TFT 01 Beauty and the Beast (14 page)

Severin bowed slightly—Elle could tell only because the white cuffs of his dark waistcoat dipped lower. “You are welcome,” he paused. “I should take my leave.”

Elle’s smile dimmed. “Of course. Have a pleasant evening.” She watched Severin’s dark shape slip to the door, and closed her eyes. She startled when there was a thump at her bedside.

Severin placed an armchair a short distance from her bed and settled into it. “You will not require conversation,” he said, pulling a small book from inside his waistcoat.

Elle mutely shook her head.

Severin nodded. “Go to sleep,” he added as an afterthought before turning all of his attention to his book.

Elle watched Severin read, occasionally sneezing and sniffling. The prince stirred only to add logs to the fireplace, and eventually Elle’s eyelids sank and she again drifted off to sleep.

A week later Elle laughed as she hurried up a hallway. Jock scurried after her, barking in sheer joy—although he occasionally stopped to snap at a decorative suit of armor or painting.

“Come on, Jock,” Elle called. The little dog was halfway down the hallway, panting heavily.

A door creaked open and Severin exited his study. “You are making a great deal of noise considering you have just recovered from a cold.”

“I’m celebrating the recovery and the regaining of my independence. One cannot celebrate quietly,” Elle said.

“I don’t suppose you do much of
anything
quietly,” Severin dryly said.

“Correct. Jock!”

Severin winced at Elle’s shout, but Jock ran the remaining distance to Elle’s side.

“Where are you going?” Elle asked as the fluffy dog plopped down at her feet.

“The library. I need some research materials.”

“In that case Jock and I shall accompany you,” Elle gallantly offered.

“I am surprised your keeper has released you. Does she know you are raising a racket?” Severin asked as they started down the hallway. Jock ran ahead of them.

“Emele gave me her blessing to run free. She is occupied, supervising the cleaning of my room.”

“Ah, that would explain your celebration.”

“You should be happy. You will not be forced to dine alone,” Elle said.

“I will not dignify that comment with a response,” Severin said, pulling a chuckle out of Elle.

“If anything, I should—whoop!” Elle said as they reached the main floor and Severin pulled her back in the hallway.

“Avert your eyes,” Severin said, his voice quiet.

“What?”

“The mongrel has found Heloise.”

“I don’t understand,” Elle said, craning to see the housekeeper and Jock.

The well groomed Papillon barked as he flew down the stairs, bounding up to Heloise. The tall, stork-like housekeeper had her hands planted on her hips, but when Jock circled her she crouched and held out her arms.

The dog launched himself at her, and she held him like a baby, tickling his tummy as she stood. A smile, the first smile Elle had ever seen Heloise display, was on her face.

Elle stared at the spectacle. “Incredible,” she finally said.

Heloise reached into an apron pocket and pulled out a tidbit of food, which she fed to Jock.

“That explains why he’s overweight.”

“Yes,” Severin said before again pulling her deeper into the hallway. “Heloise has a soft spot for the mutt. Everyone pretends not to know. She thinks it would ruin her reputation.”

“She does not know you are aware of her affection?” Elle asked, watching the severe woman walk off, still cuddling Jock.

“Yes,” Severin said, waiting until Heloise disappeared down the kitchen corridor. “What?” he said when he realized Elle was staring at him.

“You are surprisingly thoughtful in some situations,” Elle said.

Severin’s cat ears briefly went flat. “
Some
?”

Elle followed Severin when he started walking again. “You are a prince. I have seen enough royalty to know that they generally are not the thoughtful type.”

“I am a general, not a prince,” Severin said.

“You are a prince, Your Highness,” Elle firmly said. “May I speak plainly?”

Severin snorted. “I have never known you not to.”

“You are how a prince should be, mostly anyway, Your Highness.”

“I do not believe I have ever been given such a backhanded compliment before,” Severin dryly said.

“It shocks me that you personally know your servants—and not just their names. You are aware of their feelings.”

“Every good general knows his men.”

“Yes, but I know firsthand that not many nobles see the merit in knowing their servants,” Elle said.

Severin twitched his cat whiskers. “My staff supported me, and continue to support me, in a time where very few others did. They have made sacrifices to be part of my household. I owe them my respect.”

Elle halted when they reached the library door. “You are a befuddling man, Severin.”

Severin paused in the threshold of the doorway. “And you are intelligent, for a peasant,”

Elle made a sweeping bow with her crutch. “I am a rare strain of the breed,” she said. When she tipped upright there was no trace of amusement on her face.

Severin frowned. “What?”

Elle shook her head. “I don’t know what to make of you.”

“In what way?”

“You care for your servants and value them, but you are also ruthless.”

Severin shrugged. “A military leader must make informed decisions. He cannot be emotional.”

“I wasn’t talking about your service in the military,” Elle said, the words slipping out in a voice that was colder than she meant for it to be. She shook her head. “Forgive me, I spoke out of turn. I hope you find the book you are looking for,” she said, making her escape.

“Elle.”

Elle stopped and twisted so she could see Severin.

“You are correct. I am absolutely ruthless when it comes to protecting those I love. I will sacrifice whatever, or whoever, is necessary.”

“You say it proudly, like it’s something to be commended.”

