The King's Unbreakable Wife-Chapter 160: Making plans (2)

"It doesn’t seem like the prince intends on joining us. If he has left the room, he must be hiding somewhere."

"He has friends in the palace so he might have greeted them. How many were eager to leave your wife on your wedding night? We mustn’t disturb them," said Jeffrey.

Jeffrey knew not to expect to see Tobias for the rest of the night. The boy was eager to be with Hazel and if he weren’t, Tobias wouldn’t be thrilled to do any kind of drinking with the men present.

"There is much to drink for. The wedding and the start of a new reign for a king. I hope we hear about a baby soon so we can drink again," Franklin said, raising his cup so the other men could join him.

"Come now, we mustn’t put so much pressure on the two to have a child. There is much work to be done at the start. A child can come once they’ve settled in," said Grant.

Grant had somehow been taken to enjoy a few drinks though he was only interested in heading home. He had done his part in attending the wedding and offering his kind words to the couple. He had done enough for someone who wasn’t happy with the wedding and should these men continue to speak about it, he would leave without a word.

Hazel becoming with a child also soured his mood.

"I had a lot of work to do during the time of my marriage and still found time to try for a child," said Baron Desmond Barrett. "Even with my second marriage, I had a child right away."

"And how did that work out for you? No son and what is the matter with your oldest?" Another man commented.

Grant smiled as these men were no different from their wives. On some days, they were worse than their wives. Always looking to take jabs at each other with the gossip they heard. Grant only liked it for learning a few secrets, but other times he wished they would leave such behaviour to the women.

Desmond ignored the fool who brought up what was putting a strain on his reputation. "Should I speak of what has come of your son? His failure to enter the court after taking the test five times? You must stop forcing it on him."

"Must they always be like this?" Jeffrey questioned Kenneth.

Kenneth was brought back into the conversation by Jeffrey speaking so closely to him. He wasn’t interested in what was being said by the group and was more busy thinking about whether his family made it home.

Kenneth wanted to join his wife and children in leaving but was invited to drink with the king. "I missed what you said."

"Thinking about your family? Or about how the next wedding should be Linda’s? Whoever looks to marry her will have to treat her extra well so there isn’t an army after her," Jeffrey teased.

"I don’t need to send an army when I can kill them myself. Linda has no plans of getting married right now and I will not force her. She can take her time as I will look after her," Kenneth replied.

Kenneth didn’t need any wealth or whatever someone else had to marry off Linda. He had money to take care of her so she could stay with him for as long as she wanted. He didn’t care about her being too old to not be starting a family.

Seeing the type of men she had to pick from behind closed doors when their true personalities showed gave him all the more reason to keep his beloved daughter close.

Grant listened closely to the conversation between Kenneth and Jeffrey. With the two somewhat close one would think that their children would have gotten married. Grant needed the old Jeffrey to come back. The one that wasn’t so laid back. Was it because it was Jeffrey’s time to get off the throne that he had become this way?

Grant didn’t see why Jeffrey was so eager to get away from the throne. If Grant were in Jeffrey’s shoes, he would hold onto the throne until his dying breath.

"There are some good men in the palace to arrange her with. It is not like Linda would have to join them in the palace for their work. She can stay at home," Jeffrey proposed.

"I would rather not speak about it now," Kenneth replied as he didn’t need advice when it came to Linda.

"King Jeffrey, what would you do if there is no child in the next few months? Take women to Tobias? It is something I heard today," Grant said, sharing a look with Franklin.

"Oh, my apologies, Grant. There were men foolish to bring up that topic today when the prince had just gotten married. I’m sorry you had to hear something like that. Still, I must inform the king that a few men have brought forward their daughters to join the palace should the prince need another woman-"

"Must you be so rude to bring this up on their wedding day? The day is not yet over and you speak of mistresses," Kenneth said, glaring at the fool still speaking of this. He wasn’t happy with his father bringing light to it for the men present to start offering young ladies from their families.

If Hazel were to hear that anyone from the Henson’s brought this up, she might question their loyalty to her.

"They have only begun their marriage and don’t need anyone planning to bring women into their marriage. If you speak of such things tonight, you should not be welcomed to stay in the palace," said Kenneth.

Franklin cleared his throat. It felt like Kenneth was coming after him, but Grant was the one to bring this up. "I was only informing the king of what others-"

"You are a court man of the court. Have some sense and leave it for another day. Why speak of it on their wedding day? Is it because you have someone you wish to bring here? Both of you," Kenneth said, adding his father to the mix.

Kenneth liked to trust that his father would not join these men and wanted Linda to become one of the king’s women. It was then their interest would cause them to clash as that kind of life was not meant for Linda.

Certainly not when it meant Linda would have to betray Hazel. Kenneth didn’t think his daughter and Hazel were so close that they would be happy to share the same man. Even if it was something Linda might want, Kenneth would not allow her to live that kind of life.

"Now now," Grant said, speaking up before Kenneth could offend anyone.

Grant couldn’t have Kenneth revealing that he did not want Linda entering the palace around these men to bring doubt. He didn’t need to be bothered by their questions or concerns now and move on to someone else.

"No need to get so heated over something that would not happen. I brought it up only because I wanted to put an end to their talk, but I was curious what the palace was going to do. I can’t have poor Hazel having to witness women brought to sleep with her husband. She is family to us," Grant said.

"My apologies for speaking of it now," Franklin apologised.

The other men stayed quiet as they were going to bring up the matter in the future as a woman from their family in the palace would benefit them. Though they all were around the Wallaces in the past, what mattered now was family.

’Who cares about her opinion,’ Desmond thought, referring to Hazel. It would greatly benefit him if this would wait for his beloved daughter Kate to get a little older so she could join in becoming the king’s woman.

If only Kate had been a little older, she would have been the one to win the selection and get him the money he needed. It would also make his title worth something again as his peers had been seeing his title of baron as a joke due to this declining wealth.

Desmond would have had a chance at the queen coming from his family had his oldest daughter not ruined herself.

"I am done," Kenneth said, putting his cup down. "Don’t get too drunk and fall somewhere," he advised Jeffrey as he walked around him to get to the door.

"Can’t control your son?" Franklin questioned, taking delight in seeing Grant be annoyed by his son. It was apparent that it wasn’t only the court to have to try harder as Grant said.

"Don’t test me," Grant replied, following Kenneth in putting down his cup to then leave. Kenneth had opened the door for someone to mock him and worst of all, it was Franklin present.

Grant could not allow Kenneth to just leave after the way he had embarrassed him. Whatever happened to Kenneth only speaking when it came to war?