Beauty and the Beast (Faerie Tale Collection) (7 page)

He was not appalled. He should have been. But he wasn’t.

In fact, the sweet irony of the situation did much to please him in his good humor as he travelled back to the castle. He would’ve loved to have stayed longer, just to guarantee those rumors spread like wildfire even faster than they were already going, but he had a meeting with his cousin, the Grand Duke, Lord Bellemount—heir to his throne—within the hour and so could not waste another minute.

He did, however, allow his thoughts to roam with great care over the delightfulness of Cecelia. How could he not? Never had he met a female more enchanting than her, and he’d be a simpleton not to spend a good portion of his day thinking about her.

It was very, very true. He wanted to marry the gel.

He needed to marry her, so he could wake up each morning and see what it was she would do or say that would make him laugh. Oh, how she made him laugh! How she made his heart prick into consciousness whenever she was around. He wanted to be a better man for her. He needed to be. He wanted to slay all her dragons and show her the carefree beauty of the world.

He needed Cecelia like he’d never needed any girl before.

She was lively, and endearing, and strong, and humorous, and simply charming.

Alexander was so busy allowing his mind to wander over the past memories of her that he did not fully acknowledge the pickle he’d placed himself in for quite some time. Indeed, it was not until his horse was entering into the castle courtyard that the smallest fissure of doubt crept into his thoughts at all. But when it came crashing into his euphoria, it did take hold and lay claim to all other previous moments of happiness and perfection.

For in that instant he realized he would never own her. She would never become his because she would have to be in love with the beast for him to break the spell. And yet, he had just entangled them both in a very large and scandalous “imaginary engagement,” that the whole village was speaking of. He was in love with her as the prince and the wolf, but she—she may become forced out of propriety’s sake to accept a real proposal of marriage from the prince. If he did not propose now, how much worse would the ramifications be? If Prince Alexander walked away, hoping to court her as an impossible beast, wouldn’t her life be over? Would not the town destroy what little bit of dignity and gaiety and laughter she had left? It would ruin her for sure.

And yet, if he did not, how could he live without her forever? In just over six months, he would evermore remain a hideous beast without any chance of regaining normalcy again.

She, in the end, would lose him anyway.

And he would lose her.

Gah! Prince Alexander dismounted from Sterling and shook his head to chase away the frustrations. He needed to clear his mind for his meeting with Lord Bellemount in a few minutes. Leaving the stables, he quickly changed into clean clothes—deciding something less “princely” and more “normal” would be best for his cousin the duke.

By the time he’d made it back downstairs and into the great room, Lord Bellemount was already waiting for him. “So there you are!” his cousin exclaimed as he came into the room.

“Here I am.” Alexander smiled. “Have you been waiting long?”

“Not as long as I would have preferred to.” Bellemount smirked and nodded his head to the side. “Your maid is quite fetching.”

Alexander watched as the pretty maid blushed and then dipped into a curtsy. “You’re welcome to go, Madeline. Tell my mother I’ll be in here with Lord Bellemount for a good hour or so.”

“Yes, your highness.” She curtsied again and scurried out.

Alexander watched his cousin closely. “You didn’t do anything to the poor girl, did you?”

Bellemount laughed and shrugged, looking everything but innocent. “And what would I do within the walls of the castle, knowing you would be joining me soon?” He chuckled as if he knew something the prince did not.

“Frederick.” Alexander called him by the name his cousin had detested since childhood. “If you even lay a finger on the gel, I’ll chop it off.”

“I vow I did not touch her. I only flirted a bit and made her blush. She is very sweet.”

“She is also
very
off limits.” The prince found a chair and sat down facing his cousin.

Frederick followed suit and sprawled out upon the large sofa. “Admit it, cuz. You’ve thought about kissing her more than once.”

Images of Cecelia’s perfect lips sprung to Alexander’s mind. He smiled.

“Aha!” crowed Lord Bellemount, “I knew you had. I can tell you have just by your smile.”

