewhat a nightmare. I just wanted to be normal who could still help people.
And I knew I couldn’t get both of them.
But you can. I thought surprisingly. It felt like a light had switched on and suddenly I could hear Eva laughing as she said: ‘And that’s why you have Africa!’
I shook my head, smiling slightly. This woman was doing things to my mind already. ‘You know I hate you, right, Wills?’
Will looked at me from his phone. He smiled in response and returned back to his phone, chuckling. ‘I love you too, Henry.’
—
The next time I saw Eva, it wasn’t face-to-face, but rather on the telly.
She was only featured for about three minutes long, but for me who was living a chain of boring duties and consistency that included attending meetings and royal duties that I absolutely had no care for, seeing Eva’s face broke whatever dreary regularity that I just had.
Now, the only question was why she was on the telly.
Apparently, if the reporter speaks the truth (you can almost never trust anybody in the media these days), Eva’s volunteer work in both humanities and sciences were being heavily recognized by the charities and people she worked with. Also, there was a video uploaded on YouTube that showcased what her group was doing in South America. It was uploaded three days earlier and it started to gain attention fast.
In those three minutes, a reporter in the name of Sammy Hollands interviewed people Eva knew. They commended her bravery, humility, poise, intelligence and much more that I know is true about Eva.
As the feature on her ended with Sammy reporting back, my mind race. I was already thinking of Eva’s safety in the hands of the press. She was an Oxford graduate, and mostly anybody in Oxford gets a feature in the news one or two times their whole lives. But Eva was different. She had a degree for three sciences in a PhD level at the age of 25, she has an eight year old son at the age of 25, she was travelling and volunteering for philanthropic causes and well…. she knew me. If her popularity with the press increased, how will I keep her mine?
What. the. fuck?
I shook my head furiously, not caring that I probably looked like a madman. Where the hell did that thought come from?! I sighed. She wasn’t anything to me. Yes, we shared a few laughs and had a sentimental talk about normalcy, Africa and whatnot… but that was it.
I wasn’t her friend and not even an acquaintance…I was just a person that she met.
Two times.
Well, three if you count this one.
Then why did you fucking commission a 2000 pound bracelet just for her, huh?
I willed my thoughts to vanish as I drank a shot of vodka . I crossed my legs together on the bed and let my throat burn. I set my arms out on the headboard and watched the ending feature of Eva.
Friend or not, I had to keep my eye on Sammy Hollands, the reporter. My gut tells me she has something in store for Eva. I just wasn’t sure if it was good or bad.
As I finished my shot, I sighed at my big room in Kensington and stood up to get my laptop. I knew this was hysterical, stupid and dumb…but fuck rationality.
Fuck it all.
I hadn’t been as interested into anyone as much I had to Eva.
I wanted to fucking watch the damn YouTube video.