Read Online Beauty and the Beast (Faerie Tale Collection) by Jenni James - Free Book Online

marriage from the prince. If he did not propose now, how much worse would the ramifications be? If Prince Alexander walked away, hoping to court her as an impossible beast, wouldn’t her life be over? Would not the town destroy what little bit of dignity and gaiety and laughter she had left? It would ruin her for sure.
    And yet, if he did not, how could he live without her forever? In just over six months, he would evermore remain a hideous beast without any chance of regaining normalcy again.
    She, in the end, would lose him anyway.
    And he would lose her.
    Gah! Prince Alexander dismounted from Sterling and shook his head to chase away the frustrations. He needed to clear his mind for his meeting with Lord Bellemount in a few minutes. Leaving the stables, he quickly changed into clean clothes—deciding something less “princely” and more “normal” would be best for his cousin the duke.
    By the time he’d made it back downstairs and into the great room, Lord Bellemount was already waiting for him. “So there you are!” his cousin exclaimed as he came into the room.
    “Here I am.” Alexander smiled. “Have you been waiting long?”
    “Not as long as I would have preferred to.” Bellemount smirked and nodded his head to the side. “Your maid is quite fetching.”
    Alexander watched as the pretty maid blushed and then dipped into a curtsy. “You’re welcome to go, Madeline. Tell my mother I’ll be in here with Lord Bellemount for a good hour or so.”
    “Yes, your highness.” She curtsied again and scurried out.
    Alexander watched his cousin closely. “You didn’t do anything to the poor girl, did you?”
    Bellemount laughed and shrugged, looking everything but innocent. “And what would I do within the walls of the castle, knowing you would be joining me soon?” He chuckled as if he knew something the prince did not.
    “Frederick.” Alexander called him by the name his cousin had detested since childhood. “If you even lay a finger on the gel, I’ll chop it off.”
    “I vow I did not touch her. I only flirted a bit and made her blush. She is very sweet.”
    “She is also very off limits.” The prince found a chair and sat down facing his cousin.
    Frederick followed suit and sprawled out upon the large sofa. “Admit it, cuz. You’ve thought about kissing her more than once.”
    Images of Cecelia’s perfect lips sprung to Alexander’s mind. He smiled.
    “Aha!” crowed Lord Bellemount, “I knew you had. I can tell you have just by your smile.”
    Alexander simply stated, “Then you would be wrong. I have never looked at Madeline in that light and I never will.”
    “Then who made you smile just then?” he asked, thinking perhaps to ferret out of the prince that indeed he was thinking of the maid.
    “A beautiful girl.”
    Frederick’s chest tightened and he quickly sat up. “What are you talking about? I mean, who are you talking about?” This could not be, he could not be falling in love now. Not now, not when Frederick was so close to actually having the throne abdicated to him. It was no secret Alexander hoped to do just that and soon, though Lord Bellemount pretended not to know anything of the kind. It simply would not do if he showed too much interest. But, curses! That was his throne, and he’d be good and sure no upstart girl, who would hope to raise a family one day and have heirs of her own, got between him and his dream.
    Lord Bellemount realized Alexander still hadn’t said anything. The prince serenely sat across from him with a look he’d never seen before. A look that guaranteed his worst fears; his cousin was indeed deeply troubled and deeply in love.
    “Ahem.” Frederick cleared his throat, trying again. “So who is this beautiful girl that has you so silent this afternoon?” He would find her and destroy her the first moment he had.
    “Am I silent?”
    “Yes.” Lord Bellemount chuckled uneasily. “You look like a man who could use some advice. Do you need