Roz shook her head. A strange ache resided in her chest. Make-believe and certainly not real, she kept her arms crossed. She was not going to let his words make her feel sorry for him.
“They’re always with you,” she told him.
“In here, they are.” He gestured at the shelves. “Do you want to check the books?”
She nodded. Roz ignored the feeling in her heart and permitted him to change the subject. “I do. I want to dive into these shelves and never surface.”
“You’ll enjoy this section,” he waved her in a new direction. “It holds some of my parents’ favorites.”
Stepping up beside him, she began looking at the titles as well. “Not Shakespeare, I hope?”
“No,” he told her and hid a smile. “Not on this end, anyway.”
There was an emotion inside him he didn’t recognize. It was a sensation he likened to happiness, but not quite.
“Have you read The Scarlet Pimpernel? What about The Man Who Corrupted Hadleyburg? Sherlock Holmes? Persuasion?”
“Wait! What? Persuasion? You have actually read it?” Roz looked amazed.
Now feeling a bit embarrassed, he nodded and scratched his head.
“Yes, is it not appropriate?” He wanted to know why it was a surprise that he would read such a book.
“My brother would never have read it let alone admitted to reading it! Neither would Everett or half of my other friends. I'm just surprised you did.”
“Why wouldn't they read it? Persuasion is a classic story with so many elements of real life no matter who you are. The possibility of gaining first love again and freely forgiving is a very important concept I'm finding out.”
Her mouth opened, and her eyes widened at his speech. He shrugged and struggled to think of something else to add.
“My parents made me read it when I was twelve. I didn't have a choice in the matter, so I found things to like about it.”
“You read it when you were twelve?” She sounded incredulous.
Shifting from foot to foot, he shrugged once more.
“They believed in my education and wished for me to read everything without bias. I didn't like it on the initial read, so I read it again a few years later. I suppose the thought of forgiveness appealed to me.”
“Forgiveness,” she repeated, but did not question.
“Forgiveness,” he told her, and then picked another book off the shelf. “Now Great Expectations has never been a favorite. It completely baffles me how Pip believes Estella secretly cares for him. She was mean and downright cruel at times.”
“Life is like that,” she mentioned.
“The whole premise was beyond me, but I suppose it attests to how often we think something is true because we want it to be true and not because it really is,” he said.
Her eyes didn't leave him through his entire explanation. He put the book back, unsettled by her lack of sarcastic responses and surprise attacks. The thought of her lulling him into a sense of friendship, and then banging him in the head with one of the heavy candlesticks sitting around the room, made him alert once more.
She didn't try to kill him though. In fact, she pulled another book off the shelf and turned the cover toward him.
“What about this one?”
Her face was relaxed, her stance comfortable, and Beast allowed himself to believe for a little while that a friendship might exist between him. As if he wasn't just a beast, and she wasn't just a beautiful girl who had wandered into his castle with the intent of murdering him.
It was nice having someone to look through the books with and comment on various ones. Forgetting the circumstances of their forced friendship, Beast picked out book after book.
They spent the whole afternoon in the library talking about every book within reach. Some of which she had read, and some of which he had not. The conversation rotated between agreement of characters and plot to outright shouting over books where they agreed over neither.
Finally, they settled on the couch. Roz took Persuasion, and Beast opened The Complete Tales of Edgar Allan Poe. Each kept an eye on the other as they read but before long, they became so absorbed in their own books, and they only returned to earth for meals. It was the best day Beast had been a part of in a long time, and he didn’t want it to end.
19
“I am an idiot.” Roz paced back and forth in her room thinking of the day. Rubbing her eyes, she avoided looking at the nightstand.
On top of it, a copy of Persuasion sat. The same one the beast had allowed her to read in the library and take with her to her room. It sat like a traitor, eyeing her from across the room.
“You had several opportunities to kill him! Why didn’t you take any of them? You sat there! You just sat there and read,” she scolded herself.
Kicking the wall, she turned and strode back the other way in front of the windows. Back and forth, back and forth, Roz thought through the whole afternoon up until lunch. They had sat on the couch, almost side by side, as if they were long-lost friends.
“You didn’t think to kill him? It was as if he took some part of your brain!”
Stopping halfway to the opposite wall, she sucked in a breath. Nodding, the ideas formulating in her brain continued to grow. One thought leading to another, Roz pounded her fist into her palm and let out a lament.
“I bet that’s what he did! He put some sort of spell on me to keep me calm. He tricked me into not killing him! That must be it!”
The door opened, and she looked over to see Mrs. Hausmeister bringing a tray inside.
“Hello, my dear. I’m sure you’d like a snack. I brought one with tea. King Ezra has informed me you’ll be eating downstairs in the dining room with him for supper. It will be ready at six.”
Roz wandered over to the table as Mrs. Hausmeister poured her a cup of tea. Handing it to her, the cook smiled at her. Attempting to smile back, Roz brought the cup to her lips and blew on the hot liquid.
“Now, would you like to change into one of the outfits I brought up for you? They’ve all been cleaned and pressed. I think you’d look lovely in the black,” Mrs. Hausmesiter went over to the black, one-piece jumpsuit and held it out.
