Devastation: A Beauty and the Beast Novel (19 page)

Father excused himself to look at books on
one of the far shelves.

“I’ve slept poorly these last few nights and
pressing cider is tiresome work. I would prefer to retire
early.”

He bowed his head as if in acceptance. I
knew better. He hid his smile.

* * * *

Sleeping on a torn, lumpy mattress made my
slumber restless and light. The slightest noise roused me as did
the slamming of Alec’s door at some point during the night. I lay
awake a long while after, straining to hear the slightest noise,
but all was silent. The quiet was worse than the previous night’s
rage. What was he planning?

The next day, he glared at me over breakfast
and maintained his surly mood throughout the morning. When he
excused himself from our midday meal, I wondered what he would do
next.

Later that evening, when I stepped into my
room, I discovered a large space where my bed and torn mattress had
once existed. I hoped he hadn’t destroyed the bed further when
removing it. Backtracking, I went to the laundry and took what
blankets and bedding I could to make myself a nest on the
floor.

Exhaustion did not aid me to sleep. My mind
refused to calm. I considered Alec’s anger over my change in rooms.
He had agreed he needed to marry. Surely his comment about only
marrying me was false. He would do what was needed in order to
maintain his freedom. Wouldn’t he?

Chapter 9

My back objected when I rose the next
morning, and my arms begged to be left alone as I dressed. Had I an
actual bed, I would have remained in my room several more hours and
ignored my protesting stomach.

I opened my door and squeaked at the sight
of Alec. He hadn’t made a sound in the hall to warn me that he
stood just outside the door. His eyes were bloodshot, and he wore
the same clothes as the prior day.

He scowled at me.

“I vow, tonight you will sleep where you
belong.”

He turned and walked to his room. I stared
after him and hoped he would stay in his room to rest nearly as
much as I hoped he would continue to help us press the apples.
After his door slapped shut, I quietly left my sanctuary.

When I entered the kitchen, I found Bryn and
Kara hard at work. Bryn rolled out thin sheets of dough while Kara
sliced apples, equally thin.

“Good morning, Miss Hovtel,” Kara said with
a smile. “Would you care to sample one of the apple tartlets we’re
making?”

“Please. I’m starving and will sample
anything you set before me.”

She smiled as she went to the warming oven
where she withdrew a full plate.

“I’d hoped you would be hungry,” she said as
she brought the food to me.

On the plate, she had several types of
tartlets, bits of apple that looked brown, and a serving of thick
oats mixed with more brown bits of apple.

“May I sit with you?” she asked.

“Of course.”

She studied me closely as I sampled
everything, and I knew she was waiting for my opinion.

“The tartlets are delicious.”

“Good. With Lord Ruhall’s intent to marry,
Bryn and I thought we might need some form of refreshment in supply
for any callers.”

Bryn was a gossip. I’d known that. Yet, it
still irked me that she’d told Kara.

“A sound plan. This bit here,” I said,
pointing to the brown apple pieces. “It was surprisingly sweet. I’d
thought it burnt at first glance.” I popped the last morsel into my
mouth and chewed.

“We set some of the slices in the warming
oven last night to dry them. Often, stored apples rot too fast.
Dried apples last much longer. I used the dried pieces to sweeten
the oats to show you how they could be consumed.”

“It was very tasty,” I said.

She smiled broadly.

“I’d hope you would say that and allow me to
dry some more.”

“Take as many apples as you want. The fewer
to press, the happier I will be.”

She thanked me and took away my empty plate.
Sated, I walked out the laundry’s door and found Alec already at
the press.

He cranked the handle ruthlessly. Knowing
him to be in a mood, I carefully did not turn my back to him as I
filled a bucket with apples. He watched me approach and narrowed
his eyes as I dumped the fruit into the chute. The way he acted
reminded me of our earlier attempts to pent up his energies in the
moments just before he would run and find the wood nymph.

However, Egrit was no longer his target. I
wasn’t sure what to do about him.

Father joined us before I’d added the fourth
bucket, and I almost sighed with relief. He moved to help me fill
buckets, and Alec continued with his wheel.

