Beauty's Mirror- Paranormal Regency Beauty and the Beast

Chapter Four

Bella's mouth fell open. The strong, virile Duke before her was dying? "I am sorry to hear that," she said. It seemed like the inanest thing to say.

"Undoubtedly, you wonder how it can be possible when I appear healthy?" The Duke tapped his heart. "It's on the inside. My heart is bad. Nothing can end it. The closest I have got is this enchanted mirror."

Bella doubted his heart was the concern, but rather that he was touched in the head. Leo pulled a small looking glass out of his pocket and held it up for her inspection. "It allows you to see your heart's desire."

"I see only myself," Bella frowned. The image reflected was as pale and thin as ever.

"At first it appears as any mirror would. Concentrate and it will show you your true reflection."

Bella humored him and tried again then gasped as before her eyes, she bloomed with color and her face rounded. Her plain features transformed. Her brown eyes sparkled with vibrancy and depth. Her red hair darkened to auburn, looking striking with her light complexion. She touched her cheek in disbelief. "I'm...beautiful," she whispered.

"Perhaps its enchantment only works on me."

"Why do you think that?" She ripped her gaze away from the mirror.

Leo looked at her in confusion. "You are a beautiful lass, but I see a beast."

"That's ridiculous."

"Come, look." He motioned for her to come to his side and she leaned close to him. His clean scent filled her nostrils, and her heart pounded. She had never been so close to a gentleman before. "There we are. Beauty and the beast," he said.

Bella peered closely. She saw the same image reflected earlier, but the man beside her looked just as glorious in the mirror as he did in the flesh. Nothing like a beast. She shook her head. "I do not see it."

Leo sighed. "No matter. Mirror, show me Rosie."

Their images dissolved and miraculously, she saw Lady Rosalyn in bed with Jenny in a chair by her side. Bella drew back. "How did it do that?"

"Just as I've been telling you. Magic. My wife...she was unhappy. She turned to magic. Celia cursed me to die upon Bella's sixth birthday."

"Sir...Leo," she amended upon his scolding look. "I think perhaps you are over exhausted or ill. Should I call Mrs. Potter for you?"

"You do not believe it? Here," he held out the mirror. "Ask it to show you your heart's desire."

Begrudgingly, Bella obliged. The image transformed to her mother sitting before the fire in the Beauley residence. "How can this be? This is a cruel trick! My mother died four years ago!" Tears pricked Bella's eyes as she considered seeing her mother again truly was her greatest desire.

"It is not. Ask it to show you another desire."

Too curious to refuse, Bella asked the mirror again to show her a desire of her heart. A dark room slowly came into focus. Men were gathered around a table with mugs of spirits. Amongst the gruff looking men, Bella recognized her brother with weeks' worth of whiskers on his face. "George?"

"You worried for your brother," Leo said with something like wonder in his voice. "Do you believe now?"

Bella mutely nodded her head. How had she fallen into this fantasy world?

"You ought to drink some more wine," Leo prompted and lead her back to her seat then refiled her glass.

Bella took a sip and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, Leo looked at her in concern. "I should have spared you all of this. It was selfish of me to reveal it this way. Please forgive me."