Bella's Beast

by Marie Higgins

  She opened the door and quickly rushed inside, slamming the hard oak behind her. Her fingers shook as she locked the door.

  Rapid breaths were released from her burning chest as she laid her head against the wall. The tears she’d been trying to hide fell freely down her cheeks now. She’d seen wild animals before, but for the first time in her life, this particular animal brought a different kind of fear.

  “Bella? Is that you?”

  Taking deep breaths, she tried to calm her crazily beating heart as she dried her moist cheeks. She mustn’t show her father how upset she was. Then again, he might not even notice.

  On shaky legs, she walked into the parlor. Sitting on his favorite brown stuffed chair near the hearth, Father looked up from the book on his lap. The frail man had a green, woolen blanket over his legs even though a fire burned in the hearth. Every day his face appeared a little grayer. Either that or his once brown hair turned whiter, making his skin look so sickly. A smile strained across his thin face as he looked at her.

  “Yes, Father. I’m home.”

  “You were gone so long. I became thirsty.”

  Bella had only been gone two hours, but for her father, it probably seemed like a whole day. “I rode into town to the library.”

  “Into town?” He sat forward in his chair, and the book on his lap slid and fell to the floor.

  “Yes, Father. I do this every Wednesday, remember?” She retrieved the book from the floor and placed it back on his lap.

  “Did you happen to see that nice young man, Garrett?”

  Bella gritted her teeth. Even the man’s name set her on edge. “I did.”

  “Does he still favor you over all the other girls in town?”

  “I’m sure he treats all the other girls in town the same way he treats me, Father.”

  She walked to the pitcher of water sitting on the table by the window. “Are you still thirsty?” She held up an empty cup.

  “Thirsty? Of course not, my dear. Whatever made you think that?” He settled back in his chair and opened the book.

  She frowned. Just as she figured... he didn’t remember their conversations from one minute to the next. At least he had a book to entertain him and make the day pass quickly.

  “I’m going upstairs to my room.”

  His answer was to nod, but he kept his gaze inside the book.

  Sighing heavily, she left the parlor and made her way up the stairs toward her room. Along the wall were portraits of their ancestors. Throughout the years, all of the Walsh men were able to secure their finances and make more money. Since her father’s mind had been withering away, so had the money. Andrew promised he would help take care of her and Father, but she didn’t want to have to rely on him forever because being the sheriff kept him busy. Instead, she would like to find a husband who would help her take care of her father and their small farm.

  Unfortunately, she just didn’t see that happening.

  As she entered her room, her mind jumped back to what Garrett had told her. Either he had her confused with someone else, or he was teasing her again. Why would he think she’d been abducted?

  She moved to her trunk and dug through the several years’ worth of journals she’d kept. She’d also stored her mother’s journals after she’d died. Maybe between reading the two of them, she’d see if there was any mention of an abduction. She couldn’t ask her father. For certain, he wouldn’t know. And she didn’t know when she’d see Andrew again this week.

  With the books stacked in her arms, she carried them to her bed and dumped them on the rose and lavender flowered quilt her mother had made her when Bella was fifteen. As she searched for the right year, she listened to the embers popping behind her in the hearth. Thankfully, their servant, Mrs. Christensen, had kept the fire going. It seemed Bella’s room was always cold without the warmth from the fireplace.

  From outside, an animal’s cry disturbed her concentration. She snapped upright and glanced at the window. Why did the growl sound so near?

  With her heart beating wildly in her chest again, Bella hurried to the window, parted the mint green drapes, and peered outside. She searched the ground for any trace of the determined animal. From within the trees that outlined the forest, there was a movement. Something darted farther into the wood, looking like... A panther? She must be imagining things, yet the chills of fright rushing through her confirmed that was what she saw.

  She inhaled an uneven breath as panic twisted her heart. An odd feeling came over her as if this had happened to her before. She shook away the terror rushing through her. If she had seen this wild animal before, she would have remembered something so frightening. However, she felt unsafe, and she didn’t like it one bit.

  Indeed, she’d have to find a way to destroy the feline. But could she outwit such a calculating animal?

  There was no other option. Bella must!

  Before the animal attacked someone – even her.

  TWO

  SHIFTING IN HIS CHAIR, Terrick Wentworth groaned and rubbed the pain shooting down his right leg. From now until he reached his goal, he would experience more discomfort than just a crippled leg. If everything went his way, he would beat all odds and prove to his father that he deserved this land.

  Terrick needed to remember this was just a test. His last test his father would ever put him through... and he would come out the victor!

  He sat by the east window in his bedchamber, peering out into the cool autumn weather. His room was heated properly, but he didn’t need to be outside to know how the brisk temperature would always bring havoc to his injured leg. He could only hope that the storm would pass so he could venture out. His plans were in the works and staying inside wasn’t helping.

  Another ache pierced through his limb, so he viciously rubbed it, trying to stir warmth inside to ease the pain. Why his father had done this to him, Terrick didn’t know. This was a cruel joke, indeed. Unfortunately, his controlling father had always made Terrick follow the rules.

