Hidden Beauty

Chapter 25

Mable leisurely sipped her coffee as she tucked her legs up underneath her, more relaxed than she had been in years. She shifted deeper into the soft cushions of the chair, closing her eyes to savor the quiet of the library in early morning, the only sounds the crackle of the fire in front of her. This was a daydream come to life; just her, a comfortable spot, and a good book.

And one that came highly recommended, she thought with a smile as she studied the book Theo had lent to her.

She had been ordered to stay in the library or her private rooms. Under no circumstances was she allowed near the ballroom. Labelle had been in a state all morning, running around making certain that everything from the music to the appetizers was perfected to her exact specifications. She probably would have been irritating, if she hadn't looked so lovely doing it and hadn't been doing it just for Mable's sake.

Mable's smile widened when she recalled Labelle's excited face on the other side of her door this morning.

"Oh, I do hope you'll like it." She had gushed as she had inexplicably handed Mable an engraved invitation.

"I'm sure I will, but Labelle, I really don't need..."

"Oh, don't fret, cherie. I'll send someone upstairs about an hour or two before to help you dress and prepare. Now, why don't you have a simple breakfast in the library and take some time for yourself, yes? I must go. I have to find out where Theo has run off to." Labelle blew her a kiss and scampered off, leaving Mable standing in the doorway to her own room.

After taking a quick half-hour to water her little plant, Mable had made her way to the library, where there was a "simple" breakfast of pastries, juice, and coffee already set up for her. One of the chefs—Henri—assured her that while this was sparse, she should prepare herself for a bigger, more scrumptious feast this evening. Almost everyone she knew—Labelle, Theo, Monsieur Lune, Maddie—were all preparing the ballroom and the entertainment for this evening and would most likely be unavailable but to just call if she needed anything.

Ridiculously pleased that they were all going through this much effort just for her, Mable did as she was told and had spent the past three hours in the library, curled up with a book and nibbling on her food.

She gave a short, guilty glance at the table in the corner, where two or three unopened spell books still lay. She should be searching for a way home, but she had taken Labelle's words to heart. After all, the work would still be there tomorrow, and Theo had said he found more books up in the attic. A day off would hardly set her back in her quest, and it's wasn't like she was making progress anyway.

Glad she had found an excuse, Mable stood up and stretched, lazily perusing the shelves. She had been so involved with finding a way home she had never had the chance to actually see what kinds of books were here, besides the Fairy-written ones she had been researching. She trailed her fingers over the spines. If she had been told, a couple of months ago, that she would end up in a magical castle, with a fantastical library, cursed servants and a furry Master, she would have laughed herself silly. Who knew that this would all end up being real, and that she would find friends who loved her enough to put together a ball in her honor?

Mable glanced upwards and saw that the sun on the ceiling had moved, enough to le her know it was past noon. She should probably head back up to her rooms if she wanted to get ready for tonight.

She gave a quick pull on the bell cord to let the kitchens know she was finished and gathered up a few books to read at another time. She fought the desire to go and peek in at the ballroom, knowing that it would hurt Labelle if she saw her present before it was done. To prevent the temptation, she chose a longer route up to her rooms, down through the foyer and back up one of the main stairways.