Her thoughts immediately flew to her sore bottom, at the way he spanked her so thoroughly. Although, it was as he said. He’d hurt her, he had not harmed her. She would remember her punishment when she sat down for a day or two, but it wasn’t like he’d crippled her.
Or ate her. That was something to be grateful for.
Beast looked around his castle as though seeing it for the first time. “I suppose, if you’ll be staying awhile, we could arrange more suitable sleeping quarters for you.”
“In your bed,” she guessed.
“You’ll have your own suite.” He spoke louder, and Belle realized he was probably summoning the fairies. “Belle will need a suite, with a four poster bed, a bath, dresses in the armoire, and a fire ready for her.”
“The fairies can do all that?” she asked.
“Fairies?” He shook his head and began to say something, but it just sounded like growling to her.
“Pardon?”
“Never mind. If you’d like to believe we have a fairy infestation, then by all means. Believe what you will.” Beast gestured for her to follow him up the stairs and into the west wing of the castle.
She followed, mesmerized by the glorious tapestries and paintings that adorned the long hallways. Where had a beast gotten such wealth?
One oil painting, of a young man, about her age perhaps, caught her eye. His handsome face seemed to draw her in. Belle stopped in front of it, gazing at the portrait.
“He’s beautiful,” she whispered.
“Thank you,” Beast said. “I mean…I’m glad you appreciate the art in my castle.”
There was something familiar about the young man’s intense green eyes.
“Do I—do I know him?” she asked.
“Perhaps. You would have been a child when this portrait was taken.”
She looked at the inscription on the gold plaque beneath the portrait. It said “Prince Frederick,” and was dated ten years prior. That would have been when she was nine years old, and certainly never out and about, gazing into handsome princes’ green eyes.
“I suppose I don’t,” she said.
For some reason the thought made her sad. What had become of that young man? Perhaps the portrait was from another country. She’d never heard of a Prince Frederick before.
Beast kept walking down the corridor, so she followed.
“I imagine you ate everyone who lived in this castle,” Belle said. “That’s why they aren’t here, and…you are.”
Beast whirled around, and she was so caught off guard that she stumbled against his enormous chest.
“I’m sorry,” she gasped.
“That is not what happened.”
“The painting was ten years ago. Ten years ago, you changed. You told me so. I was merely…taking an educated guess.”
“There was nothing educated about it,” Beast said. “And if you’ll be staying under my roof for the next six months, you might want to reconsider playing guessing games if you want us to get along.”
She put her hand to her mouth. “I apologize.”
“We’re here.” He stopped in front of a large door, with the words “Belle’s Suite” etched into a small silver placard on the door. “If you need anything—”
“I’ll just ask the fairies,” she finished for him.
“Um, yes. Exactly.”
“Will I be sleeping…uninterrupted?” She blushed as she spoke the words, but she had to know if he’d be taking her up on their deal tonight.
“Dawn is almost here. Sleep as late as you’d like. I won’t bother you until you come to me.”
“But…what if I never choose to…come to you?”
Beast raised his heavy brow. “Your six months begins when you do. Take as long as you need.”
He held opened the door to her suite and she stepped inside, reveling at the sight of the large four poster bed with the flowing white linens, the glowing warmth of the fire burning in the fireplace, and most of all…the roses. They were everywhere, the scent beckoning her.
“Good night, beauty.”
***
Belle shut the door behind her, pressing her ear to the wood until she could hear the Beast’s heavy footsteps continue down the hall. The suite was far more luxurious than even the home she’d lived in with her Papa, before he lost all of his wealth. She went to the bath, which was already filled with steaming hot water. Rose petals floated on the top of the water.
With a heavy sigh she removed her dress and sank into the tub, grateful for a chance to wash off the insanity of the night so she could start fresh. She smelled like hay from the cell, and had dirt on her legs from falling in the woods. The water soothed her aching buttocks.