We worked a long while that way before
Father offered to take a turn at the wheel. Alec quickly agreed.
Neither Father nor I could compete with Alec’s endurance, but we
tried to help.

As I bent to pick up more apples, something
brushed against my backside. A hand gripped my hip. I straightened
with a blush and glanced at my father who busily turned the wheel.
Glaring at Alec, I pushed him back a step.

“Stop this,” I whispered.

“No,” he said, not bothering to lower his
voice.

“Beast,” I hissed.

He grinned at me.

“I need to rest,” Father said suddenly.
“This work is taxing me.”

And faster than I could blink, he left me
alone with Alec in the courtyard.

As Father’s steps faded, Alec’s grin
widened. He’d rolled up his sleeves at some point during his labor,
and his shirt was damp with sweat. My heart skipped a beat. He took
a step toward me, and I retreated in time as if we danced. His eyes
narrowed, and he reached out to grab me. I ducked under his arm and
sprinted for the door. Behind me, I heard apples tumble and his
curse. A glance showed him on the ground due to a tipped basket. I
didn’t hesitate but fled to the kitchen.

Kara looked up in surprise as I burst into
the room.

“Kara, do you have a pitcher of cold
water?”

“Yes, right th—”

I rushed to where she pointed and snatched
up the pitcher just as Alec stomped into the room. His gaze
immediately landed on me. We stared at each other, both of us
breathing heavily but for different reasons. Anger and lust fueled
him. Fear had me tossing the contents of the pitcher in his
face.

For a moment, stunned silence claimed the
kitchen.

“Benella!”

I ignored Bryn’s censure and stared at Alec,
awaiting his reaction. Mr. Crow stepped from his office.

“Is there a problem, Lord Ruhall?” he
asked.

Alec’s eyes narrowed on me briefly.

“No problem. I think I’ll go change.” He
turned away and said over his shoulder, “Have Miss Hovtel take a
tray to the library.”

I swallowed hard, glanced at Mr. Crow, and
shook my head slightly. Alec wasn’t done with me; but, I wasn’t
foolish enough to enter into whatever game he saw us playing.

Mr. Crow turned to Bryn who stared at me
with her mouth open.

“Mrs. Rouflyn, please take a tray to Lord
Ruhall.”

She nodded and started preparing a tray. I
watched her for a moment, knowing Alec would only become more
impossible when he saw Bryn.

“Mr. Crow,” I said, “how many pitchers do we
have?”

“Several, Miss Hotvel.”

“Good. Each room needs a full pitcher of
water. When we run out of pitchers, use buckets just inside the
doors.”

“I will see to it myself,” he said with a
bow before he left the room.

I left the kitchen and tried to decide where
Father might be. Most likely the library, the very place I did not
want to go. Hoping Alec still changed, I cautiously hurried through
the halls and paused outside the library door. When I peeked
inside, I found Father reclined on the lounge, comfortably reading
a book.

“With respect, you’re not so old as to be
taxed enough to warrant an afternoon nap,” I said, entering the
room. “Why did you abandon me? Twice now.”

“Abandon? Never. I trust Alec to keep within
the boundaries you’ve established with him.”

I snorted. I didn’t even trust Alec to keep
within the boundaries.

“Bini, you’ve upset him.”

“He has upset me.” I crossed my arms.

“He told me you’ve rejected his proposal
more times than he has toes. His words.”

My arms fell to my sides. Counting the times
he’d asked me as the beast, I had rejected him that many times.
Father sat up and patted the lounge next to him.

“Why, Bini?”

I sighed and sat beside him.

“Because of so many reasons. What happened
with the baker makes marriage a less than appealing state, and it
broke my trust in Lord Ruhall. I also thought I didn’t know him;
but lately, I’m wondering if I say no because I don’t know
myself.”

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and
hugged me to his side to kiss my temple.

“Of all of us, you know yourself best. Trust
your heart and your head to lead you to the right choice.”

Mr. Crow entered the room and discreetly set
a bucket of water just within the door.

“Thank you, Mr. Crow,” I said to him.

He gave a single nod and left.

“Should I ask?” Father said.

“Probably not.”

A few moments later, Mr. Crow returned.

“There is a caller for Lord Ruhall. I’ve put
her in the front sitting room.”

