Mrs. Poole’s eyes shifted. “What are you doing in court?”
“Some protesters filed an injunction against developing Phase II. It shouldn’t stand—they have no legal grounds. I’m going to court this afternoon to have it removed.” She glanced across her desk. “I had a book here. One that had the precedent I needed …” Her heart sped up. She couldn’t remember the name of the case, or she could look it up online. She’d only just found it that morning. If she didn’t have it, she may not win and the injunction would stand.
“Are you scared?” asked Corbon.
“Not scared, nervous. I won’t even be presenting a case. This is pretty cut-and-dry.” She paused, her stomach churning. “The firm representing the activists is one of the best in the city.”
“Really? What’s their name?”
“Wolfe, Wolfe & Wolfe.”
Mrs. Poole gasped. “You’re going up against the wolves in court this afternoon?”
Bella’s already fluttering heart picked up speed.
“Who’s facing the wolves?” asked Ben as he sauntered in. Wiggling his fingers, he picked up a BLT sandwich from the tray.
“Bella.” Mrs. Poole threw her hand at Bella.
Ben choked on his food. “But you can’t. It is dangerous.”
“I’m not afraid. And I’m not arguing with them. I just have to be there to represent.”
“Oh dear.” Mrs. Poole wrung her hands. “Corbon, take this tray back to the kitchen.” She busied herself reloading the tray and giving him a slight shove to get moving. Ben held his sandwich to his chest to keep her from sending it off. Once the boy was out of earshot, Mrs. Poole spoke. “It’s not about being brave, my dear. It’s about saving your skin.”
“If you go into that courtroom and they smell the Beast on you, they’ll pounce.” Ben snapped his fingers.
Bella rolled her eyes. “It’s a court of law, not a dark forest at night.” She may have sounded brave, but inside she trembled. She needed that book.
“Little difference,” muttered Ben.
“I had a book here.” She pointed to the middle of her desk. “I need it. Do you know where it may have wandered off to?”
Ben and Mrs. Poole exchanged a look and lifted their shoulders simultaneously. “Most law books end up in the west study.” Mrs. Poole clamped her hand over her mouth.
“But you can’t go in there,” admonished Ben. “It’s Adam’s private chambers.”
Bella rubbed her lips together. Private chambers or not, she had to have that book. It was the key to her defense. “Of course. I wouldn’t dream of trespassing.”
A timer went off in Mrs. Poole’s pocket. “That’ll be the apple turnovers.” She hit the stop button, and the beeping ceased. Ben’s whole face lit up. Mrs. Poole didn’t miss the transformation. “Yes, you can have one. But mind your mouth. They’re coming right out of a 425-degree oven.” She shook her finger in his bearded face.
“But of course.” He swept after her. At the door, he paused. “Remember what we said—no going into the master suite.”
Bella wiggled her fingers in a wave.
Ben hopped once and then followed his nose to the kitchen, where he would no doubt burn his mouth on an apple turnover. Once his footsteps had quieted and the only sounds that could be heard were the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway and the quiet buzzing of the radiant heating, she tiptoed into the hallway.
The case in that book was the only thing that could save her fromthe wolves, as Mrs. Poole had called them. Funny how the name sounded so much more intimidating than Wolfe, Wolfe, & Wolfe. She had been looking forward to today, her first day in court, but now her excitement was laced with worry. She couldn’t afford to lose today.
The entrance to the west wing was off the front entry of the house. She passed several butlers and maids, all busy doing their work and none of them paying her any attention. Still, she straightened her back. The more she looked like she knew where she was going, the less likely anyone would suspect her of trespassing. At least, that’s what movies had taught her. Hopefully Hollywood was right about this.
She made it into the west wing. This side of the house was darker, shaded at this time of the day, although the sunsets would be beautiful coming through the bank of windows in every room on the ground floor. Unfortunately, none of those rooms were studies. Ben had said it was part of the master suite. She glanced up the curving grand staircase and sucked air through her teeth. She didn’t have time to be a coward.
With measured steps, she climbed the red carpeted stairs and turned left. Several rooms lined the dimly lit hallway, and she glanced inside. A personal gym. “I’ll bet that wasn’t here when the castle was built,” she muttered. A media room, complete with movie screen and leather couches. “That’d be nice.” A billiard room, which she didn’t spend much time on. And a study! There were more open doors down the hall, but Adam could be inside any one of them, and the last thing she wanted to do was explain why she was lurking in his private sanctuary. Besides, the way Mrs. Poole and Ben talked, she was doing something wrong by going to court today. She couldn’t just let the court date pass by. Someone had to show. It should have been her father, but he was in no shape to stand before a judge. The Beast could have gone, but he didn’t make public appearances anymore. She wondered if he ever would.
What she’d seen in the hospital had shaken her. Even though she’d taken in the damage to his cheek, it was his eyes that had held her captive. They still did. When she allowed herself to look into them, it was like she was seeing right into his soul. And his soul was in so much pain. Not all of it came from the attack, either. He was a complicated man, fascinating, really. She shook herself from her thoughts and focused on her reason for being there.
Her book was on the edge of a round table in the middle of the room. Relief flooded her system and allowed her stammering heart to slow to a normal pace. No wonder she’d lost weight—this job produced more stress hormones than being stranded on a desert island with a hungry tiger. She crossed the room, the soft carpet eating up her footfalls.
