Beauty's Beast(88)
“Roast beef, ma’am? For breakfast?”
“Just do it, Nan, please.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Feeling numb inside, Kristine took off her sleeping gown and put on a day dress of dark gray silk. She was ever conscious of the wolf—of Erik—lying on the floor, his eyes watching her every move.
How long would he stay here, she wondered. How long before he forgot who he was? Would he seek out Valaree and her family? It pained her to know that he would probably be happier with the werewolf clan than here, with her.
She placed a hand over her belly as she felt the baby’s lusty kick. Poor little babe, she thought. Never to know your father. How shall I ever explain it to you?
“Lady Kristine?”
She opened the door to Caddaric. His gaze searched her face. “It’s happened, hasn’t it?”
She nodded and stepped back so he could enter the room.
Caddaric drew a sharp breath as Erik stood up. “Have you tried talking to him?” the wizard asked. “Does he understand you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Erik, bark once if you understand me.”
The wolf barked once, his gray eyes filled with frustration and anger.
“I cannot bear it,” Kristine said softly. “Is there nothing you can do?”
“I’m afraid not.”
There was another knock at the door. Kristine blinked back her tears as she crossed the floor to admit Nan. The maid’s eyes grew wide when she saw the wolf standing beside the bed.
“It’s all right, Nan,” Kristine said, taking the tray from the girl’s hands. “Thank you.”
Nan pointed at the wolf with a hand that trembled. “Where did that come from?”
“He is my pet,” Caddaric said smoothly. “You needn’t be afraid. He won’t harm you.”
“Your pet? I’ve never in all my life seen a wolf that big! Why, he’s as big as a pony. How did he get here?”
Caddaric raised one brow. “I conjured him, of course. I am, after all, a wizard.”
Nan glanced at Kristine, at the wolf, at Caddaric, then hurried out of the room.
“Do you intend to tell the staff about this?” Caddaric asked.
Kristine shook her head. “No. I shall tell them that Erik was called away on business.”
“Yes, perhaps that would be best,” the wizard agreed. He let out a heavy sigh. “I do not look forward to telling Edith.”
Kristine nodded, glad she would not have to tell Erik’s mother that the transformation was complete.
She set the tray on the table and removed the lid. The sight of the roast beef somehow made it all real. She put the plate on the floor and stepped back.
The wolf looked at it, then looked up at her. With a shake of his head, he ran out of the room.
Moments later, there was a scream from the kitchen followed by the crash of crockery.
Caddaric and Kristine hurried downstairs to find Erik scratching at the back door. Mrs. Grainger stood with her hack to the wall, her face as white as her apron.
“It’s all right, Mrs. Grainger,” Kristine said. She opened the door and the wolf ran outside. “He’s harmless.”
“Harmless! I’ve never in all my life seen a wolf as big as that one. However did the beast get into the house?”
“He belongs to Caddaric. Didn’t Nan tell you?”
Mrs. Grainger shook her head. “Will it be staying here, in the house?”
“Yes.”
Mrs. Grainger sank down onto one of the kitchen chairs. A moment later, Yvette came bursting into the room. “There’s a huge black wolf in the yard!”
“It’s all right, Yvette,” Kristine said. “He’s quite tame.”
Caddaric grinned. “I think I had best go and inform the rest of the staff.”
Kristine nodded. “Thank you.”
“Talk to the staff about what?”
All heads turned as Edith appeared in the kitchen doorway.
“Whatever is going on?” Edith glanced at Mrs. Grainger’s pale face, at Kristine’s red-rimmed eyes, at the grave expression on her husband’s face. “Oh,” she exclaimed softly.
“Come, my dear,” Caddaric said, and wrapping one arm around Edith’s shoulder, he led her out of the room.
Kristine patted Mrs. Grainger’s hand. “I doubt if anyone will be having breakfast this morning,” she said. “You might send some tea up to Erik’s mother.”
“Yes, my lady.” Mrs. Grainger stood up.
Heavy-hearted, Kristine left the kitchen and returned to her room. Finding a sheet of paper, she sat down and began to write.
It was the most difficult letter she had ever written.
He ran effortlessly, tirelessly. Two days had passed since the transformation. The reality of it was his worst nightmare come true. He ran for miles. He killed a rabbit, devouring the poor creature in three quick bites. The meat and blood were sweet on his tongue. He drank from the stream that ran behind the castle, basked in the sun. And all the while his mind screamed that it could not be true. Each morning he woke in Kristine’s room, hoping it had all been a dream. And each morning he faced the truth in her eyes.