by Jenni James
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.
“No. I brought something better.” He was again waiting for her on the other side of the brook, lying on his stomach.
“It is something I can hit you with?” she smiled as she said it, but there was a certain gleam in her eye in the moonlight.
He tilted his head. “Perhaps, though I believe you won’t find it as satisfying as a book would have been.”
“Pity.”
“Are you very angry with me, then?”
Cecelia brought her knees up and wrapped her arms around her legs. “You could describe my emotions as such.”
The beast sighed and laid his head upon his paws. “Out with it, we might as well get this over with now.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but caught a glimpse of his dark brown eyes looking up from his dejected position. “Oh, goodness, do not look at me like that. How am I supposed to reprimand you when you use those eyes on me?”
“What? What am I doing?” Alexander titled his head and made his expression even more forlorn.
Cecelia laughed and threw a tuft of grass at him across the water. “It will not do. You cannot make me laugh; I must say these things to you.”
The wolf chuckled into his paws. “No one is stopping you.”
“Argh.” She made a very unladylike grunt, promptly got up, and cautiously stepped over the stream, then without further ado curled up against his side and snuggled into his soft fur. “You are the most incorrigible monster that has ever roamed this land.”
“I know,” he said softly, loving the feel of her warmth beside him.
“Hmm…” Her soft muffled words could barely be heard. “Horrendous beast, I should beat you to a pulp right now.”
“Yes, you should.”
“Merk.” She rolled to her back against his and looked up at the twinkling stars. “Do not agree with me. It takes all the fun out of arguing.”
“Should I not?”
“No, you shouldn’t.”
He smiled. “What ought I to do then? Listen patiently?”
“Well, yes.” She giggled. “Or defend yourself—but not until I’m done telling you what you’ve done wrong.”
“But no agreeing?”
“None at all.”
“What if I feel bad for being so horrid and want to beg for forgiveness?”
She sighed and rolled over on her side again, burying her face within his comforting fur and changed the subject completely. “I’ve thought of a few names for you.”
He chuckled. “Do they involve death threats?”
“You mean perhaps, Slain or Target?”
“Those would work, though perchance you should consider Clown or Moron.”
Cecelia laughed. “No, no, no. I’ve thought of much better names.”
“Oh, dear, do I want to hear them?”
He could feel her shrug against him. “I don’t know. You may consider me silly, but I was thinking along the lines of Apollo, or Beau, or Calixto.”
Alexander stopped breathing. It was a full minute before he could speak again in a ragged hushed tone. “But those names—they all mean handsome or beautiful.”
“Yes, they do. It’s why I chose them.”
He had no idea in that moment a wolf could become choked up. How did he never see the splendor that was this girl before now? How had his life become so vain and foolish and reckless that he never stopped to see the great tower of strength she was? The wisdom and kindness of her heart completely undid him. Alexander had to blink several times, before he asked, “Why?”
She buried herself deeper against his side. “Because you are beautiful.”
“No, I’m an ugly beast who has unwittingly ruined your trust and your life.”
Cecelia took a deep breath. “You have ruined my trust and you are bordering on ruining my life. But, I cannot—I will not overlook the reasons why you chose to do what you did. And though I feel involving Prince Alexander and sharing my secrets with him has done much to make me want to strangle you, being here under the stars, next to my magical brook, I have to own that you are indeed the kindest and most gentle creature the good Lord has ever formed.”
Humbled beyond measure the beast could only ask, “How did you ever draw such a conclusion? How can anyone look past their own hurt to see the good intentions behind the pain?”
“I do not understand what you ask? Doesn’t everyone step back and see things from another’s perspective?”
The prince shook his head and owned quite truthfully, “I did not until you taught me so. Until then I could only see my own haughtiness and prideful ugliness.”
She wrapped her arm around his side, and settled her head higher upon his back. “Do you feel ugly?”
“Hideous, unsightly, revolting, repulsi—“
“But why?” She ran her hand across his side to soothe him. “You are honestly the most striking wolf I have ever met.”
He closed his eyes. “Yes, for a wolf I will own that I am quite dashing. However, it is my soul I speak of, my inner peace with myself. I am not all I could be, not all I want to be, there is so much more to improve upon. So much more I must learn first.”
