16. Rosalie
Chapter 16
Rosalie
R osalie had been so focused on getting her lines right and successfully completing the substitution that she had barely even noticed Dimitri beyond his basic presence.
But now that she was properly looking at him, shock coursed through her. It wasn’t that he was hideous—she had actually been fearing worse. His basic form remained the same as far as she could tell, he was just covered in so much hair that he looked entirely different. Even his clothes fit awkwardly.
It would have been worse if he’d had darker hair, she decided. It would have made the effect more startling. As it was, the most unnerving aspect was the inhuman air that now hung about him like a pall. Before she had looked at him and seen Jace. Now she looked at him and saw the Legacy.
She wasn’t sure which was worse.
“The Legacy really does move quickly,” Daphne said in choked tones.
Rosalie glanced at her suspiciously. Was she laughing ? She owed Daphne a lot, but it seemed a little inconsiderate in the circumstances.
“Don’t look at me like that, Rosalie,” Daphne said primly. “I think it’s an improvement.”
Rosalie ignored her nonsense, focusing on the important point. “If the Legacy is moving quickly, that’s a good thing.” She looked around the entryway before turning back to Dimitri. “Have you noticed changes inside the manor yet? I can’t see any in here, but I don’t remember its old appearance that clearly.”
He raised an eyebrow, gesturing up and down his body, finishing with his face. “No comment about this? Really?”
Rosalie frowned at him. “Yes, yes, it’s a good thing the Legacy is moving so quickly. We already said that.”
Dimitri laughed. “I suppose I should take that as a compliment. You aren’t regretting your promise to come here? No inclination to run screaming?”
Rosalie gave a single, huffed laugh. “Have I given you the impression I’m that chicken-hearted? You would have to look a lot worse to scare me off.”
“I don’t think you could look frightful enough to scare Rosalie off,” Daphne said. “That’s why it’s a good thing it’s her, not me.”
Rosalie gave her a chiding look. “You’re far braver than you pretend to be, Daphne.”
“Am I?” her friend asked in mild surprise, but Rosalie could see the laughter dancing in her eyes.
Most people looked at Daphne and saw only the excessive napping. They missed her dry humor, but Rosalie had known her too long to be taken in. Daphne was far more astute than she pretended to be.
Rosalie had tried calling her out on it, but Daphne claimed it wasn’t worth the effort of convincing anyone. She seemed to like being underestimated.
“There isn’t much change in here.” Dimitri ran his eyes over the lofty entryway. “Everything seems brighter than yesterday, though, and I’m pretty sure that gilt edging wasn’t there.” He pointed at the doorframe and the stone of the mantelpiece. “But it’s more noticeable elsewhere. I only had time to look in one bedchamber before you arrived, but the difference was startling.”
He glanced at Rosalie with an expression she couldn’t read. It was harder to read his face now that most of his features were obscured.
“It’s the bedchamber I thought would work best for you,” he said. “Apparently the Legacy thought so too.”
“Why don’t we check there first?” Rosalie suggested. “If the Legacy has transformed it with me in mind, we might find valuables there that Daphne can use.”
She turned expectantly to Dimitri, and he made no protest, leading the way toward the stairs. He still seemed dazed from their cavalier acceptance of his new appearance, although she couldn’t imagine why. They had all known he was going to change.
Rosalie frowned as she trailed behind him. Had Dimitri not really believed their warnings about becoming a Beast? Or had he misunderstood what it would mean? She felt sorry if so, but it was too late for regrets now.
Dimitri turned left at the top of the stairs, passing several doors before stopping outside a closed one. He opened it with a flourish, stepping back to reveal the room beyond.
Rosalie gasped. She didn’t know where to look first.
“It’s gorgeous,” she breathed, stepping inside.
“A room for a princess,” Daphne agreed, giving the bed a longing look.
“No napping!” Rosalie told her sternly. “We need to find something you can sell. I’m relying on you to help the boys end their dealings with Jace as quickly as possible.”
Daphne sighed but nodded. She looked around the room, her eyes fastening on the dressing table. Her eyebrows rose.
“That might do.” She moved toward it, her fingers trailing across the top of the items laid out.
Rosalie glanced over and saw a row of gold-backed brushes, mirrors, and combs beside several exquisite crystal bottles with golden lids.
“Those weren’t there yesterday,” Dimitri said unnecessarily.
Rosalie’s eyes strayed over to the wardrobe. Crossing to it, she pulled the doors wide. She had been half-expecting to find it full, but she still gasped at the array of dresses. Each was made in a more exquisite material than the last, decorated with gems or pearls, and all appeared to be her size.
She looked over her shoulder at Daphne. “One of these would do it, don’t you think?”
