A Beast Sees No Beauty

Chapter Two

Vincent didn't join the woman in the carriage. Instead, he lifted himself onto his horse and led the way. He tried to ignore the constant rumbling of the carriage wheels, but he couldn't seem to think properly with all the noise. Then there was the pitiful distraction of a beautiful woman hidden behind the carriage windows.

Of course, this meant his mood was twice as bad as usual when he arrived at his home. He swung off his horse the first second he could, letting the stable boy take the reigns and lead the creature away. He didn't even wait for Juliet before he marched inside, ordering one of the servant girls to prepare a room. The less he saw of her, the better. He couldn't risk letting her seduce him into returning her home.

Juliet barely saw his retreating form when she stepped out of the carriage without any help. She stared up at the imposing structure of his manor warily, not sure if she was welcomed inside. Surely, he wouldn't make her stay elsewhere after dragging her away from her home and family, yet she felt as though her very existence was being barricaded from entering. Before she could question her presence any further, several people exited the home.

Men grabbed her luggage and took it inside, while a couple of the women greeted her, guiding her inside and towards her new room.

"We didn't think the master would bring home any guests, especially a pretty thing like you!" One of the two women, the older one, pinched her cheeks, making poor Juliet feel like a child. 

"Shush! Don't you know the Master doesn't like gossip!" It was strange to see a young person scold an older one. It was refreshing, but still an odd sight. "He'll have our heads if he hears us!"

"I'm too old to worry about death," the older woman let out a cackle, bending over from the severity of her laugh. "And you're twenty years too young to scold me!"

Juliet couldn't help but smile at the exchange. It was such a familial relationship that she herself hadn't felt from another female in ages. Obviously, considering her current position with her eldest sister.

"So, how'd you meet the Master?"  The old woman smiled, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. The younger woman threw her hands in the air in exasperation, giving up on the other female. There was nothing anyone on this earth could do to stop that woman from doing what she wanted.

"Well..." Was she allowed to tell the truth? Would she be punished for lying? What would Mr. McCoy ask her to say anyway? "My brother-in-law owes a debt to Mr. McCoy, and I was given as collateral." 

The two women silenced themselves. It seems as though they were expected something more light-hearted - like he offered her a place to stay for the night after she missed her train. Instead, the truth was bitter and cold and left a rancid taste in her mouth. That was life, after all.

"Well then, this is your room," the young woman opened the door, showing off the moderately decorated space that would serve as her temporary living quarters. She wouldn't be here forever, right? "Do you need any help unpacking?"

Juliet shook her head, gingerly entering the room to take everything in. Her trunks were already settled in random spots throughout the room, reminding her she was here to stay. She began opening the latch on one, seeing her dresses folded and pressed together inside. "No, I can handle unpacking by myself." 

"Well, we'll be back around seven to escort you to the dining room. The Master doesn't eat often, but he does eat supper." The two left before she could question them or ask for their names. The door closed softly, leaving Juliet in a deafening silence. She wanted so badly to run outside and grab a horse to escape, but that would make her weak and ruin her sister's life.

Not that Ophelia didn't deserve it.

With a sigh, Juliet fell back onto her new bed, displeased to find it firmer than the one she had back home. She grabbed a pillow, hoping to find some comfort in it, but it had deflated completely. With a groan, she just laid back, not caring how uncomfortable she was.

The navy blue curtains in her room remained closed, blocking out the sun. There was no clock, and no way to tell the time. She felt as though she was living in a cave underground. The walls were all dark and shadowed from the lack of light. Even the wood on the door and ceiling were darker than most homes she had been to.

Everything here was dark. It was as if the entire household had been blocked from the sunlight. All the joy Juliet recognized in her father's home was now replaced with this depressing structure. It wasn't a home at all, just a house with an unbearable master.

From here Juliet could feel the tenseness of the household. She could hear how servants quietly tiptoed down the halls, how the few that spoke hushed their voices into a murmur. They were obviously afraid of something, and it definitely wasn't her.

When she felt that a large amount of time had passed, Juliet got up and got dressed. Her mint colored gown clashed with the dark theme of the room, as well as the mood of the entire household. 

Juliet owned nothing close to dark. All of her dresses were bright. She had only been dressed in black once that she could remember, and that was several years ago when her mother died. Not even her sisters wore dark colors, though her brothers had a dark suit or two for formal events.

It simply wasn't something her family was known for.

When she was certain that her appearance was satisfactory, she set about making her room more comfortable. She started with opening the curtains, letting the sun's falling rays light up the room as she began to unpack.

Her dresses fit in the wardrobe perfectly, with some space for more if the need ever arose. There was no bookshelf, so she'd have to leave her books stacked on the chair by the window. It was a pity for the maroon velvet to be used in such an improper way.

When everything had a place to Juliet's liking, she seated herself on her new bed once more, patiently waiting for the females from earlier to guide her back to the dining room.

~~

Vincent glared at the older woman, who only cackled at his unpleased expression.

"What nonsense are you going on about now?" Her amusement turned into a glare as she pointed a finger at him, all the laughter disappearing like a flame in the wind. He wanted to roll his eyes at the disrespect, but he knew better than to tell the woman off. 

"Now, don't you go and talk to me like that! Don't you ever forget who held your Mama's hand when she gave birth to you! I helped raise you, boy, and I won't take any disrespect!" Vincent kept his jaw clenched, forcing himself to not say anything to one of the women whom he respected.

The two stood in silence for several moments before the woman spoke again.

"You brought a mighty fine-lookin' girl home today, boy. I never thought I'd see the day you'd bring home a girl!" LuLu Britton began to fan her face, letting out a hoot. She didn't care for the reasons behind the girl's presence. Vincent need a woman in his life. He needed the feminine touch to soften his hard edges and to melt the layers of ice around his heart.

"I only brought her here to pay off Joshua Hayes' debt!" Vincent knew he spoke too soon and too quickly when the woman raised one of her thin eyebrows with a small smile spreading across her face. "I don't need you romanticizing everything. Yes, she's a girl and yes, she's pretty. That doesn't mean anything other than that - she's a pretty girl. Probably just another stupid chit."

Vincent turned and stalked off, not wanting to hear any more from the woman. He knew Juliet CHambers was more than a stupid chit. He knew she was a bright soul - in more ways than one.

When LuLu knew he was out of eyeshot she began to cackle once more, lifting a hand to her mouth to stifle the noise. "Ooooh-weeee! He's gonna fall hard! He's gonna fall real hard and real soon!"

"Now I know you ain't dancin' in the halls when we're supposed to be getting that pretty girl out for dinner!" LuLu ignored the young woman, simply grinning before going off to get Juliet before they were any later.