  He lifted from his chair and hobbled to the fireplace. Using the poker, he stirred the embers before throwing another log on the fire. As he trudged back to the chair, he grabbed a blanket laying across the end of his bed. Returning to his cushioned chair, he stuffed the wool material around his legs.

  Terrick took the end of the telescope and peered through it toward the location he’d been watching for two days straight. Bella Walsh’s estate wasn’t as lovely as he remembered. Before her mother died, the yard had been tended, the flower garden was always in bloom, and the trees and bushes were manicured to perfection. Slowly over the years, Bella’s father’s health declined, taking along with it the beauty of his lands.

  Terrick had watched from afar for these past seven years, wanting to do something to help, but he couldn’t. He’d promised his controlling father, and Mrs. Walsh, that he’d not pursue Bella for seven years... seven very long years without being in her life. But seven years would come to an end next week, and Terrick couldn’t wait to show himself again.

  Well, he wasn’t actually himself anymore. Instead, he’d have to show Bella the beast of a man his accident had shaped him into. Hopefully, she’d see beyond the man behind this scarred face and crippled body. He wasn’t too excited about having her look at him in such a state, but nevertheless, it needed to be done. To finally complete his life, Terrick must bring back Bella’s memories.

  He looked forward to this challenge. Terrick had been in love with her for all that time. She had been only sixteen when they fell in love, but being five years older, Terrick knew he must give her time to mature and live life. His father had wanted Terrick to sow his wild oats and build up the Wentworth Empire. Being the obedient son, Terrick did as his father wished. Even Bella’s mother had asked him to wait until she was mature enough to wed.

  Frowning, Terrick sank back in his chair. Would Bella remember him at all? Would she remember how she had loved him, too?

  Frustrated of sitting in the chair, he stood a
nd limped to the window. Rain pelted the ground as the wind whipped through the trees. The furious weather was a lot like his mood today – anxious and damp.

  He’d anticipated this day for a while, and now that it was finally here, he couldn’t do a blasted thing about it. Growling, he turned and paced the room, trying not to wince when a sharp pain pierced through his leg.

  As he passed a mirror, he caught his reflection and stopped. Bunching his hands into fists, he cursed under his breath. His accident had made him less than a man, and yet, his father still expected Terrick to win Bella’s favor. How could that happen when it was difficult for him to see his own reflection? Women screamed and ran away when they looked at him. How could he get Bella to voluntarily talk to him or come to his home for a visit?

  Pushing his fingers through his mop of wavy black hair, he glared at his reflection. He resembled the man he’d been before the carriage accident, but only his hair and gray eyes were the same. The other features on his face had been distorted into something ugly. Scars marred his face badly, and one large scar slashed across his bottom lip.

  He had always been robust, but now his shoulders seemed bulkier, which of course, made him look deformed. Even his fingers appeared gnarled as though they belonged to some kind of animal. And to top off his deformities, he had this pain in his right leg, which caused him to limp.

  Thanks for nothing, Father! Terrick’s carriage accident had been his father’s fault. His old man had taken the good carriage into town and left Terrick, the one that was in the process of being repaired. Terrick had a meeting at the railroad he co-owned, and during the journey, the wheel spun off, rolling the carriage down a ravine.

  A knock came upon the door, and he swung his gaze in that direction. “Enter.”

  The door squeaked open, and his younger sister, Anastasia, stepped inside, holding a tray of cakes, a teapot, and a cup. “It’s time for tea,” she said, smiling at him.

  “Ana,” he said sweetly, “you don’t have to keep doing this, you know.”

  She nodded and moved closer. “I do, actually. Since Father and I returned to the estate, I’ve been lonely. I think all of my childhood friends have forgotten about me.”

  “Nonsense. How could they forget a sweet girl like you?”

  Anastasia set the tray on the nearest table and began pouring. “I’ve been into town a few times, but nobody talks to me. They look as if they don’t know who I am.”

  His heart tugged with sympathy. “I blame our father.”

  The seventeen-year-old with long, curly black hair looked at him with her big, gray watery eyes. “Terrick, you need to stop blaming Father for everything.”

  He sighed heavily. “Perhaps in time, but for now, it helps me during my sulking moments.”

  She walked to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. “You need to get past this.”

  “I know, but... I don’t know how.”

  “Maybe, if you focus your efforts on helping someone else, you will forget about your infirmities.”

  He studied her lovely face. She reminded him of his dearly departed mother, who’d died after giving birth to her only daughter. “You have a kind heart, just like Bella Walsh.”

  Anastasia’s mouth widened into a grin. “Oh, Bella! I haven’t seen her for so long. I recall you fancied her at one time in your life.”

  My whole life... “Yes, I did.”

  “I have an idea.” She grasped his hand. “What if you hire Bella to be my tutor?”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Tutor? Why do you need a tutor?”

  She rolled her eyes and swept her hand, motioning to her attire. “Because most girls my age don’t traipse around in men’s clothes. Most girls my age know how to dance and sew... and other things. All I know how to do is shoot animals and ride astride.”

  Slowly, an idea filled Terrick’s head, making him both anxious and scared. “So, you want me to hire Bella to teach you how to become a lady?”

