"Well, well, well." I felt the entirety of my body stiffen. "Pray tell," the masculine voice murmured as his chin rested down onto my shoulder, "what has made them send such a fine lady such as yourself?"
A Beauty and the Beast Retelling in which Be...
"HIS LORDSHIP HAS taken ill and will not be joining you this evening," muttered a feminine voice from behind my seat. Her words were stiff, as though she reigned back further elaboration.
"How fortunate," I replied, curious to her reaction. "It is proving to be rather pleasant without him." I hoped my words would draw a reaction from her, but to my dismay, I only heard her steps of retreat and the shuffling of her skirts.
His illness explained the empty seat before me. It was pitiful. I had spent the entirety of the past hour conjuring dirty insults to spew. I frowned, recalling those remarks I yearned to taste on my tongue. There were sentences—particularly vulgar sentences—which I looked forward to using, if only to see the amusement in his lips.
Nevertheless, his place remained unoccupied.
I half expected Yoann to prance into the hall and keep me company, but he hinted at having duties to tend to. As for my husband...his absence...did it have to do with what took place only a couple of nights ago? Or the tendrils of roses I had seen climbing the walls beside my balcony? I loosed a breath and sagged into my seat.
It was odd, the leisureliness of that dinner.
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I wandered throughout the hall, a specific destination in my mind. It would be so improper for a woman not to tend to her ill husband—especially one that made it a point to deliver a gift to her very door. While properness such as not stabbing my husband was beyond me, this, I could not let slip past me.
I held my skirts in a hand, lest I trip on them as I ascend the stairs. The fabric was heavy and thick, woven together from thread that certainly costed a fortune. I tried to forget that—the fact that my husband absent-mindedly bestowed riches upon me as if they were mere exhales of air. Exotic silks and gowns, jewelry featuring crystals of every shape and color, shoes made of the finest leather...I shoved the memory from my mind.
The candles burned along the walls, softly lighting the corridor. I glanced around, briefly noting the unadorned walls. If I recalled things correctly, his chambers were somewhere here. I stepped down the hall, wincing at the sound of my clinging knives. The noise would alert lurking servants. I stilled the blades, pressing my fingers in between them.
Eventually, I found my way to his lordships' chambers. I stood at the entryway, wondering if one of those invisible servants stood there watching me. In hopes of drawing their attention and confirming their presence, I strode up and down the hall for a bit. It was possible that they were not waiting on him. I returned to the doorway, taking a moment to study the dark, varnished wood before me. Then I knocked. No response.
I knocked again.
Nothing.
So I pressed my ears to the door for a moment longer, hoping to hear the trace of a whisper. However, the wood was thick enough to muffle voices and left me unable to discover anything. After another unanswered knock, I let myself into his rooms.