“Mayhap, but we all have things we wish to improve upon.” She sat up and scratched his ears. “Come on, no more sadness. Which name do you choose? Apollo, Beau, or Calixto?”
“None, Cecelia.” He looked out toward the forest. “No matter how I try to perceive myself differently I will only ever be a monster.”
“Please do not be so hard upon yourself.”
“How can I not? I must live this horror every day as a reminder of who and what I truly am. I have hurt you, I have placed you in a worse predicament than before and I have no idea how to fix what damage I have done. How you can even speak to me as such is beyond more than I deserve.”
“Shh…”
“No, Cecelia, you are kind and everything good in this world, while I am nothing but a dreadful beast.”
“Listen to me. Listen closely to what I say to you, for it is the truth.” She moved herself to be to where he could see her best, held his sweet head between her hands and simply said the most amazing words Prince Alexander had ever heard.
“You may be a beast, but you have more beauty in your heart than anyone I know.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
FREDERICK COULD HAVE HURLED, the scene before him was so disgusting. When his cousin had bounded down the stone palace steps outside with the large heart necklace swinging in his hand, right around dusk, Lord Bellemount knew without a doubt he was on his way to meet the girl. So, he did the only advisable thing to do at the moment, he followed him.
He’d already pursued him earlier that day, but the prince had merely wandered a few miles away from the castle to a little stream and found a rose which he had picked up and then meandered his way back to the palace. Nothing exciting, nothing certainly to be concerned over, but this time, with the heart-shaped necklace, he was bound to be going to whatever girl he’d fallen in love with.
Frederick pushed off from his hiding spot and began trailing his cousin, which ended up being much harder than he anticipated.
Never had he expected his cousin to turn into a wolf before his eyes. But he did just that, about two hundred yards into the forest, just as darkness fell, the beast tore from within the prince’s body and transformed him.
Frederick was scared out of his wits at first, especially of the ear-splitting howl that accompanied such an alteration. It was so loud and painful all Lord Bellemount could do was cover his ears and fall back against a tree.
And then the wolf was gone, tearing through the forest at a much faster rate than he could have imagined.
When Frederick got to the place where his cousin had changed, the necklace was nowhere to be found. Alexander had to have picked it up and taken it with him. At the rate he left, instead o
f falling to the ground in agony, meant the transformation was expected, this was something that was normal. Perhaps even a daily occurrence.
Prince Alexander had to have been halfway to the gel by now.
With hasty steps Frederick began to track the animal, just the same way he’d learned as a boy to track the hounds that had gone off to chase the fox during hunting season.
By the time he came upon them both, he was tired and weary and seething mad. His feet were burning within his boots and he’d wandered over two hours down dead ends and useless tracks until he finally stumbled upon them. It was clearly obvious his cousin had been over every square inch of the land as a wolf, his tracks were everywhere.
So when he overheard her speaking and then quieted his breathing enough to determine where the sound was coming from, it was only a matter of a few steps to his left, following the path of the stream that led him to the little clearing that held them both. The exact same place Alexander had been earlier and collected the flower.
This was their meeting spot. The rose must have been some sort of sign to meet her.
She was indeed very pretty, but even Lord Bellemount did not expect Miss Hammerstein-Smythe to be the object of his cousin’s desires. He knew his tastes and knew his feelings about the girl. So why her? Why now after all this time was it she who captured his heart?
And capture it she did.
Frederick watched them for a few minutes, enough to see the imaginary glow that seemed to come from them both. But when she walked in front of the beast and held his wolfly face in her hands and uttered that nonsense about Alexander’s inner beauty, Frederick knew he was in danger.
No man, no matter how much he claimed otherwise, could resist an attractive woman telling him his worst fears were for naught, and she truly believed he was worth more than he supposed.
There were several confusing questions to this riddle that would only be solved by staying a bit longer and gleaning as much information as possible. Did Miss Hammerstein-Smythe know who the wolf was? If she did, how could she tolerate it? Had not his cousin been despicable toward her for years? And if she did not know he was the prince, then how could she be so calm and cheerful around a wolf?