A caller? So soon?

“Please have Bryn provide refreshment and
let Lord Ruhall know. I believe he’s in his room, changing.”

Mr. Crow didn’t move. I watched him glance
at Father before focusing on me once more.

“It’s your sister, Blye.”

“Don’t bother with the refreshment.”

“Benella,” Father said chidingly.

“I understand you must love your children,
but I will not encourage what she intends with pampered attention
and sweet treats.”

Mr. Crow nodded and left the library. I
stood, too.

“I should try to dissuade her. In Alec’s
current mood, I don’t believe he will tolerate her attempted
manipulations well.”

“I quite agree,” Father said after a weary
sigh.

I left him on the lounge with his book and
sought out my sister. I found her sitting serenely in a new dress,
drowning in yards of pink lace.

“Hello, Blye.”

“Benella,” she said indifferently. “Is Lord
Ruhall on his way?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea. Why are you
here?”

“As if you don’t know. You’ve always been
close mouthed, but how could you keep such news as Lord Ruhall’s
need to wed to yourself? You weren’t hoping he’d marry you, were
you?”

The heat of anger colored my cheeks as she
continued in a patronizing tone.

“You’re not precisely the model of a lady.
Pants, fishing, hunting, foraging...” She shook her head.

“You didn’t so disregard those skills when
they kept you from starving. And what skills do you possess that
you think might tempt him to forget your groveling pleas for mercy
when he asked you to stay with him in exchange for Father’s
life?”

She didn’t look the slightest bit put off by
the reminder. Instead, she fluffed her skirt and smiled
serenely.

“He’s no longer the beast.”

“He is the same, only changed in form. He’s
forgotten nothing. Spare yourself humiliation or worse. Leave.”

A throat cleared behind me. I turned and saw
Mr. Crow.

“Miss Hovtel,” he said, looking at Blye.
“Lord Ruhall is unable to take callers today.”

“Will he be available tomorrow?” she asked,
crossing the room to stand before Mr. Crow.

“He will be unavailable to all callers until
after the feast. He begs you understand the time and attention it
takes to coordinate such an affair.”

“Of course,” she said serenely.

“Might you want to see your father?” he
asked.

She waved a hand negligibly.

“I haven’t the time. I must return to the
shop.”

“I will see you out,” he said with a bow.
Since he left her no choice, she followed him from the room.

With effort, I pushed my sister’s visit from
my mind and focused on the problem at hand. Alec was angry with me;
and if he hadn’t already realized I wasn’t in the library waiting
for him, he would soon. Thinking quickly, I went in search of
Egrit.

I survived the rest of the day by sending
Mrs. Palant to help with the press while I helped Egrit dust. Egrit
didn’t comment on the change. However, she did ask if I was well
several times throughout the afternoon because I jumped at the
slightest sounds.

By evening, I’d exhausted myself with worry
over what trouble he might cause next.

When I went to my room, the nest of blankets
remained as I’d left them. I carefully locked the door and
undressed for bed. It didn’t take me long to fall asleep.

* * * *

Fingers trailed over my skin, tracing a
burning path from navel to knee. I woke with an aching need that
smothered any sense of worry. Turning my head, I found Alec beside
me. I blinked at him, trying to focus. How had he gotten in?

His dark gaze held mine as his fingers
barely missed the v of my legs. My breath hitched, and I almost
forgot my question.

I closed my eyes and turned my head away to
escape his focus. The pillow shifted under me, and I became aware
that I lay on a bed, not the floor. I opened my eyes once more and
saw his wardrobe. He’d moved me.

His lips suddenly skimmed along my neck. I
sighed, and my eyes drifted closed. His fingers continued their
languid strokes, tempting me, begging me to part my knees and give
them access. I wanted nothing more than to give in to his
seduction. My need almost robbed me of thought and will, as did his
fingers and mouth.

I needed to deny him. Why? I couldn’t
remember...

He nibbled his way from my neck to my
shoulder. My skin tingled with fire and life. Then he licked my
collarbone. He lifted his head and moved so his mouth hovered over
my left breast. He exhaled, the hot air creating an ache. I knew
what he intended, and I wanted it more than I wanted my next
breath.