Alexander simply stated, “Then you would be wrong. I have never looked at Madeline in that light and I never will.”

“Then who made you smile just then?” he asked, thinking perhaps to ferret out of the prince that indeed he was thinking of the maid.

“A beautiful girl.”

Frederick’s chest tightened and he quickly sat up. “What are you talking about? I mean, who are you talking about?” This could not be, he could not be falling in love now. Not now, not when Frederick was so close to actually having the throne abdicated to him. It was no secret Alexander hoped to do just that and soon, though Lord Bellemount pretended not to know anything of the kind. It simply would not do if he showed too much interest. But, curses! That was
his
throne, and he’d be good and sure no upstart girl, who would hope to raise a family one day and have heirs of her own, got between him and his dream.

Lord Bellemount realized Alexander still hadn’t said anything. The prince serenely sat across from him with a look he’d never seen before. A look that guaranteed his worst fears; his cousin was indeed deeply troubled and deeply in love.

“Ahem.” Frederick cleared his throat, trying again. “So who is this beautiful girl that has you so silent this afternoon?” He would find her and destroy her the first moment he had.

“Am I silent?”

“Yes.” Lord Bellemount chuckled uneasily. “You look like a man who could use some advice. Do you need help with something?”

Alexander closed his eyes briefly. He needed so much help. He needed advice more than any man. How he wished he knew what to do about Cecelia.

“Cuz, what is it? What’s wrong?” Frederick could feel the prince shifting. Another few nudges and he knew he’d open up and tell him who it was that was ruining everything. “Is it the girl you think is so beautiful? Has she upset you or something?”

“Huh?” Alexander rubbed his face with one hand and stared at his cousin a moment before saying, “No. She hasn’t upset me, just the opposite.”

“She has made you happy?” Frederick asked, not sure where his cousin was going with the conversation.

“No. I’m about to make her very upset soon, though, unless I can come up with a solution.” Prince Alexander was just about to open up and tell Frederick as much as he could about Cecelia, without revealing his own part as a wolf, when his cousin burst out almost frantically—

“What is her name?”

Alexander blinked at his tone. “Why?”

“Just tell me who the girl is.” Frederick crossed his arms and demanded a second time, “What is her name?”

The prince slowly sat up and leaned forward, his voice measured. “Again, I ask you, why?”

“Because I need to know exactly what is going on here, if I’m to help you.” Lord Bellemount smiled, but his foot began to tap irritation. He could hardly sit still with all of the thoughts of what he’d like to do to the girl roaming around his head. “What is her name?”

Alexander examined his cousin closely before lying quite bluntly, “I don’t know her name.”

Frederick looked like he was about to burst. “What do you mean you don’t know her name?”

“It means I do not know her name. She’s someone I have met recently, and I do not know her name.” His voice was calm and measured.

“That’s ridiculous! Everyone knows everyone around here.” Lord Bellemount stood up. “Where is she from? Do I know the village?”

Alexander stood up with Frederick and opened his hands in a helpless gesture. “I’m afraid I don’t know where she’s from either.”

“Are you jesting?”

“No, I’m not.” It was time to put an end to this charade of a meeting. The prince stepped up and put his arm around his cousin’s shoulder. “And actually, you’ll have to forgive me. I completely forgot about another engagement I had—something I promised to do for someone. Thank you so much for stopping by.” He tugged gently and walked forward, forcing Frederick out of the room with him. “I’m sure you can find your own way out.”

“But I thought you were anxious to speak to me about a matter of great importance?”

“I was. I am,” he answered, barely keeping his temper in check, while steering him toward the main hall. “But it will have to be another day. Forgive me.” With that, Alexander was racing up the stairs to his rooms, leaving Frederick to see himself out of the castle. He would be hanged the day he gave his cousin one ounce of information about Miss Hammerstein-Smythe! There was absolutely no reason why his own cousin should become hostile at the mention of a girl in Alexander’s life. He wasn’t quite sure what was wrong, but he certainly wasn’t about to leave the only woman he’d ever loved vulnerable to such a man. The man he’d hoped to announce—this very afternoon—would be taking up his throne in six months time!