The two girls held eye contact for a moment and then both broke into helpless giggles.
“Is there something funny?” Dimitri asked in confused tones.
“Sorry.” Rosalie wiped the moisture from her eyes, trying to catch her breath. “It’s just a bit overwhelming. The theory doesn’t quite prepare you for the reality.”
“Tell me about it,” Dimitri muttered, making Rosalie feel instantly guilty.
She eyed him, still lurking in the doorway, and wondered why he didn’t join them. But a glance from his position to the rest of the room gave her the answer. He was hanging back away from the dressing table and its mirror. Her guilt deepened. She was delighting in beautiful dresses while he was wearing the form of a Beast. She should focus on what needed to be done and not get lost in the Legacy’s creations.
She looked back at the wardrobe. “What do you think would be best to sell, Daphne? These dresses must be worth a fortune given the jewels sewn into them, but the mirror and brush set would be easier to sell quickly. Even if they were just melted down for the gold, it might be enough.”
“Uh…I don’t think that will be necessary,” Daphne said in a strangled voice.
Rosalie looked up but couldn’t find her for a moment. She finally spotted her in a small, empty dressing room in the far corner of the room.
Her tone was enough to bring Dimitri into the room, the mirror apparently forgotten, and the two of them rushed to Daphne’s side. They found her kneeling in front of a small, open leather trunk which was the only item in the room.
She looked up at them, eyes wide. No one spoke for a moment as they both stared at the contents of the chest.
It was full of coins. An entire chest full of coins.
“Well then,” Rosalie said at last. “I guess you won’t need to sell anything.”
“How much do you think is in here?” Daphne whispered, but neither of them answered. Rosalie couldn’t even make a guess.
“This is exactly why Jace wanted to push us into this farce,” she said instead. “If we want any hope of keeping this a secret, that chest needs to stay right where it is. Sorry, Daph, but I think you should only take enough to pay off the debt. We’ll have to pretend that we found a way to scrape the amount together. Jace can’t be sure what those fireworks meant, and we need to keep him guessing.”
Daphne nodded and produced a leather pouch. Rosalie helped her count out the exact amount of the debt, watching as she tucked it away in her dress.
“You’ll coach Vernon on what to say?” she asked anxiously.
“Don’t worry,” Daphne said with more earnestness than was her usual wont. “I’ll make sure it goes well. You focus on this.” She gestured vaguely around at the room, the chest, and Dimitri. “Once it’s over, your father will have all the investment money he needs.”
“And your family as well,” Rosalie said. “We’ll share it between all of us.”
They all stared back at the coins for a moment before Rosalie shut the lid firmly. It would be better to forget about the gold for the moment. There were still too many things that had to happen before she could claim any more of them.
“If the coins are staying here, then we need to find a different bed chamber for you,” Dimitri said.
“But this one is so beautiful!” Rosalie protested. “Why should I move?”
“You said it yourself.” He was frowning. “That chest is what Jace wants. If he realizes what’s happened and comes after the gold, I don’t want you anywhere near it.”
“You’re planning to just let him take it?” Rosalie cried. “If Jace is going to come for this chest, then we should have someone guarding it!”
“No amount of coins is worth you getting hurt—or, worse, killed,” he said so earnestly that Rosalie’s heart stuttered.
She ignored the sensation, her stubbornness growing stronger.
“I’m not standing aside so he can just waltz in and claim it,” she said before softening a little. “Don’t worry, I’ll lock the door.”
She produced the key she had found on the bedside table. “I’ll keep the door locked whether I’m in here or not.”
Dimitri hesitated before visibly capitulating. He sighed, but she ignored it. She appreciated his concern, but she hadn’t come to the manor so he could order her around. The sooner he accepted that, the easier time they’d have together.
“Do you really think Jace will send his men to invade the manor?” Daphne sounded almost as concerned as Dimitri.
“I think it’s a possibility we have to be prepared for,” Dimitri said. “I’m hoping the Legacy will make them nervous enough to take a cautious approach. But I wouldn’t want to bet my life on it—or Rosalie’s.”
“No.” Daphne shivered.
“You have what you need,” Rosalie said to her. “You should hurry back now.” She pressed her lips together. All the talk of Jace was making her nervous. “I’m sorry you have to go by yourself. I wish I could walk you back…”
Daphne shook her head firmly. “Don’t worry about me. You know you can’t leave or it will ruin everything. You’re supposed to be a prisoner, remember?” She gave Rosalie a stern look.
“Yes, ma’am,” Rosalie said meekly, making Daphne laugh and throw a glance at Dimitri.
“Don’t expect this mood to last long,” she told him.
