Belle tossed and turned through the night before finally relenting and rising from the bed. She stoked the fire and tried to busy herself with the contents of her room. When the empty dressers and armoires failed to entertain her, she stared out the window. Massive snowbanks covered the landscape, but it had thankfully stopped snowing during the early morning hours.
Though it was a beautiful sight, the passivity simply couldn't keep her thoughts away from the duke's homecoming. It seemed he was returning sooner than originally planned. Her nerves frayed at the thought of their first meeting at breakfast. She knew she'd have to see him eventually, but she wasn't ready, not yet. Footsteps padded quickly up the stairs and the voices of the two men carried easily, though one spoke in low tones.
"It can wait, Cogsworth," the louder man said. Though his voice was gentle, it was also deep and powerful.
Belle hurried to the door and opened it only enough to peer into the hallway. The moonlight spilled through the massive staircase window, but did little to illuminate the pair as they topped the east landing with their backs to her. One stood two heads taller than the other, his frame wide and commanding. He took the lead, going toward the east wing.
"The Duke," Belle whispered to herself. Dark curls brushed the collar of his jacket, and her curiosity begged him to turn around. The end of the hallway was void of moonlight and the darkness swallowed them as they continued, but still Belle watched the pair.
"I understand, sir, but breakfast will be served soon, and it's expected."
"I'm not concerned with what is expected of me. I know my duties quite well and there are far more important matters to tend to," the duke said then they both disappeared into his chamber.
Belle hesitated for a moment before shutting the door. Now she'd never get proper sleep. She considered exploring the castle but thought better of parading herself in her nightgown. She'd hate for anyone to find her in such a state, especially the duke.
She tried once again to force herself to sleep but rest just wouldn't come. As she pulled the blankets away, Ms. Garder entered, immediately beginning her oration of all the things they'd be doing for the day.
She helped Belle dress quickly and shooed her out the door when she didn't move fast enough. Belle dreaded the upcoming encounter and her stomach twisted into knots. She opened her mouth several times to ask about the duke, but couldn't bring herself to speak.
Down the stairs, past the looming stone griffins, and through a floor to ceiling arched doorway beyond the staircase was a sizable formal dining area. Belle slowed, taking in the extensive painting that hung along the right wall. A crystalline river flowed below beautiful snowcapped mountains.
"Is that Lake of Llunet?" Belle asked, in awe of its size and splendor.
"It is," Ms. Garder said and motioned for her to follow to the empty family room beyond. Here, a fireplace burned along the right wall and a trestle table set only on one end, dominated the center of the elongated room.
"You may sit here," Ms. Garder said pulling out the chair nearest the fireplace.
Belle took a deep breath, trying desperately to ground herself and stay her nerves. Why was only a single place set? She wondered. Would the duke not be joining her? Only a few moments passed, and quick footsteps approached. Though she didn't want to appear eager, she watched the door unable to pull her eyes away, but it was Lumiere who entered, followed by two young girls. They each placed a covered silver tray before her and removed the lids.
The food steamed, and Belle couldn't believe her eyes. She thought the fruit tray had been abundant. These trays overflowed with eggs, slices of pork, fire-roasted mushrooms and tiny tomatoes and several types of berries and custards. All this for just her?
She looked to Ms. Garder unsure of what to do and far too nervous to rouse her appetite to an acceptable degree.
"Go on, dear. I'll fetch you when the carriage is ready." Ms. Garder urged and started to walk away.
"Wait." Belle called, finally finding her voice. "Is the duke not joining?" She stumbled over her words.
"No, madam. He had other things to tend to and is taking his breakfast in the study." She said and hurried off.
The conversation between Cogsworth and the duke played through her head. She had been the less important matter, the expectation that could wait.
Belle tried not to feel hurt. She would have put him off if given the choice, but she wasn't and like it or not, they were to be married. She pulled her shoulders up and began pulling the food onto her plate, if only to look unaffected.
Breakfast continued with her feeling on display. Not by Lumiere who stood stock still by the kitchen entry but the two servants' whose eyes flicked toward her and each other quite often. The silence was grating.
At last, Ms. Garder returned to retrieve her and she couldn't have been more relieved. As she left giggles bubbled out from the room.
"Can you believe how young she is?" She heard one say and the other made a loud shooshing sound through her laughter. If Ms. Garder had heard, she pretended not to. She wasn't young, Belle thought, climbing into the carriage. Plenty of girls were married by her age, some already a year or two into the marriage.
She pulled her heavy woolen cloak tightly around herself and sat across from Ms. Garder. The ride was long but thankfully not as cold as it had been on her first trip up, though it would have been a far more pleasant ride had she not become wise to her being a burden to the duke. He hadn't even met her yet. She scoffed inwardly. How could he assume she was so unimportant? She rolled her eyes at her own offense as the carriage finally came to a stop.
Ms. Grader pulled a list from a small purse at her waist and named several shops they'd be visiting. Belle stared at her blankly and the woman stopped abruptly.
"You've never shopped beyond the Eastern gate, have you?" she asked.
Belle shook her head, and Ms. Garder smiled broadly.
"Well, you're in for quite a treat." She took Belle's hand and helped her from the carriage.
At least her lady's maid was genuine, Belle thought as they stepped out into the cold. Thankfully, it hadn't snowed much in the valley and her old boots would be sufficient to keep her feet dry.
They visited shop after shop where Belle simply chose the things she needed for the proprietor to package and send to the castle the following day.
To Belle's embarrassment, she needed everything from shoes to a brush and comb. Upon her arrival, she had told Ms. Garder that she was the one who decided to leave all her belongings behind for her sisters, but that wasn't the whole truth. She did in fact have very little to bring with her, but her father had insisted that the duke would not get more than he had paid for.
Belle's heart ached remembering the night he'd left her in such an unfamiliar place without a word of comfort or farewell. She felt as though she'd gone from being a commodity to being a burden.
"I have a feeling you'll love this place," Ms. Garder said, taking Belle by the arm as they left one shop and led her toward another. Unlike the rest, this shop was a narrow, two-story building with a sign hanging haphazardly over the doorway that simply read Remont's. Covering each and every window of both stories were dozens upon dozens of books arranged in all sorts of ways. Some standing with spines facing out, some on their sides, and some laying crooked.
Belle couldn't speak for several moments when she entered. Books spilled from shelves and towered in stacks from floor to ceiling.
"The bookkeeper's shop was nothing like this," she finally said, unsure of where to begin.
"Well, you just take your time," Ms. Garder said heading over to the shopkeeper.
At first, Belle tried her best to restrain herself, carefully choosing the books she selected. Within an hour, she held a book about dragons, one on gnomes and fairies. Another about trick-happy trolls. Before she knew it, another hour had passed, and her arms were full. She knew she'd not be able to decide on which to put back.
"Are you ready, madam?" Ms. Garder asked, giving her hair a quick adjustment before taking the stack of books.
"I can get them all?" Belle asked as Ms. Garder pushed them onto the counter and nodded. "Can I take one now?" she excitedly plucked one from the stack.
"The Dragons of Donholm," she said, looking over the dark green cover with gold, embossed script.
Exhausted from both the lack of sleep and the day of shopping, Belle slid heavily into the carriage seat, dozing in brief spurts all the way to the castle gate.