“It’s lovely,” Roz agreed. “I want to be prepared to go home at all times though.”
“Well, you could change long enough for me to wash it, my dear. Have you been sleeping in the night clothes I provided?”
Feeling embarrassed, her cheeks heating, Roz nodded. “Yes, I have been wearing them. I just didn’t want to cause you extra work.”
“No trouble at all. It will give me something new to do. After all, I just have the king and the workers to tend to right now.”
“Doesn’t he scare you?” Roz blurted out.
“What? Who? The king?”
Roz nodded and bit her lip. Sipping her tea, she waited. Mrs. Hausmeister started laughing. Big, heaving chuckles came from her stomach. Suspecting the cook was losing it, Roz backed up a step, going on defense.
“Why would I be afraid of the king? I knew him when he was born. I’ve been in this house a long time, my dear. The king might look a bit off, but he’s got a good heart. Don’t let his appearance fool you.”
“Why was he cursed then? If he was such a great king, why did the Second Kingdom curse him and leave us all to die?”
“That is his story to share, Miss Roz. Please ask him. I’ll say he hasn’t changed too much since boyhood.”
Knowing she wouldn’t get any more form the loyal woman, she said, “I’ll wear the outfit.” Roz pointed a finger at the black jumpsuit Mrs. Hausmeister still held.
“Oh good,” the cook told her and laid it out. “Do you need help with anything? Do you want me to send the maid to fix your hair?”
Shaking her head, Roz let out a smile. “No, thank you.”
She couldn’t remember seeing a maid on the premises. So far, she had only seen and met Mrs. Hausmeister and Buford. Besides the beast, she hadn’t thought anyone else lived in the
castle, but she must be wrong.
“All right then. Supper will be served at six o’clock. Feel free to ring the bell if you need anything.”
“I will. Thank you,” Roz told her as she exited the room.
Sighing, shoulders slumping, Roz sat in her chair to drink the rest of her tea. This wasn’t right. She should be planning how to escape through the door instead of calmly talking of the evening meal and what to wear.
However, her efforts might make escaping easier. If the beast and his servants began to see her as a part of their world, they’d let their guard down. They might leave her door unlocked or give her the freedom to wander the castle by herself. She could check for papers about the curse and how to break it.
“He could be lying. I could find what I need,” Roz whispered.
Excited, she stood up and set her tea down. Finding the clothes she needed, Roz took them to the bathroom and prepared to shower and change.
She found a hairbrush in her nightstand. Staring down at Persuasion, Roz considered reading more of it. The plot was amusing and the heroine unexpected. Anne Elliot was her opposite in every way possible.
“I can’t imagine giving up the love of my life because he wasn’t rich. She’s certainly easy to persuade,” Roz muttered, running her finger over the cover.
Looking at the clock, she saw she had two hours to get ready. She’d been escorted to her room by the beast when he told her they always had an afternoon nap and snack before the evening meal.
Although the cucumber sandwiches on the tea tray looked delicious, she wanted to get started getting ready. Being distracted by food and books and conveniences were only going to delay the inevitable.
Leuthar came to mind. “I haven’t forgotten you,” she whispered. “I’ll find a way to save you and the others. I promise.”
With those words, she walked to the bathroom and began preparing for the evening. Pulling towels from the closet, she organized what she would need. Stopping before the mirror, Roz stared back at her reflection. Turning her head from side to side, she tried to think of the best way to style her hair.
“I guess I can worry about that after I wash it,” she told her reflection. “Time to get to work. Distraction is on the menu.”
“You called, sir?” Buford stepped into the room to find his king striding back and forth in his room.
“Buford, what am I going to wear? For supper. I don’t know what to wear!”
Closing the door behind him, the butler moved into the room and found the closet doors on his right wide open. Clothes littered the floor and were pulled off their hangers. His eyes trailed over to the dresser and found it in a similar condition.
Biting the inside of his cheeks, Buford cleared his throat and tried not to laugh. “Well, sire, I’m sure you have something quite suitable to wear. I’ll call Pierre.”
“No! Pierre fears me. I don’t want him here.”
Folding his hands in front of his body, Buford nodded. He knew the valet was terrified of the king. Pierre had made it clear he wanted to leave the castle, but it was impossible. So, he helped in the kitchen and around the house but as far away from King Ezra as possible.
“He can’t help it, sir. He doesn’t understand the changes, and it frightens him.”
“It’s been almost a century! You’d think he’d be used to it by now. I can’t believe I have accumulated such weak servants. I don’t know what I’d do without you and Mrs. Hausmeister, Buford.”
Swallowing, the butler stood for a few minutes without speaking. The words his king spoke were humbling, and he didn’t know how to respond. Switching his folded hands from the front to the back, Buford bowed.
“Thank you, sir. How about I start cleaning up and see what I can find for you. Would you prefer casual or formal wear?”
“Whatever will look nice. I want to look… nice.”
Nodding, Buford began picking up the beast’s clothing. He refolded and tucked several items into the dresser. Looking for underclothes, he picked out what was needed and laid it across the bed. From there, he went to the closet and began cleaning. Assessing the items, he smoothed wrinkles and took into consideration what would work best for the evening.
