The Spinster and the Beast

Chapter 1

Two weeks later

     Emma Primrose stared out the window of the coach as it swayed down a dirt road. The scene that happened a week ago played in her mind.

     "I am to be wed to who?"

     Emma stared at her father in disbelief. Luke had summoned his eldest to his study. He informed her that she was going to marry Sebastian Beaumont.

     "Do not look at me like that," Luke said. "I had no choice. We should be grateful that he wasn't going to take our land. Your brother Bryan will still have the house to inheriate."

     Emma didn't say anything. Inside she wanted to stomp her feet and scream at him. She was a quiet person and didn't like confrontation. She stared at her feet.

     "It is not the end of the world," he said. "You should be happy to have the opportunity to marry. Most girls your age don't."

     Emma knew very well that she had been put on the shelf since she turned twenty. She had no suitors or proposals of marriage. Her sister Victoria's friend Julie never let her forget it.

     "Now I want you to start packing," Luke said. "You will be leaving in a week."

     "Yes, Father," Emma said quietly.

     Soon Emma felt the coach slow to a stop. She had arrived at Beaumont Manor. She put on her light blue bonnet and smoothed the wrinkles in her matching dress. The door to the coach opened. The footman reached his hand in to help her out. Her feet touched gravel and she looked up at her new home. It was a four story white house. It had eggwhite shutters on five windows. Between two white pillars was an oak front door.

     Sebastian watched from the window of his room as his betrothed looked up at the house. From what he could see, she had a heart shaped face and a short nose. He wondered what color were her eyes and if her lips were full. There was a knock at his door. His valet, Jamie, opened it.

     "Ms. Primrose is here, Lord Beaumont," he said.

     "I shall be down in a moment," Sebastian said, not looking away from the window.

     "Yes, sir," Jamie said. He closed the door behind him.

     Sebastian turned around when he heard the door shut. He went to the table beside his bed. He carefully put his mask on the right side of his face. No one has ever seen him without it after he became disfigured. He knew from experience that it repulsed people, mostly women. He put on his red velvet coat over his tunic.

     Emma was escorted into the house and to a room off to the left. When she saw a priest standing in front of the room, she began to panic. She turned to the housekeeper, Mrs. Coleman.

     "I was not told that I was to wed Lord Beaumont as soon as I got here," Emma said.

     "He thought it was best to be wed right away," Mrs. Coleman said.

     "But-" Emma said.

     Mrs. Coleman patted her on the arm. "It will be all right, Ms. Primrose," she said. "You will see."

     Before Emma could respond, the door opened. She stared as a tall, broad shouldered man walked through the doorway. He had brown hair that came to his shoulders. A white mask covered his right cheek from his cheekbone to his jaw. He wore black trousers. His dark eyes met her blue ones. She blushed and looked down at the floor.

     "Hello, Ms. Primrose," he said. "My name is Sebastian Beaumont."

     "I know," she said. She gasped in horror and clapped a hand to her mouth. "I-I mean it is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Beaumont," she said. She took her skirt and made a curtsey.