A Beast Sees No Beauty

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Juliet couldn't believe - no she had to. Of all the responses she expected, sarcastic and romantic, he chose the one thing she didn't expect. Surely she misheard him? He would never- but he did. It was cruel and twisted, but Vincent McCoy did not think her beautiful.

She wanted to cry, but the tears that dared to be spilled remained brimming over her lashes, blurring her vision but not racing down her cheeks. Juliet finally managed to get out the front door, calming herself in the evening breeze. In the distance, she could see the sun setting in a beautiful array of colors.

Beautiful. The sunset or sunrise is beautiful, the earth is beautiful, even Roseline Jones is beautiful, but she was not. Well, she was to herself and her family, to everyone else in the world Juliet was perfect. Then why not Vincent McCoy? What made her so undesirable?

"Miss?" LuLu was there in an instant, wringing her hands through a towel to dry them. She had been helping wash the dishes in the kitchen. "I see you got yourself all dolled up, I got too caught up in the kitchen to help. Looks like I wasn't needed after- why are you crying child?"

Juliet ignored the hand on her shoulder and just stared ahead at the sunset. It was both calming and aggravating to watch something so flawless. "You said this dress was the perfect color, and I agreed. I still do, but... he doesn't think me beautiful."

A traitor of a tear finally slipped down, but Juliet ignored it. She let it trace its path down her face without lifting a finger to stop it. She was too tired to even bother to wipe her face and appear stronger than she was. "Come now, surely you misheard or something-"

"No, I directly asked if I looked beautiful. He made his point quite clear that I was not. I... I think I've overstayed my welcome," Juliet turned her head up towards the house, shaking her head at the thought of going back inside. Vincent would either avoid her or somehow make up for it all and right now, she didn't have the strength to put up with either. "I can't go back in. Can you have someone bring me a horse? I'm sure Joshua and Ophelia can figure out whatever needs to be done to save their plantation, but I can't stay here any longer. Not a second more."

LuLu wanted to get stern with the girl, strongly advise her against riding a horse in that dress and at this time - by herself! But instead, she just nodded. The girl needed to go home for a time. Vincent deserved a taste of his own medicine as well. LuLu wished him all the happiness of the world, but the boy still had much to learn if he thought he could say such a thing to Juliet.

"I'll get Ryan to bring a mare around, you just stay right here," LuLu walked around the corner of the house, casting glances over her shoulder to make sure Juliet was still there before she disappeared. It was odd to see such a young person so resigned. The girl would be fine by morning, LuLu knew that, but perhaps the scare of Juliet being gone will snap Vincent out of his ways for good.

Juliet watched the sun sink lower and lower, hoping the mare would arrive before it was too dark to ride. The last thing she wanted was to stay here another night, to see Vincent and deal with whatever insult he had left in him. He had finally done it - insulted her to the point of leaving. He won their bet.

"Miss Chambers? I got your horse here ready to go," Ryan kept his gaze low, embarrassed to see the beautiful woman all dressed up, but he couldn't seem to conclude why she needed a horse at this time of day.

"Thank you, Ryan, send my regards to everyone." Juliet lifted herself onto the mare with ease despite the different outfit and began to steer the horse away with a trot, before finally building up the speed to disappear down the dirt road between the fields.

"Where is she going?" Ryan turned to find the master standing in the open front entrance, confused as he stared after the girl. 

"I don't know, LuLu just told me to bring the Miss a horse," the man rubbed the back of his neck with his hand in worry. "Was I wrong to do so, Sir?"