But I knew now I would never even have noticed the others if Prince Dominic had been there, too. Even as young as he must have been when he sat for this portrait, he made Teddy look like a boy. I couldn’t explain exactly why, but it hurt me to look at him as he used to be, his face so closed and hard.
I overheard someone say that King Nicolas wanted theirs to be the biggest of all the pictures. Did you know that they had four horses on the carriage that brought it here from the capital?
How in the kingdoms would I know such a thing? But apparently the question was rhetorical because he forged ahead. Four horses just for a picture. Can you imagine? I’d like to drive four horses, someday. I don’t suppose you brought four horses with you? On your carriage perhaps?
“I’m afraid not. I rode.” I tried to steer the conversation back to the royals, eager to take advantage of the opportunity to talk to someone who didn’t guard their words. “Did you ever meet King Nicolas?”
No. The king never comes here. And I was only three the last time Queen Ruby and Princess Adelaide visited. Gilda tried to lock me in the kitchen the whole time. He sounded scornful of such an attempt. They were here for a week, and on the first day I climbed up to the cooling pies the chef had made for the evening meal. I ate so much I felt sick for days. They let me out after that.
I could easily imagine the havoc a determined three-year-old could wreak on a busy kitchen and felt sorry for everyone involved. I wanted to ask him what had happened to the rest of the Beast’s family but didn’t want to rush into it in case he clammed up after all and refused to answer any more questions.
“Did the prince not get on with his father?”
Gordon snorted. No one got on with old King Nicolas. He was a monster even without a curse. The adults are always sending me out of the room when they talk about it, so I have to listen at the doors. If you weren’t a princess, I’d tell you some of the stories, but it doesn’t seem right to tell a princess such awful things.
I once again examined King Nicolas, the man who had wanted his own portrait to dominate the gallery. It wasn’t at all hard to believe the man in the picture had done despicable things. His wife, on the other hand…
“And what of Queen Ruby? What stories have you heard about her?”
I don’t need stories, I met her myself. He sounded proud. Well, I was only three, so pretty much a baby, but I remember her, a little. And Princess Adelaide. The princess played with me every day after they let me out of the kitchen. And the queen gave me the biggest red ball you ever saw. He fell silent, apparently dwelling on the magnificence of this gift. I would still have it, too, if Michael hadn’t ‘borrowed’ it and lost it. I tried to make him give me his ball, even if it wasn’t as nice as mine, but he’s a big bully. He dwelt on the injustice of the situation.
“I’m sorry it was lost. If I get the chance, I’ll try to find you another ball.”
Really? That would show up Michael! Make sure it’s a red one, though. His is only brown.
“I’ll do my best. Perhaps I can ask the queen where she got the original one from.”
Ask her? Gordon easily took my bait. You can’t talk to someone who’s been dead for years! Really! Girls. I could easily picture him shaking his head in scorn.
So, Queen Ruby was dead. I glanced between her and her terrifying husband. Did that mean King Nicolas was dead also? I felt guilty for hoping so, but I didn’t think I could cope with both the Beast and his father—at least not if the king was anything like this portrait made him look.
A heaviness gripped me. I had suspected before I came that the missing Palinaran king and queen must be dead, but I had still held out some hope. My eyes once again traveled to the prince. Could the Beast have had some hand in the deaths of his parents? I wouldn’t have even considered the possibility if not for the darkness and misery of the Tourney—a reflection of the Beast himself. And I had now seen his temper first hand.
If he had killed them, would that have been enough to curse his kingdom? It was a chilling possibility, but hard to countenance in the face of his servants’ support—and that of a godmother, supposedly. A godmother, despite the fact that the rest of the kingdoms hadn’t seen one in generations.
But still the seed of doubt lingered.
Chapter 11
Gordon suggested we move on, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave the captivating portrait. I took several steps back, trying to get far enough to absorb the scope of the whole family at once. It was strange to see such similar features animated in such different ways.
What are you doing here? The now familiar growl sounded so abruptly that I jumped.
I put a hand on my racing heart and glared at the Beast. “I’m merely entertaining myself in your portrait gallery. I assume you didn’t hang all of these works of art just so you could forbid anyone ever looking at them.”
I didn’t hang any of them. And I would burn this one if it were not for…
When he didn’t continue, I frowned, sure he had been finally about to say something of interest. I glanced as surreptitiously as possible between the Beast himself and this portrait of Prince Dominic. He was recognizable still, especially the eyes. But his current face appeared even more misshapen against the image of what it used to be. Had I made a mistake by searching out his portrait—his previous humanity only highlighting his current beastly state?
This wing is forbidden to you.
I jumped again at the aggression in his tone after such a long silence. “Of course I shall not enter your chambers, but what reason can you have for barring me from this hall?”
I do not need a reason. Each word was punctuated by the ghost of a growl.
“You do if you wish me to continue to eat with you each night.”
I waited while he weighed the two. What did he have in this wing that he felt such a strong need to bar me from it? Surely the answers I sought must lie here, somewhere.
He looked at the portrait, and I couldn’t begin to read the storm of emotions that flashed across his face. But then, how could it not cause him pain to look on his dead parents and his old self? I wanted to call back my words. To tell him that I would stay away. But I thought of Lily and hardened my heart. He had already caused me great pain, and I could not allow myself to become weak.
Very well, he said at last. I will see you tonight, Sophie.
As before, in the corridor, his use of my name shocked me. The sound of it in my mind felt as intimate as a caress. I had to force myself to hold his gaze, and something in his expression told me he knew it.
I clenched my teeth as he gave me the shallowest of bows and exited the room. When would I stop being thrown off balance by his presence?
Wow! I had completely forgotten Gordon. You stood up to him just as well as old Matthew does!
I understood from our earlier conversation that this was high praise.
“Thank you.” I sighed. “Could you show me the way back to my room?” If I was to eat with the Beast again, then I wanted a chance to rest first. And I would need Tara and Lottie’s help with making arrangements for my new page boy.