Chapter Twenty-Four
The fire crackled cheerfully in the hearth, and he had gotten his paws on a good book from the library, but Theo wasn't interested in either of those things as he looked out the window. The rain had shifted to snow again, layering the castle grounds and washing the world in a coat of white. Mable and Maddie were down in the back courtyard, both struggling to push a large, rotund snowball into the desired position. From his vantage point, six stories up, he could see they had already rolled out the head and midsection of what was going to be a very tall, intimidating snowman.
Mable laughed and gave the snowball one more, energetic push. Her hair was pulled back in a braid, tucked under a thick wool cap. He could barely see her face, hidden as it was by the gray scarf she wore and from his view this high up, but he could just make out the pink in her cheeks from the cold. After a few weeks in her company, he was willing to bet her normally hazel eyes had softened to a pale green, a color they turned only when she was happy.
They seemed to be turning that color a lot around him lately, and he found that intriguing.
Heels clicked on the wood floor behind him, and he turned slightly to see Labelle striding into the room, a tray of snacks in her hands. His childhood friend was dressed more casually than normal, her Housekeeper's uniform traded in for a soft lavender sweater and navy slacks.
"Lunch already?" he asked.
Labelle placed the tray on a small table near the bookshelves, busying herself with arranging the sandwiches and tea just so. He watched her, amused. She only gave such attention to detail when she wanted to speak with him, but wasn't sure how to approach the subject.
"I thought you might want a little something to eat." She finally replied, handing him a plate. Her dark eyes followed his gaze out the window, and she grinned when she saw Maddie and Mable working to keep the midsection of the snowman in place. "Ah, so that is where she has gotten to. I do hope she's warm enough, I wouldn't want her to catch another cold."
Theo didn't ask who "she" was. There was only one woman whose health would put that fretful tone in Labelle's voice. "She's fine. Lune will probably pull them in a few more minutes." He snorted. "Besides, if jumping in a frozen pond didn't make her ill, I doubt an hour or two outside will."
"There may be some truth to that." Labelle laughed. "I do hope Lune lets them finish the snow-beast first. They're working so hard at it, it would be a waste for them not to finish."
"Snow-beast?" He peered thoughtfully at the lump of snow that woman and girl were sculpting. "Is that what that is?"
Labelle's lips curved wickedly. "That size and shape? What else would it be?"
"Should I be insulted?"
"If it ends up looking like you, I suppose you should be flattered."
Theo grinned. He was in a better mood than he had been in years, and it felt good to return to the back-and-forth teasing that he and Labelle had indulged in since they were children.
Or at least it did, until Labelle turned to give him a piercing stare that he knew all too well would lead to trouble, usually for him.
"Some of my girls noticed the ballroom, yesterday."
Theo had no idea what to make of this comment. "Did they?" He attempted. With the ballroom restoring itself, the theater room appearing…it still amazed him, how eagerly the castle would shift itself to respond to Mable's desires.
What was it about Mable that made the castle want to fulfill her wishes?
"Yes, they were quite excited about it." Labelle picked up the teapot she had brought and poured a cup. "After speaking with them, I had a wonderful idea." Her eyes gleamed in a way that made him nervous. "We should have a ball."
"Labelle…"
"Think about it." She barged on, ignoring the look on his face. "We can make it like it used to be, Theo, before the curse! We can all dress up, Carnier can make a fabulous dinner—you know he would—and we can spend the whole night dancing and playing music-"
Theo didn't even take the time to think about it. "No." he said shortly. He had some sympathy towards Mable's dislike of the larger dining room, because just the thought of having the entire castle piled into the ballroom, watching his every move, was downright terrifying. He wouldn't subject poor Mable, who hated that kind of attention even more than he did, to that torture. "That is the opposite of a 'wonderful' idea, Labelle."
"How is it not?" she pouted, "Heavens, Theo, it would do us all some good to have a bit of revelry around here. Besides," her mouth curved upwards in a smile full of female superiority, "this will give you a chance to show the poor girl a bit of romance."
He found the very thought appalling. He understood why Labelle would think that sort of event would be romantic; Labelle was the most expressive and sociable women he knew. She wouldn't think twice about going to a castle-wide party in the ballroom and celebrating until early dawn.
