Clash of Wills Read Online Free

unwelcome creatures myself,” Samantha said. “For example, I do my best to avoid snakes.”
    The pointed repartee seemed to escape the king’s awareness. “It is past tea time, but I have convinced Wills to stay at the castle overnight. He’ll be dining with us this evening.”
    “How absolutely…delightful.” Samantha’s enthusiasm was muted.
    “My father has often described you as hospitable, Your Majesty. An admirable trait which is in short supply these days.” Wills shot Samantha a level glance behind the king’s back.
    In response, Samantha took a noisy bite of her apple, turned on her heel, and strode off. Who is he to lecture me about hospitality? As she approached her sitting room inside the castle, music reached her ears. She paused in the doorway, momentarily speechless. Wills’ manservant had produced a wooden flute and was playing a lively jig. Nan had hitched up her skirts and was dancing about the empty tea cart, as if possessed by a jinni. Her ankles were clearly visible, to the manservant’s obvious delight.
    “Nan!” Samantha exclaimed.
    The music stopped. Startled, the maid dropped her skirts. “Yes, er, Urhyla?”
    “Come along.” Samantha suppressed a smile. “I need you to draw my bath.”
    A myriad of emotions flitted across Nan’s face. The maid was clearly torn between continuing her charade and performing her duties to her mistress. “But I can’t leave Prince Wills unattended. I—”
    “ That man is not the prince,” Samantha stated. “We’ve been misled.”
    “He’s not?”
    “No, miss.” The man nodded sheepishly. “The name is Joe, begging your pardon.”
    “Our little game is undone, Joe,” Samantha replied. “And neither of you is to speak of this to anyone else… ever .”

    Mounds of fragrant soapsuds floated on the surface of Samantha’s bathwater. While the princess bathed, Nan perched on a nearby stool, polishing the silver buckles on a pair of elegant satin slippers.
    “Prince Wills of Insolitia is a deceitful rogue,” Samantha said. “I can’t believe he tried to pass off his servant as himself. What a nasty, scheming trick.”
    Nan’s eyebrows shot up, but she kept her lips firmly compressed.
    “On the other hand, the prince could have told my father about my little subterfuge but he’s apparently too much of a gentleman to accuse me. I suppose I should be grateful to him for that.”
    “Yes, Your Highness.”
    “It doesn’t really matter. Tomorrow morning, he’ll depart to venture wherever he pleases, and I’ll remain here. Oh, how I envy him his freedom!”
    The maid shrugged with an air of resignation. “’Tis a man’s world, no doubt about that. Gentlemen may come and go wherever they like and no one says a word. Footloose and fancy free, they are.”
    “True.” Samantha sat straight up in the copper bathtub, sloshing water on the stone floor. “That’s brilliant. I can’t believe I never thought of it before now.”
    “Your Highness?”
    “Get my green dress ready, Nan. The one with the ribbons on the bodice.”
    “His Majesty dislikes that gown, don’t you remember? He says the neckline is scandalously low.”
    “I’m not wearing it for him .”
    Nan looked at her askance. “What are you scheming?”
    “A means of escape.”

    After he’d washed the grime and dust of the road off, Wills began to feel a bit more human. He donned a robe, and as Joe lathered up shaving soap, his thoughts turned to King Tomas’ daughter.
    “The princess wasn’t what I was expecting at all.”
    “Nor was her maid.” Joe sighed. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve met such an amiable lass. Nan invited me to dine with her in the servants’ hall tonight.”
    “I daresay you’ll enjoy yourself far more than I shall. Her Highness probably wishes I’d dine with the pigs.”
    “Mmm.”
    “What do you mean by ‘mmm’?”
    “Er…nothing, Your Highness.”
    “Out with it!”
    “There’s a wistful note in your voice I’ve