Page 20 of The Duchess and the Beast
“You were in the gardens earlier,” he said without thinking.
“That is right...” There was an edge to her voice, almost amusement. “Did you happen to see me?”
“N—no,” he stammered, keeping his eyes dead ahead. “I mean, yes. I mean, in passing.” He cursed under his breath, for he had been watching her in the gardens all morning, uncertain now whether she had noticed him lurking. “A dreary sight—the gardens, I mean.”
“I noticed,” she giggled in reply. “The gardens, I mean.”
Sebastian swallowed as he caught the double meaning. Or what he thought to be one. She had caught him watching her. And from the sounds of it, she didn’t seem to mind...
“I—”
“It is this way.” He cut her off and turned a corner, not trusting himself to say anything further.
He guided Virtue into a grand room that resembled a small hall more than a mere chamber. It soared nearly three stories high with balconies that encircled each level, reminiscent of a theater. The room lay shrouded in darkness, the heavy curtains drawn tight, sealing off any intrusion of light. Only the shadows of towering structures remained visible. It had been months since he last entered this space, and it showed. He swept toward the center of the room, his ears attuned to the hesitant footsteps of Virtue still following behind him.
“What is this place? Where are we? Should… should I be here?” she asked nervously as she glanced around the dimly lit expanse.
Sebastian’s brows furrowed at that. “This…” his voice reverberated richly against the walls and the high ceiling of the hall, “this is your home now. And you are free to go anywhere, anytime you please.” He began to stride across the room toward the massive curtains that draped from ceiling to floor. “But if I am correct in my assumption of you, I suspect this particular place will soon become your favorite.” He reached the curtains but, before drawing them, turned around to look at his wife.
She stood nervously in the middle of the room. Too dark to make out her features, though she was clearly unsure, perhaps even a little afraid. The realization stung Sebastian, for it spoke to how she viewed him—that she might worry when the two werealone. For all his nerves and perceived awkwardness, she still viewed him as an unpredictable monster who might snap at any moment. Thus far into their marriage, he had shown her little else after all. He hoped that, with time, he might begin to mend her trust.
“I have been informed that you enjoy reading as a pastime,” he began, watching her closely.
“I do.”
“Well, if that is indeed the case, then you have quite the task ahead of you,” he hinted, a playful note entering his voice.
“What do you...” She looked around, squinting through the darkness as if starting to understand where she was. “What do you mean?”
Sebastian allowed himself a small, knowing smile before he finally threw back the heavy drapes. Instantly, light flooded the room, bathing it in a cascade of brilliant sunlight. Virtue instinctively raised a hand to shield her eyes, a small gasp escaping her lips as she adjusted to the change. Slowly, her hand lowered, and she began to take in her surroundings. The entire time, Sebastian watched her, delighting in the way her initial shock transformed into awe, how her mouth hung open, how her brow creased as if she could not believe what she was seeing, and most importantly, how that pretty smile blossomed upon her lips.
“This is...” She spun around, her gaze sweeping across the now-revealed contents of the chamber. “This is impossible.”
“You like it, I take?”
“Likeit?” She turned back to face him, her eyes alight with excitement, and that smile—he had thought his heart had raced before, but the sight of her joy sent it hammering against his chest like never before. “I love it!”
The chamber was a library. Except, not just any library. Agreatlibrary, for the size and breadth of it dictated such a name. Nearly three stories tall, walls made entirely of bookshelves stacked with hundreds, if not thousands of volumes, the sheer enormity of tomes available were such that Sebastian imagined one could spend a lifetime perusing its contents and not even scratch the surface of what was available. He could see too that Virtue recognized and appreciated this fact.
“How...?” She barely managed the word, her voice a whisper of wonder.
“When you scarcely venture beyond these walls, it is quite valuable to pick up a hobby to fill the hours,” Sebastian said simply, struggling to keep his own expression composed.
She looked at him, frowning at the comment, half-smiling also. “Fill the hours, you say? That is an understatement, I think.”
“Many of these volumes belonged to my great ancestors, once long ago,” he continued to explain. “I have added a great number to the collection myself, but the vast majority were here long before I was born. Needless to say, I haven’t nearly made a dent in them yet.”
“I cannot imagine you could, even with our combined efforts,” she giggled. A thought seemed to strike her just then, as her face lit up once more. “Oh! Do you happen to havePamelaby Samuel Richardson?"
“Indeed, it is a cornerstone of my personal collection,” Sebastian replied with a nod.
Her interest piqued, Virtue suddenly added, “AndClarissa? I have longed to read it, but Lord Holmf—Papacould never seem to find a copy.”
“That too, along with the elusiveSir Charles Grandison—which many once believed had been lost with time,” Sebastian said, his smile widening.
Sebastian continued to watch her, noting the hesitation, her desire to dash to the nearest shelf and lift a book from its perch. All the while she looked every which way, fidgeting with her hands, unable to keep herself from smiling, and perhaps for the first time since hearing of this marriage, beginning to understand that it might not be the nightmare she must have assumed... or so he hoped. It was rather manipulative, he knew, to attempt to win her affections by giving her all that she might ever need, but, to put it quite frankly, he could not care less.It would take him a longer way than showing anything of his true self and horrifying her beyond belief, so this… this was the perfect substitute.
“Go on,” Sebastian said gently. “What is mine is now yours. I would feel offended if you felt the need to ask permission.”