Mable was different. He knew Mable would hate being surrounded by so many people, in an environment she was not used to. She was always more relaxed when they were alone or with people she was particularly attached to, such as Labelle or Maddie. He found no fault with that, since over the years he had found he enjoyed more intimate gatherings than the over-crowded, bustling affairs of his childhood. And there was a secret part of him that was immensely pleased that she preferred his company over the regular staff.
He hated the larger events, but he was surprised to find out how much he had missed being part of the daily adventures that went on around the castle. Being dragged outside to go ice skating. Spending time sparring and joking with the soldiers. Sneaking down to the kitchens after Carnier went to bed to nick a snack in the middle of the night. After the curse, he had spent most of his time hiding up in his rooms, away from fearful gazes and the resentment he could feel sticking to him like cobwebs. Surely being isolated was better than being out where everyone could see him. But Mable arriving had changed that, and he wanted to show her how grateful he was to her for pulling him out of his misery, dusting him off, and tugging him around like a well-loved toy.
And the more he thought about dancing with her, the more appealing the thought became. Lately he had been obsessed over the thought of what her skin might feel like—the curve of her jaw, that slope from her ear to her chin, the way the back of her hand would feel if he pressed his mouth to it with a kiss. Of course, when he thought about it, he thought about how it would feel with normal, human hands. He couldn't bear to think of attempting it now and finding nothing but disgust in those gorgeous eyes.
He was so involved in his thoughts he jumped when there was a loud thump at the window. He and Labelle peered out and saw Mable waving up at them, pointing behind her.
Theo smiled. It was indeed a snow-beast.
"A more intimate gathering, perhaps." He said after a moment. "Nothing too lavish. Just invite a few people such as Lune and Maddie, Cecile, even Jacques. She'll like that."
There was a wicked, know-it-all gleam in Labelle's eyes he recognized. This had been a test. She had known all along Mable would hate such a gaudy event, but she had wanted to see if he knew their friend as much as she did.
"You are a pest, Labelle." He told her crossly.
"I know." She winked at him cheekily. "Well, if we are to have a ball, even a small one, there is work to be done. I'll just go down and let Carnier in on the secret, shall I?" She blew him a kiss as she pranced out the door.
Theo shook his head, exasperation shifting to amusement. It was too bad he could never get his foster-sister to sit still long enough to play chess; he expected that if she tried, she would be a master in no time.
He went back over to the window, noting absently that Mable and Maddie had disappeared, and the snow-beast stood alone. He was fairly certain Mable would enjoy an evening of music and dance in the ballroom, especially with those she considered close friends. Amazing, really, how well she seemed to fit in his world, in spite of her vehement declarations that she did not belong. She hadn't yet realized that once she left them she would leave a hole, one he wasn't sure he wanted to fill after she was gone.
There was a knock at his door, and he swiveled to see Mable standing in the doorway. She had taken her hair out of its braid, so it hung in soft waves to her shoulders. The chocolate-colored sweater she wore brought out the gold streaks in her hair, and clung to her plump curves in a delightful way. Her cheeks were still pink from the cold, her hazel eyes bright with fun and mild curiosity as she surveyed the room. She let in the aroma of clean scent of snow as she hovered in the doorway, and underneath, he caught the intriguing smell of her vanilla-scented shampoo as she ultimately took his silence as an invitation inside.
Her smile was dazzling when she turned it on him.
"Hey, I had Lune give me a lift." She jerked a thumb behind her. She crept further into the room, investigating the space. She had never been to his private study; usually they met in the library, or at the dinner table. Hard to believe that so many times he had met her at her bedroom door, but she had yet to see his.
"Ah…" Her presence in his private space tugged at him in a way that he was not at all prepared for.
Those eyes changed from curiosity to delight when she saw the tray of tea and sandwiches behind him. "Is that lunch? I'm starving. Do you mind sharing?" she asked eagerly.
He gave himself a mental shake and gestured to the tray. "Help yourself. Building snowmen can be hard work."
Her low laugh was the most wonderful sound he had ever heard.
"I know. I shouldn't have pushed off my work." She said as she piled sandwiches onto a plate. Her back was to him, so she didn't notice how he shifted over so he could watch the way her long, gold-dusted lashes touched her cheek. She poured herself some tea, added a healthy spoonful of sugar, and sat in one of the large, leather chairs near the fire.
