Read Online Beauty and the Beast (Faerie Tale Collection) by Jenni James - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jenni James
Ads: Link
help with something?”
Alexander closed his eyes briefly. He needed so much help. He needed advice more than any man. How he wished he knew what to do about Cecelia.
“Cuz, what is it? What’s wrong?” Frederick could feel the prince shifting. Another few nudges and he knew he’d open up and tell him who it was that was ruining everything. “Is it the girl you think is so beautiful? Has she upset you or something?”
“Huh?” Alexander rubbed his face with one hand and stared at his cousin a moment before saying, “No. She hasn’t upset me, just the opposite.”
“She has made you happy?” Frederick asked, not sure where his cousin was going with the conversation.
“No. I’m about to make her very upset soon, though, unless I can come up with a solution.” Prince Alexander was just about to open up and tell Frederick as much as he could about Cecelia, without revealing his own part as a wolf, when his cousin burst out almost frantically—
“What is her name?”
Alexander blinked at his tone. “Why?”
“Just tell me who the girl is.” Frederick crossed his arms and demanded a second time, “What is her name?”
The prince slowly sat up and leaned forward, his voice measured. “Again, I ask you, why?”
“Because I need to know exactly what is going on here, if I’m to help you.” Lord Bellemount smiled, but his foot began to tap irritation. He could hardly sit still with all of the thoughts of what he’d like to do to the girl roaming around his head. “What is her name?”
Alexander examined his cousin closely before lying quite bluntly, “I don’t know her name.”
Frederick looked like he was about to burst. “What do you mean you don’t know her name?”
“It means I do not know her name. She’s someone I have met recently, and I do not know her name.” His voice was calm and measured.
“That’s ridiculous! Everyone knows everyone around here.” Lord Bellemount stood up. “Where is she from? Do I know the village?”
Alexander stood up with Frederick and opened his hands in a helpless gesture. “I’m afraid I don’t know where she’s from either.”
“Are you jesting?”
“No, I’m not.” It was time to put an end to this charade of a meeting. The prince stepped up and put his arm around his cousin’s shoulder. “And actually, you’ll have to forgive me. I completely forgot about another engagement I had—something I promised to do for someone. Thank you so much for stopping by.” He tugged gently and walked forward, forcing Frederick out of the room with him. “I’m sure you can find your own way out.”
“But I thought you were anxious to speak to me about a matter of great importance?”
“I was. I am,” he answered, barely keeping his temper in check, while steering him toward the main hall. “But it will have to be another day. Forgive me.” With that, Alexander was racing up the stairs to his rooms, leaving Frederick to see himself out of the castle. He would be hanged the day he gave his cousin one ounce of information about Miss Hammerstein-Smythe! There was absolutely no reason why his own cousin should become hostile at the mention of a girl in Alexander’s life. He wasn’t quite sure what was wrong, but he certainly wasn’t about to leave the only woman he’d ever loved vulnerable to such a man. The man he’d hoped to announce—this very afternoon—would be taking up his throne in six months time!
Something was not right and he vowed he would get to the bottom of it before any such announcements or family introductions were made.
Prince Alexander wasn’t the only one making vows at that moment. Down below, in another part of the great castle, Lord Bellemount was making his own plans.
There was something decidedly false in the way the prince had evaded his questions just now and then conveniently remembered another commitment. Frederick had no idea what was going on, but he was positive Alexander not only knew the girl’s
Alexander closed his eyes briefly. He needed so much help. He needed advice more than any man. How he wished he knew what to do about Cecelia.
“Cuz, what is it? What’s wrong?” Frederick could feel the prince shifting. Another few nudges and he knew he’d open up and tell him who it was that was ruining everything. “Is it the girl you think is so beautiful? Has she upset you or something?”
“Huh?” Alexander rubbed his face with one hand and stared at his cousin a moment before saying, “No. She hasn’t upset me, just the opposite.”
“She has made you happy?” Frederick asked, not sure where his cousin was going with the conversation.
“No. I’m about to make her very upset soon, though, unless I can come up with a solution.” Prince Alexander was just about to open up and tell Frederick as much as he could about Cecelia, without revealing his own part as a wolf, when his cousin burst out almost frantically—
“What is her name?”
Alexander blinked at his tone. “Why?”
“Just tell me who the girl is.” Frederick crossed his arms and demanded a second time, “What is her name?”
The prince slowly sat up and leaned forward, his voice measured. “Again, I ask you, why?”
“Because I need to know exactly what is going on here, if I’m to help you.” Lord Bellemount smiled, but his foot began to tap irritation. He could hardly sit still with all of the thoughts of what he’d like to do to the girl roaming around his head. “What is her name?”
Alexander examined his cousin closely before lying quite bluntly, “I don’t know her name.”
Frederick looked like he was about to burst. “What do you mean you don’t know her name?”
“It means I do not know her name. She’s someone I have met recently, and I do not know her name.” His voice was calm and measured.
“That’s ridiculous! Everyone knows everyone around here.” Lord Bellemount stood up. “Where is she from? Do I know the village?”
Alexander stood up with Frederick and opened his hands in a helpless gesture. “I’m afraid I don’t know where she’s from either.”
“Are you jesting?”
“No, I’m not.” It was time to put an end to this charade of a meeting. The prince stepped up and put his arm around his cousin’s shoulder. “And actually, you’ll have to forgive me. I completely forgot about another engagement I had—something I promised to do for someone. Thank you so much for stopping by.” He tugged gently and walked forward, forcing Frederick out of the room with him. “I’m sure you can find your own way out.”
“But I thought you were anxious to speak to me about a matter of great importance?”
“I was. I am,” he answered, barely keeping his temper in check, while steering him toward the main hall. “But it will have to be another day. Forgive me.” With that, Alexander was racing up the stairs to his rooms, leaving Frederick to see himself out of the castle. He would be hanged the day he gave his cousin one ounce of information about Miss Hammerstein-Smythe! There was absolutely no reason why his own cousin should become hostile at the mention of a girl in Alexander’s life. He wasn’t quite sure what was wrong, but he certainly wasn’t about to leave the only woman he’d ever loved vulnerable to such a man. The man he’d hoped to announce—this very afternoon—would be taking up his throne in six months time!
Something was not right and he vowed he would get to the bottom of it before any such announcements or family introductions were made.
Prince Alexander wasn’t the only one making vows at that moment. Down below, in another part of the great castle, Lord Bellemount was making his own plans.
There was something decidedly false in the way the prince had evaded his questions just now and then conveniently remembered another commitment. Frederick had no idea what was going on, but he was positive Alexander not only knew the girl’s
Similar Books