He laughed. “Don’t worry. I have no unrealistic expectations.”
Rosalie narrowed her eyes at both of them, putting her hands on Daphne’s back and propelling her friend from the room. “Come on! No need to waste any more time in chit chat.”
Daphne allowed herself to be pushed out of the manor, only pausing on the front step to look back. Her expression turned serious.
“I meant it when I said not to worry. Vernon will have paid Jace back by the end of the day. I’ll make sure of it.”
Rosalie nodded, knowing that when it came to things that really mattered, Daphne was completely trustworthy.
“What if Jace seizes you on the road?” Dimitri asked, less easily soothed. “He might be heading this way after those fireworks.”
Rosalie’s fear returned. She should have thought of that possibility.
“Don’t worry,” Daphne repeated. “I organized for someone to meet me and walk me back.”
“You did?” Rosalie stared at her. “Who?”
“Be careful! And try to enjoy yourselves!” Daphne called hurriedly, rushing down the stairs with a cheery wave and disappearing down the drive.
Rosalie blinked after her. Did Daphne have a suitor she’d never mentioned? Why would she be keeping him a secret if so?
It was too late to get anything out of Daphne, though. Rosalie’s curiosity would have to wait until Daphne’s return—whenever that might be. Rosalie hoped Daphne would come back to deliver both an update and supplies at some point, but they hadn’t actually made a fixed arrangement.
Realizing what Daphne’s departure meant, Rosalie turned slowly to face Dimitri. They were alone.
“So,” she said awkwardly. “What now?”
“I can carry your case up to your room.” He picked it up and looked at her expectantly.
Rosalie nodded. She had abandoned the case in the entryway at the first firework and promptly forgotten all about it.
She followed Dimitri up the stairs for the second time, wondering why she was suddenly so tongue-tied. It wasn’t like her.
“That’s my room.” Dimitri gestured at the second closed door on the left as they passed it.
Rosalie looked from his door to hers, only two doors down.
“That’s your room? Right there?” she asked, glad her voice didn’t squeak.
He paused with his hand on her doorknob and looked back. Once again, she couldn’t read his expression.
“I thought you might be uncomfortable being in the room right next to me,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s safe for us to be too far apart. This way if anything happens overnight, we should be able to hear each other calling.” He paused. “Just in case. I’m sure nothing will happen.”
He was clearly afraid something would happen, despite his words. Rosalie just wasn’t sure if he was trying to reassure himself or her. She couldn’t blame him for his anxiety, however. She had been too worried about her brothers and the debt to put much thought into what would happen after it was paid, and it was dawning on her that she hadn’t sufficiently considered all the risks.
Dimitri put her case down just inside the door. “I’ll leave you to get settled. Did you need anything else?”
He looked hopeful, but Rosalie quickly shook her head. She needed some space to think.
“I packed myself some food for today,” she said, “since I wasn’t sure about the state of your supplies. But I suppose we should meet for the evening meal.”
Was Dimitri disappointed? It was hard to tell, and he didn’t say anything either way.
“The shared evening meal seemed like a big feature of the original history,” he said, “so that would probably be wise.” He looked around the elaborately decorated and furnished room. “If this room is anything to go by, we may not have to worry about supplies.”
Rosalie’s eyes lit up. “Ooh! I hadn’t even thought of that!”
What sort of delicious meals could they expect from the Legacy’s power? Would they be even better than the ones at the Mortar and Pestle?
Suddenly the evening meal seemed too far away. She glanced at her case, remembering the unexciting food she had packed for the midday meal. But she didn’t suggest they alter the arrangement. Since her brothers’ confession the afternoon before, everything had been moving at breakneck pace. She needed a few hours to catch her breath and make a plan, and Dimitri’s presence was unsettling in a way she couldn’t define.
“So I’ll see you this evening, then,” he said, and she nodded.
When the door finally closed, she collapsed onto the bed with a sigh. She had meant to only lie down for a moment, but the mattress was deliciously soft—without being too soft—and the pillow was like floating on a cloud. Before she knew it, she was waking from a nap.
“Goodness!” She yawned and stretched, forcing herself off the bed. “I’m turning into Daphne.”
Thank goodness she hadn’t let her friend trial any of the beds in the manor. She never would have managed to pry her away from the place.
She ate the unappetizing food she’d brought and unpacked her things slowly. It seemed unnecessary given all the luxuries the room had already supplied, but she didn’t know what else to do. And besides, there were some items you didn’t want supplied by a magical entity—whether it had consciousness or not.
When she had everything arranged and rearranged to her liking, she peered out the large window at the lush gardens behind the manor. She would have liked to explore them, but she guessed Dimitri would disapprove.
