Hidden Beauty

Chapter 4

Mable shivered in the cold, trying to get her sluggish mind to think. There was no way she could walk in this. It would be like last night all over again. She closed the door and sat back down at the table, fighting back the panic that was eating its way into her brain. Monsieur Carnier and Maddie were watching her, concerned. Mable closed her eyes, grateful for the silence that had blown in with the cold. She needed to think of what to do.

The storm wouldn't last long, probably just another day. Jeanne or Colette would be at the house right about now, so her father was well taken care of. She would have to wait, but it was a shame that she couldn't use her cell to at least call...

Mable's eyes flew opened and she looked at Monsieur Carnier. "Do you have a phone I could use?" she asked eagerly. Surely, they would have a phone.

Monsieur Carnier seemed confused by her question, but he merely said, "I'm afraid not, Lady. This castle...it's very old."

"And the storm probably knocked the lines down." She muttered to herself, annoyed that she hadn't thought of that earlier. "Do you guys really have no way of contacting anyone outside the castle?"

Now both Monsieur Carnier and Maddie looked uncomfortable.

"No, I'm afraid not." Monsieur Carnier said. He turned to his child companion, "Maddie, my dear, I think now would be a good time to bring Lady Mable to see your father. He can explain everything."

What more was there to explain? Mable wondered to herself. She supposed it made sense that the castle, clearly not of a modern time period, had no phones to speak of. And with the weather acting the way it was, she couldn't expect them to have a car on standby. But Monsieur Carnier was acting as if there was some big secret she was missing out on. Both he and Maddie gabbled in French for a few moments, glancing at Mable occasionally.

What was going on here?

Maddie broke off from her talk with the chef and came over to Mable. "Why don't we go see Papa up in our apartment?" she suggested, still looking nervous. "Papa has a way of explaining things so they all make sense."

Mable narrowed her eyes. "Am I allowed to spend another night here, at least? You guys aren't kicking me out or anything, are you?"

"No, no, of course not." Monsieur Carnier assured her. "You are welcome to stay as long as you like, my lady. But...there are some things you should know, and Lune is probably the best person to tell you about it. I am quite the storyteller," he put his hand over his heart, and looked at the ceiling comically, "But I do not dare tell you and mess it up. Go with Maddie and find Lune. I will drive these lazy wretches into making you a wonderful dinner that will make you quite glad you got to spend more time with us."

Mable smiled, despite her growing unease. "I'm sure it won't top last night's dinner, Monsieur Carnier." She told him as she stood, following Maddie to the door.

"It will be a dinner you shall never forget, Lady Mable." He promised. Mable heard him bellowing at his subordinates on her way out.

Maddie led her through another series of corridors, lined with paintings and thick, crimson carpets. At the end of each one there was a small table, with a plain white vase filled with jewel-bright flowers. Mable spotted bouquets of roses and calla lilies, carnations and ferns, all vibrant with life.

"You guys sure do have green thumbs," she noted as they passed another table filled with flowers.

"It's Madame Cecile, mostly." Maddie told her. "She loves gardening and flowers, and has completely taken over the greenhouse."