Something was not right and he vowed he would get to the bottom of it before any such announcements or family introductions were made.

Prince Alexander wasn’t the only one making vows at that moment. Down below, in another part of the great castle, Lord Bellemount was making his own plans.

There was something decidedly false in the way the prince had evaded his questions just now and then conveniently remembered another commitment. Frederick had no idea what was going on, but he was positive Alexander not only knew the girl’s name, but where she lived as well. He’d bet his right foot on it!

The only thing to do now was wait and watch. With a smirk and a raise of his eyebrow, Lord Bellemount slipped to another part of the castle altogether—a long secret passage—and exited outside, through an opening of the garden statue. It was the perfect spot to watch all the comings and goings of the palace without being spotted, which was exactly what he needed to do. One way or another he would find out who this girl was and then she would be dead.

Frederick smiled. The poor prince would be in such an anguished state of losing his only love. Once she died, he would have nothing left within him to run the country and so would naturally abdicate to me.

He hunkered down and prepared himself for a long wait. This was most definitely going to be worth it.

CHAPTER TEN

CECELIA MARCHED DOWN TO the brook as soon as she had a free moment to herself. Her mother would hardly let the matter of the “supposed engagement” go long enough to leave her alone for a time.

She was going to skin that wolf alive!

Clutching the yellow rose, she veered down the path at record speeds. How dare he mention anything of their private conversations with anyone? And how dare he have the presumption to play matchmaker—or more like pity-maker—without her approval first. Of all the ridiculous harebrained schemes to come up with, sending the great Prince Alexander to rescue her had to be at the top of the idiocy chain!

And now look at the mess she was in.

The moronic prince refused to even refute one felicitous exclamation of joy in their honor! He sat with complete composure and a smile on his face, as if he were not fully aware of what was happening all around them. As if he did not for one moment realize the immense scandal and horrendousness that was about to unfold.

Once her mother had fallen, the serenity of the moment was completely gone. Gardeners, maids, footmen, stable boys, even the cook and Sanford came to see what the fuss was about. It took several people, including the prince, to remove her distraught mother to the chaise lounge in the blue parlor and revive her. But once she was fully herself again, Cecelia only wished her right back to oblivion. No sooner had she awoken did she begin to exclaim over the engagement once more. Except for this time it was in front of several onlookers!

And the inane prince should have his brains examined for the nonchalant way he sat there and grinned making a fool of Cecelia’s protests. Every time she would explain they were not engaged and her mother had misinterpreted, the buffoon would hold her hand and look deeply into her eyes, causing all the women in the room to swoon in giddiness.

Good great heavens!

She should strangle them both.

Cecelia placed the rose high upon the stone, guaranteeing it would not be missed. There was much she wanted to say to the beast and was grateful she had a few hours to put her thoughts together. As quickly as she’d come to the little stream, she made her way back. She did not have the luxury of blissful contemplation. Her mother would never allow her away from the house that long. The only way she’d be able to spend any time at the brook today would be later that night with the beast.

She’d never wished for anything more.

By the time Cecelia had managed to make her way down to the stream later that evening, it was well past ten o’clock and Alexander had been there over an hour. He hadn’t been sure what to do for her, and had spent a good deal of time sorting through the things in his possession to come up with something that might ease her anger a bit. He’d settled upon a heart-shaped locket, which was held together by a rose that doubled as a lock. There was a trick to the catch and one would not know the heart even opened, if they didn’t identify the secret.

Inside he had written on a small scroll of paper, with fine penmanship, a portion of the very poem he’d found for her the last time she had met him as a wolf, as well as a simple note from himself. The prince was not sure if he would tell her about the hidden compartment, wondering if she would find it herself. He decided it was best to see how she accepted the gift of the necklace first. He tucked the heart under a small patch of clover for the perfect opportunity to reveal it to her.

“So, you did not bring a book today?” she asked as she approached and settled herself upon the rock.