You’ve never used my name before.
I flushed and wished I could tear my eyes away from his. But something in their blue depths seemed to hold me in a different sort of captivity. I remembered the way his mere presence used to unsettle me when I first arrived—the raw power and intensity so different from anything I had encountered before.
And then, suddenly, he was the one to break away, striding away from me without a word. I watched him disappear between two hedges and took a deep breath. Because my heart was pounding as if I had just run through the garden, and I couldn’t quite convince myself it was from fear.
Chapter 19
We had been eating the evening meal in Dominic’s room while he was still recuperating, but that night we were back in the dining hall. The prince made no mention of our interaction in the garden, talking calmly throughout the meal about our latest book. But I noticed his eyes seemed to hold additional warmth whenever they rested on me.
When he escorted me to the door, I dreaded what I knew would come next. When he asked if I would agree to marry him in the morning, his eyes glowed as they bore into mine. I grimaced.
“I don’t know why you insist on asking a question to which you already know the answer. When you break the curse, we will set a wedding date.”
I expected anger, the curse was a topic we always carefully avoided, but not the flash of pain that crossed his face, as if I had slapped him when he expected a kiss. His face settled into lines of cold anger, and it was the first time I realized how much his usual expression had changed since my arrival. This was like the Beast I had seen then.
I sighed and left the room. There was no point talking to him in such a mood, and I preferred to leave without a fight.
The next morning, he wasn’t in the entryway at our usual meeting time. I waited several minutes and then hurried to his room, afraid he had suffered some sort of relapse. But his chambers were empty.
For a moment, I glanced longingly at the curtain that covered the mirror, but I resolutely turned away. I was determined not to make the same mistakes twice. I returned instead to my room, hoping that I would find Tara still there tidying and could send her out on a reconnaissance mission. I was certain she could find information in much less than half the time it would take me.
But when I reached the room no one answered my calls. Even Gordon had apparently disappeared from his usual post outside my door. I frowned and crossed over to my window, wondering what I should do next. Had Dominic said something about not walking today that I had forgotten? Or was this because of our interactions the day before?
As I gazed outside, not really taking in what I was seeing, I noticed a flash of movement. Looking more closely, I saw a familiar figure riding along the front of the castle on Spitfire. I should have guessed he would go riding, now that the doctor had finally cleared him to do so. But why had he not invited me to join him?
I watched him until he disappeared around the corner of the building. Why did I feel hurt? When had I started desiring Dominic’s company? I stopped, catching myself on his name. When, in fact, had I stopped calling him the Beast in my mind?
After wandering listlessly around my chamber for nearly an hour, I gave myself a good shake. This castle still held many unanswered questions, and I wasn’t going to find any answers here. If the Beast had found other activities to fill his day, I could certainly do the same.
I headed straight for the kitchen, hoping to find Gordon and possibly to requisition a sticky bun. The servants knew by now that I liked them to announce themselves in my presence, so I was greeted with a round of cheery good mornings when I entered.
Princess Sophie, I’m sorry, were you looking for me? Lottie sounded contrite.
We wouldn’t have both come down here except that we thought you meant to spend the morning in the gardens, chimed in Tara.
It was quite thoughtless of us, said Lottie. It won’t happen again.
“Oh no, you’re both fine,” I replied. “There’s no point you sitting around all day in my chamber doing nothing when I’m otherwise occupied. I was actually looking for Gordon. Is he around here somewhere?”
That scamp! Gilda sounded flustered. I hope he hasn’t taken to hiding from you now, Your Highness. I’ll be sure to give him a piece of my mind when I see him next.
“Oh goodness, please don’t do so on my account,” I smiled in her direction. “I dare say I gave him the morning off and then forgot all about it. He has been extremely diligent, I assure you.”
Oh. Well then. In that case, I’m glad to hear it. He’s a well-meaning lad, with a good heart, but he can be mighty thoughtless at times.
He’s probably out regaling the stable boys yet again with the story of your fight with the wolves. I could almost hear Tara’s eye roll. He’s been getting excellent credit off that one.
Gilda sighed. Those boys! They’re nothing but a bad influence. But I can hardly keep him away, not when they’re the only lads his own age.
“No, indeed,” I agreed. “It seems quite wrong to keep a child of his age locked up in a kitchen.”
It was a fortunate day for us all when you arrived Princess Sophie, said Gilda, apparently overcome by my sentiment. A fortunate day, indeed.
“Well thank you.” I laughed. “But you all seem to have been managing tolerably well without me, so I dare say you would have continued to do so.”
Aye, for now, said a voice I vaguely recognized. But time’s running out, isn’t it?
You hold your tongue, Connor! snapped Gilda, allowing me to place the voice—the surly footman who we all agreed would not do for Lottie.
Tara quickly jumped in. We can help you, Princess Sophie. With whatever you wanted Gordon for.
Oh yes, of course! said Lottie.
I agreed, figuring I would have a better chance of getting an explanation for Connor’s strange comment if I interrogated them alone rather than in a kitchen full of servants. As we all made our way out of the room, I stole a sticky bun from a nearby tray, calling out a thank you to the general hubbub since the staff seemed to have taken my exit as a cue to resume their usual chaos.
I munched as I walked along, following Tara and Lottie’s voices as they debated which part of the castle to show me next. They eventually decided on the theater, and we started off down one of the wings. I licked the last of the sweet icing off my fingers, as I tried to come up with a strategy. No brilliant ideas presented themselves.
“What did Connor mean? About running out of time?” I asked eventually, hoping to surprise them into an answer.
But from their silence, I guessed they had been expecting it.
What does Connor ever mean? said Tara after a long pause. He’s always looking for a reason to be sour.