“What is she wearing, Buford? Do you know?”
“I believe Mrs. Hausmeister mentioned a black one-piece called a jumpsuit. We should find your charcoal pants and a black, collared shirt. I think it would look the best.”
“Black? Do you think it’ll make me look pale? I mean, paler?”
Sniffing, Buford bent to pick up a shirt from the floor and hid his smile. “I don’t think so, sir. It will present a pleasing contrast. We can always change it, if you decide it doesn’t flatter you.”
Beast nodded and continued to walk back and forth. He considered the mess on the floor as Buford cleaned. Frowning, he approached the closet and began picking up items he’d strewn across the floor in his panic.
“Sir, you don’t need to clean up. I have the situation well under control.”
“Buford, it’s my mess. I should be the one picking it up.”
Nodding, Buford averted his wide eyes and bent to pick up another pair of pants and a belt. He didn’t say another word as the king worked side by side with him. Soon, they were finished putting everything away, and Buford began to search the articles he’d mentioned to his king.
“Here we are,” he said.
The charcoal pants were the first found, and he was able to locate the black shirt after a few seconds of searching the hangers. He found the king’s favorite black belt and a pair of black socks.
“How about I start a shower for you, sir?”
Sniffing, he tucked his head toward his armpit and made a face. “That’d probably be a good idea. I haven’t had a shower in a while. You’d think being corpse-like would ensure against smelling, but it doesn’t work that way.”
Buford’s shoulders raised and lowered as he nodded. His lips quirked up at the corners, and he cleared his throat to not smile. Moving to the bathroom, he arranged the products needed and turned the shower on. Beast came in and hung his robe on a hook.
“Do you ever wonder what our world would be like now, Buford? If I hadn’t ruined it?”
“Sir, I wouldn’t say you ruined it, but yes, I have wondered. I assume we’d both be dead by now. Have you considered it?”
Scratching his chin, Beast hesitated and watched the water fall. The mist began to cling to the tub. Drops caught and fell, and the beast watched for a few seconds as he thought about his response.
“I think we’d smell flowers in bloom, Buford. We’d be welcomed by our people. No one would fear me, and perhaps, I’d have married.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ezra, Buford. Just Ezra.”
Pausing, Buford inhaled deeply and asked, “Do you want to be married, Ezra?”
Shrugging, the beast pulled off his shirt. Throwing it on the sink, he avoided looking in the mirror. He kicked off his slippers and unbuckled his belt.
“I think I would have liked to marry at some point, Buford.”
“Anyone special?”
“Maybe,” the king said, and then, waved Buford toward the door.
Buford left, closing the door behind him, and allowing himself to smile until his cheeks stretched so far they hurt.
Roz stopped in the doorway to the dining room and stared. She took in the beast’s hair, brushed back and gleaming, his black shirt and pressed pants, and his awkward stance. His hands were clasped behind his back.
He shrugged one shoulder and scratched his head. His hand fell to his left ear and pulled on it as he smiled and then snapped his mouth closed. The glowing, white fangs were exposed for that split second, and Roz recalled why she was here.
Inhaling, she nodded at him and entered.
“Good evening,” she said.
“Good evening,” he replied and came to her side of the table.
He held out her chair and waited for her to be seated before he went
back to his own spot. Across from her, a large expanse of wood and chairs between them, he sat down.
Mrs. Hausmeister brought out a vegetable salad. Buford helped her serve. Roz slipped the butter knife into her lap when no one was looking. She hid it underneath her napkin and hoped it wouldn’t be missed.
“The vegetable salad comes from our own garden,” Mrs. Hausmeister explained with a large smile. “The rolls will be out in a minute.”
She and Buford left the room. As soon as they exited, the beast looked at her. He gave a close-lipped smile and nodded to her. Picking up her fork, she took a bite.
“This is delicious,” she spoke after swallowing the cucumber, onion, and tomato mix. “I can’t believe you have rolls. We don’t have a lot of grains to make bread. One of our community members knows how to make it with the limited ingredients and tries to share a loaf with every family.”
Beast paused in his chewing. He’d forgotten about their lack of seeds and crops. He hadn’t thought about there not being any bread for them to eat.
Even though he knew it wasn’t possible, he felt his cheeks burn and wondered if they were red. Ducking his head over his plate, he stared down at it and endeavored to think of a safe topic to discuss.
“Did you take a nap?” he blurted out.
“No, I couldn’t really sleep.”
Nodding, he thought of another question. “Were the cucumber sandwiches to your liking?”
“They were tasty, thank you.”
Chewing and swallowing, the beast found himself running out of things to ask. Remembering, he inquired, “Were you able to read more?”
“Not yet. It’s such a luxury to read, but I can’t sit for too long. I’m used to moving around and getting things accomplished. Normally, my days are filled with school, training, and chores. It’s odd for me to sit and be idle, even though I love to read.”
Squirming in his chair, the beast licked his lips. “Would you like to read in the library again tonight? You’re more than welcome to any of the books in there.”
The Four Tales Page 36