"I know I should be reading." She continued, eyes closing in bliss as she sipped the tea. "But Maddie was so excited, and I hated to disappoint her. So, I ultimately gave in." Mable picked up a sandwich and bit into it.
"I know Lune appreciates it. There is only so much that can interest a young girl in a castle with no children."
Mable grinned at that. "Oh, I know a few young girls who would disagree with that. Felicia and Rose would completely freak out if they came to stay here." There was a flash of guilt in her eyes. "I wonder what Jeanne told them when I went missing?" Her free hand tugged on a curl anxiously.
He hated to see her look so lost. "Well, while you were out in the snow, I was here looking through some books. There are a few spells that might be worth trying." He lied, and immediately cursed himself. He hadn't read anything of the sort.
But it was well worth it, because she perked up. "Really? I thought we had already looked through them all."
"We did look through most in the library, but there were a few hidden in my father's private study that I managed to unearth." It could be true, he supposed. His father was a scholar to the bone, but after his death Theo had demanded that all of his personal items—including his beloved books—be stored up in the attic. He couldn't even glance at them without remembering sitting in his father's lap as a child, enfolded in comfort and safety as his father read aloud in his mild voice.
He would have to go up to the attic tonight after dinner.
"Well, I guess there's no harm in trying those, too." Mable polished off the sandwich, wiping her hands on a napkin. "Maybe we should look through them tonight?"
"No, no. Let me…let me glance through a few before we try any."
Her eyes filled with sympathy. "I understand. They're your father's books, and they probably hold a lot of memories. Take whatever time you need." She gave his paw a gentle pat.
He grabbed her hand and squeezed it as a thank you and, unknown to her, an apology for his lie.
"So, Labelle has gotten it into her head that we should hold a ball." He wanted to distract her so badly from the imagined spell book that he just blurted it out. "Just a small gathering," he added, when he saw the panic in her eyes. "Just those you feel comfortable with, and a night of music, food, and dancing in the newly reinstated ballroom. Labelle has probably already gone ahead and planned the entire thing, but if you truly don't want to, we don't have to go."
Her initial panic subsided as she sat back to consider it. "Well, if Labelle's already planning it," she said slowly, "then I suppose we ought to go along with it. You said there wasn't going to be a lot of people."
"Just Lune, Maddie, Labelle, Jacques, Carnier, Cecile…and myself, of course."
She tilted her head to the side, a smile curving at her mouth. "Well, it would be nice to see the place done up right with a dance. And just a small group of us could be fun. Ok." She placed her cup and saucer on the table with finality. "I guess I am going to my first-ever ball."
"You'll probably have to ask Labelle for the details." He told her dryly. "I try not to get involved, if I can help it."
Her eyes were bright with excitement, and he felt a hard tug at his chest when they paled to that lovely shade of green. "I should go find her now and figure out what I'm supposed to wear to something like this." She jumped up from her chair. "I'll see you at dinner?"
"Of course." He waved as she bounced out of the room. He sat back in his chair, closing his eyes so that he could acknowledge the truth that had been hiding in the back of his mind throughout his talk with Labelle and Mable.
He didn't want her to leave.
Maybe, if the dance was as "romantic" as Labelle wanted it to be, Mable wouldn't be so keen on leaving. He might even be able to convince her to stay.
For the first time in what felt like centuries, he didn't consider the curse, or the servants who hated him, or his family. He didn't want her to stay for them, as selfish as that was. He wanted her to stay because she was happy enough to want to be with him.
But that was ridiculous. She had a family she cared about, a father she felt needed her care. He knew not being able to see them, not knowing her father was being taken care of, would only make her feel guilty for choosing him over them. Until she knew they were safe, until she had some way to contact them, she would never be comfortable staying with him.
His eyes flew open. Perhaps there was a way to solve that. His father had had several archaic collectibles, small items he had found or had been given when he took over as the Master. Theo had never given them much thought before—the curse was all the magic he could stomach—but the items would probably be up in the attic, where he had planned to go anyway.
He leapt out of the chair, his body humming with a sense of purpose. If he was lucky, he might just be able to find the one thing magical enough to get Mable to stay.