Beauty supplied quickly, a stunned smile lighting her face for the first time.
“Tom. He’s tied up in the last stall. He’s to go free,” the Beast ordered, mesmerized against his will at the force of Beauty’s smile.
“M’lord,” the stately servant hesitated, almost scared to believe what he’d heard.
He avoided looking at Beauty, now fully realizing why she was there. Without any words, he knew exactly what bargain she’d made and why. A curious mixture of relief and abhorrence filled him. Not that he judged her harshly for the bargain. Knowing her as he did, he knew she had no choice in the matter. He sighed for the old lord, and wondered how such things had come to pass.
“What is it?” The Beast held Beauty’s gaze, amazed, almost speechless, at the joy in her eyes.
“Both of the lads are named Tom,” the quiet servant pointed out.
“Then set them both free!” the Beast bellowed in a sudden temper. “I’m tired of this business and I have better things to do.”
“M’lord,” Beauty asked timidly, repeating her request, “may I see my brother for a moment before I go with the maid?”
“You will return to fill your promise?” the Beast asked.
“You have my word,” Beauty replied.
“I have never trusted in promises, very few men of my acquaintance are worthy of trust and none of the women,” the Beast snarled.
“Then let me prove myself to be the first,” Beauty said calmly. “Truly, I am yours willingly and I do not seek to escape, but I would like to see my brother safe.”
“Then it’s you who does not trust me or my word,” the Beast’s tempered flared quickly and Beauty realized there was still the very real danger of losing her fight to save Tom.
“I do, M’lord, truly. ‘Tis just a woman’s way to want to reassure herself that her loved ones are all safe, that all is aright with them. Also, I would like a moment to calm my nerves before… ” her voice trailed off.
“You said you’d be willing,” the Beast growled, reaching out and grabbing her by the arms.
“M’lord, I am willing, truly,” Beauty stood in his harsh grasp without flinching. She looked him in the eyes and smiled shyly, “But I never claimed not to be nervous, as is a virgin’s right. Even a virgin who marries for love can be nervous the first night. Please, M’lord?”
“All right, but return shortly,” the Beast told her gruffly. “And remember that I can always hang him later, so warn him and be warned yourself: I will only keep this bargain as long as you keep it and as long as he gives me no more problems as he works.”
“You still want him to work in the stables, M’lord?” Beauty was surprised. “After all this?”
“Why not? He does his job well and I wondered who I would find to replace him.” The Beast was surprised at her question, as though a narrow escape from the gallows should not matter a whit to her or to her brother. “Now go!”
“Yes, M’lord.” She turned and moved quickly to follow the servant. “And thank you, M’lord.”
The Beast watched as she walked away, noting the grace of her stride and the sway of her hips. How long, he wondered? How long will it take for me to prove her to be the liar she has to be? How long before she loses her resolve? The game would be fast and furious but he already knew the outcome; Beauty would soon prove to be as inconstant as everyone else in his life.
As soon as they were out of earshot, the servant asked, “Beauty, how is your lady mother?”
“She is very ill,” Beauty told him gently. “I think it’s mainly from sorrow. She misses my father deeply, and she has lost much.”
“Oft I’ve wanted to leave the castle and see her but I wasn’t sure if it would be wise,” he said with quiet dignity. “Or if I would even be welcome.”
“You are always welcome, Seth, but ‘tis true we have as little to do with the castle inhabitants as possible,” she shrugged sadly. “I never thought I would step foot into the place again.”
The servant looked at her gently and said, “I sent the word to Nate about your brother but I was torn apart by it. I both hoped and feared that you would come, Beauty. I fretted over it all day for I knew of no other way for Tom’s life to be spared, but it breaks my heart to see you come to such a state. I feel as if I’ve failed your father.”
“Seth, my old friend, that’s not true,” Beauty told him gently. Her quiet acceptance of the situation had increased as soon as the Beast was out of sight. “Do you disapprove of me?”
“I disapprove of the situation, lass, never of you,” Seth told her gently. “I will strive to help you in any way I can.”
“Thank you, Seth.” She gasped as a thought hit her. “How is it that you had to ask which Tom should be released? You know my brother well.”
The servant shrugged, “I hoped the Beast would be so blinded by your beauty that he would do just what he did. I took a chance that he would let both lads go. The other poor lad had no one to save him. It worked, did it not?” The servant winked as he held the barn door open for her.
A short time later, after a tearful exchange with her brother, Beauty returned to the great hall and presented herself to the maid, Gwyneth. She soon found herself in the knight’s great bedchamber, a large room that seemed to be barren except for a fireplace, a wardrobe against a wall, a small table, a mirror, a chair and a great big bed. There was a large fur rug on the floor in front of the fireplace.
The bed seemed to Beauty to take up all the room. It was a four-poster, made of rich dark wood and covered with deep intricate carving. There was a deep feather mattress, crisp linen sheets, and great piles of fur coverings for warmth and comfort.
The fireplace was already lit against the evening chill. A large metal tub was brought into the room and placed before the fireplace. Men had been ordered to bring hot water to fill the tub.
The maid had brought a silver platter of food with her, tender meats, bread and ripe fruits. She ordered Beauty to eat as they waited for the tub to be filled. Beauty’s nerves were stretched so tight that her stomach rebelled at the thought of food but she had not eaten since early morn. She was hungry and she knew she would need her strength to get through the night ahead. Flashing a grateful smile at the maid, she picked at the food.
When she’d eaten all she could force down her tight throat, Beauty stood beside the tub, submitting herself to the dubious ministrations of the maid. The maid was a middle-aged woman, maybe forty, dressed in a plain, straight grey dress, with white lace at the neck and cuffs. Her brown hair was lightly streaked with grey, and pulled severely back into a tight bun. There was no welcoming light in her soft brown eyes. She seemed to take Beauty’s presence in the castle as just another distraction, a source of still more chores to be done.
She barely spoke to Beauty, and when she did, not in very civilized tones. She barely let the two men finish pouring boiling water into a large metal tub before she stripped Beauty’s clothes right off her body, ripping them, and silently pointed at the steaming bathtub.
Without