  Anastasia smiled brightly. “Exactly, and maybe I can convince her to take me into town so that I can find some friends.”

  He chuckled lightly. “My dear sister, that sounds like a wonderful idea. I’ll have Father contact Bella Walsh tomorrow.”

  “Splendid.” Anastasia skipped back to the tray and finished pouring the liquid in both cups. “Father will be delighted, too. I think he’s worried that I will never get married.”

  Terrick didn’t want to explain to her that men would indeed marry her, but only for her vast inheritance. However, she needed to find true love, and only Bella would be able to help his sister accomplish that.

  Anastasia chatted on about something, but his mind wasn’t on the conversation. Instead, he was dreading – yet anticipating – the moment Bella came to the estate. The last time she was here was seven years ago. He prayed she remembered something about their time together, even though he feared her mother had somehow wiped those memories out of her daughter’s head.

  If that had happened, Terrick would never be able to make Bella fall in love with him again. Why would any woman want to love a beast?

  BELLA HURRIED TO THE front door and pulled it open. Andrew and a handful of his friends – Garrett, included – had gathered in front of her house. Thankfully, her brother had believed her when she told him about spotting the panther. It was bad enough their father was losing his mind. She didn’t want to follow in his footsteps.

  She leaned against the doorframe and listened as Andrew issued instructions. By the way Garrett kept gawking at her, she wondered if he had even heard a word her brother said. Well, it would serve him right if he got lost or something.

  Finally, the men headed out. Andrew waved at her and gave her a sharp nod. She was sure he did that to give her reassurance, but until the animal was caught, how could she feel safe in her own yard?

  She stood and watched as the men rode away from the house, but then she noticed another rider coming toward the house. At first, she wondered if it was Garrett, but then she realized she hadn’t seen any of the men turning back.

  Taking cautious steps down the porch, she kept watch of the lone rider. When he stopped in front of her house and dismounted, she realized she’d never seen the older man before. He looked to be in his fiftieth year, maybe slightly younger, but the lines on his weathered face, and the white streaks coloring his dark head of hair, let her know he’d had a hard life.

  As he drew nearer, her memory opened briefly, and she recalled him from her childhood. He and her father had spoken a few times.

  “Miss Walsh, it’s good to see you again,” the man said, smiling.

  “You must forgive me, but I can’t remember your name.”

  He laughed lightly. “I’ve been away from this area for several years, but I’m Clive Wentworth. I was friends with your father.”

  Wentworth? Warnings from Garrett’s conversation with her yesterday popped into her head. “Oh, yes. I heard your family had returned.”

  “We have, and now I’m looking to hire someone to help me with my daughter, Anastasia.”

  Confused, she shook her head. “Why do you need help with her?”

  “Well, you see, her mother died right after she was born, and the poor girl has grown up without a mother. I’m not looking to remarry. However, Anastasia needs some teaching on how to become a lady.”

  “How old is she?”

  “Seventeen.”

  She nodded as she clasped her hands in front of her. “Well, I shall ask around town for you to see—”

  “Actually,” he interrupted, “I was hoping that you might be interested in the position.”

  Bella gasped. “Me? Whatever for?”

  “Two reasons, really.” He stepped closer. “Because you have such a kind heart, and I know you’d be the perfect teacher, and...” He cleared his throat. “Because I heard how sick your father has been and how your family has fallen on hard times. I would pay you well if you chose to work for me.”

  Excitement shot through her,
and yet, she dared not get too eager. After all, the Wentworths lived in the place where she was supposedly abducted, according to Garrett, anyway. Perhaps accepting this position might help her remember, especially since she couldn’t ask her father about it.

  Not to mention... they did need the money.

  “And to sweeten the offer,” Mr. Wentworth continued, “I’ll have my family’s nurse come check on your father daily and help him with whatever he needs.”

  How could she turn that down? She’d be a fool to say no. But... what if a beastly man really lived there as Garrett had suggested? Could she look upon such a person without becoming afraid? Then again, she had learned a long time ago to look inside the person to their heart, because the heart would never lie.

  She straightened, and her hands dropped to her sides. “Thank you, Mr. Wentworth. Your offer has come at the perfect time. I would like to teach your daughter how to become a lady.”

  “Splendid.” He clapped his hands once. “Shall we start tomorrow?” He glanced behind him and pointed toward the house on the hill. “We live up there.”

  The ride to his house wouldn’t be that hard. However, until the panther was captured, she didn’t want to travel alone.

  “I can send someone to pick you up and take you home,” he quickly added.

  Inwardly, she groaned. She didn’t want the man to think she frightened easily. “No need. I can travel by myself.”

  “If you insist.”

  She nodded and inhaled deeply. “Yes, of course. It’s not very far, anyway.”

  “Wonderful. I hope to see you tomorrow morning at ten. Does that time work?”

  “It does.” She smiled, feeling slightly eased. She must trust that her brother and the group of hunters would catch the panther. She also needed to take the day and read over her mother’s journals. There must be something in there that mentioned Bella’s so-called abduction.

  Hopefully, she’d find her answers at the Wentworth estate.