“Isn’t it?”

Elle raised an eyebrow. “No, not when the price is not a sacrifice you pay. Not when morals are crossed because of it.”

Severin narrowed his eyes. “My ‘ruthlessness’ is a sign of my devotion. I am loyal without a fault—perhaps that is something
you
could learn,” Severin said before entering the library and shutting the door behind him with a bang.

Elle rearranged her crutches. “I could have handled that better.”

Elle picked at her food, pushing her buttered asparagus around her plate. She glanced at Severin, who was seated on the far end of the table. He was dividing his attention between eating and making notes. He hadn’t even acknowledged Elle when she arrived.

Elle shoved a forkful of asparagus in her mouth and thoughtfully chewed. She lost the hard earned camaraderie she had been carefully building by letting her emotions get the best of her and blurting out the words of her heart.

Severin was wrong because of the way he would callously use people for his own devices, but Elle had to admit he wasn’t the cruel, loveless man she thought him to be. And if Elle wanted to repair their friendship she would have to do the footwork. Severin was too proud to help her.

The servants posted at the walls hung their heads, as if personally saddened by Elle and Severin’s row. They perked up when Elle spoke.

“How are the gardens?”

Severin did not look up from his papers and grunted.

The servants smiled and nodded at Elle as she spoke. “Are they fully winterized yet?”

Severin pushed away a paper and reached for a book.

“Emele tells me it is likely to be an early winter. I hope she is wrong,” Elle said.

Severin ate his fish and did not respond.

Elle set her fork down. “Severin, stop pretending you cannot hear me and listen. I am sorry.”

Severin raised his glowing eyes. “For what?”

“For what I said this afternoon.”

“You admit you are wrong?”

“Wrong about what part?”

“Ruthlessness is to be commended if it is for the good of another.”

Elle sipped her tea. “No, that part I do not regret. I was wrong to accuse you of not making sacrifices. I shouldn’t have said that, and I apologize.”

“So you believe determination in securing protection for another is wrong?”

“I suspect what we are disagreeing about is the method of protection, not the desire to protect in itself.”

“Explain.”

“You believe the ends justify the means, yes? As long as the outcome is what you desire—protecting those you love—the way you achieve the goal doesn’t matter.”

“I suppose that is one way to say it. You think otherwise?”

“I do. I would also give much to help and protect those I love, but I would not compromise my morals to accomplish such goals,” Elle said.

Severin sipped his wine. “Then you will not be able to fully protect those you love, and they will die.”

“They’re going to die eventually. We are born to die. And saying they will die because I will not forsake doing what is right is melodramatic. No one is going to come into their house and place a sword to my sisters’ throats and a sword to the throat of the old man who lives next to them and tell me to choose. It is the little things I would be asked to compromise. By making those compromises I would not be choosing to show my devotion, I would merely be taking the easiest path,” Elle said, picking up her silverware.

“I find myself unconvinced,” Severin said, his cat whiskers shoved forward as he grimaced.

Elle shrugged. “I did not think I would convince you.”

“I believe the difference in our stations is what creates the clash of our beliefs,” Severin said. “You will never be called to make a drastic sacrifice for your family, but for my brother and me it is a common occurrence.”

Elle clenched her fork and knife until her hands shook. The servants nearest to her eyed her silent display of anger and looked worriedly to their master.

“Severin,” Elle said, her tone was calm. “You don’t know the first thing about my family. Please refrain from making light of my situation,” she said before shoving another spear of asparagus in her mouth.

Severin studied her as she chewed. “I apologize,” he said. “My words were careless.”

“I take no offense,” Elle said, reaching for her tea.

“Tell me about your family,” Severin said.

Elle choked on her tea. “Pardon?” she said when her coughing subsided.

“You said I know nothing of your family. Enlighten me,” Severin said, crunching on candied fruit.

Elle leaned back in her chair, as if her spine had collapsed. “I am the oldest of three daughters. My mother died when I was young,” Elle said. She had to be careful with the truths she told.

“Your father?”

“He is alive and well. My sisters live with him in the countryside.”

“What profession is your father chiefly occupied in?”

“Gardening mostly, and caring for the hay crop. My family lives on a small farm. My sisters raise goats and chickens.”

“What did he do previously?”

“I don’t understand,” Elle said.

“Your manner of speaking is too educated for you to be of the peasant class. I assume your father had a higher post when you were young.”

“He was a merchant,” Elle said. “He lost the business after a string of unfortunate events.”

Severin stopped eating. “You are an indentured servant to the crown,” he guessed. “The crown paid your family debts in return for your service?”

“Yes.”

“I apologize for my thoughtless words. You have made immense sacrifices for your family,” Severin said.

“You couldn’t have known.”

Severin ate and Elle thoughtfully studied the servants—who were hiding private smiles.

“A truce then?” Elle asked.

Severin looked up.

“We are friends again?” Elle asked.

Severin twitched his whiskers again, this time in amusement. “If you wish.”

“I do,” Elle insisted before she stood, groaning. “Once again I have consumed too much, but I cannot help it. The food is much too good. Bernadine is going to make me as overweight as Jock,” Elle said, patting her stomach before she retrieved her crutches and propped them under her arms.