Sighing, she turned back to the room and noticed a book she could have sworn hadn’t been on the bedside table earlier. She picked it up, exclaiming in delight at the beautiful gold foil and edging.
It was a book of Sovaran tales, and she opened it with interest. She had heard a lot about Oakden from Daphne, but she knew far less about Sovar. But ever since Avery had been past with her cart full of Sovaran glass wonders, Rosalie had been wanting to learn more about the neighboring kingdom.
The chair beside the window proved as comfortable as the bed, and before she knew it the sun was sinking below the trees, sending shadows stretching across the floor. Rosalie stretched, glad it was finally time to leave the room.
She hurried out, not bothering to close the curtains or light the fire. She would worry about those details later.
She did remember to lock the door, however.
Rosalie hurried down the stairs, only to stand uncertainly in the entryway. Perhaps she should have spent the afternoon touring the castle instead of reading. At the very least she should have asked directions to the dining room. As it was, she only knew the locations of their two bedchambers and the large sitting room to her right.
“Ready to eat?” Dimitri asked from behind her, and for once the sound of his voice was welcome to her ears.
She spun to face him, smiling at his outrageously shaggy appearance. She was adjusting to it far quicker than she had expected.
“I checked the kitchen earlier this afternoon.” He rubbed his hands together. “Fresh supplies had appeared, and there was already a pot boiling on the stove. I think we’re in for a treat.”
Rosalie grinned back, accepting the exaggerated arm he offered her.
“Thank you, My Lord,” she said primly, and he smiled down at her.
She smiled back, noting that his eyes were still visible. They, at least, hadn’t changed at all.
“Remember, you mustn’t be too agreeable,” he chided as he led her through a door located behind the stairs.
She frowned up at him, the expression melting away when she saw his eyes were laughing at her.
“Ah, that’s right,” she said. “I mustn’t forget my role.”
“I’ve chosen a smaller dining room for us,” he said apologetically as he let go of her arm to open a door and usher her through. “The main one is enormous. The idea of eating there on my own felt ridiculous and would only be slightly less so with two of us.”
“This is just perfect.” Rosalie looked around the cozy room with approval.
A fire danced in the hearth, driving off the autumn chill from the evening air, and a sturdy walnut dining table took up most of the room. It might be the manor’s smaller dining room, but the table was still larger than the one she ate around in the cottage with her whole family.
Dimitri bowed her into a chair to the right of the table’s head before taking the seat at the head for himself. Their positions reminded Rosalie that he was hosting her in his home, and she resolved to be more polite in future—except when acting a role for the Legacy, of course.
The door behind them opened, and two plates floated into the room, their contents hidden by domed silver covers. Rosalie blinked in surprise. Would she ever adjust to the power the Legacy was throwing at the manor?
She restrained her impatience as the plate gently floated down to its place in front of her. When both plates were in place, she and Dimitri looked at each other, grinning as they pulled off the covers in unison.
Rosalie stared down at the plate’s contents.
“It’s not exactly what I was expecting,” Dimitri said after an extended silence. He prodded at a soggy, boiled carrot.
Rosalie couldn’t have agreed more. She had been expecting a delicious feast, but the food on her plate looked barely edible.
“Maybe the Legacy is just out of practice?” Dimitri suggested hopefully.
Rosalie snorted. “I’m not sure that’s reassuring.”
“I’m just clinging to the hope it might get better.” Dimitri popped a piece of meat in his mouth and chewed it with a cheery expression.
Rosalie narrowed her eyes as she assessed his face. She was getting a little better at reading his emotions, even without access to his chiseled features. But she wasn’t sure if the meat was truly the more appetizing portion of the meal or if he was just putting a good face on the situation.
Her frown deepened. He was probably trying to fool her into tasting it herself.
He returned her suspicious look with an encouraging one. “That’s just the right look! Why don’t you flip the table next?”
Rosalie almost choked on the bite she’d finally put in her mouth. When she recovered, she shook her head. “You want me to flip the table over soggy vegetables?”
He grinned widely—a disconcerting expression on his new face. “Make sure the Legacy knows just how furious you are about being imprisoned here. We need somewhere to go, after all. Think how much it will be touched when you go from flipping the table to laughing with me.”
Rosalie raised an eyebrow. “And how long will that take?”
“Oh…two or three days? I’m a very charming fellow, you know, despite the fur.”
Rosalie snorted.
“You keep telling yourself that,” she muttered. But she had to admit, he’d been nothing but considerate since she’d arrived at the manor. She had even been a little charmed when he’d jokingly held out his arm to lead her through to the meal.
She shook herself, her fears from the night before returning to her mind. She couldn’t allow the Legacy’s tricks to affect her emotions.