Beatrix glances between the children gazing up at her; Margaret’s eyes are wide and round and pleading, Victor’s far too serious. She sees her sisters in them, Isabella asking for a tale of the forest, Alice pretending not to listen. “I’ll tell you one of mine if you can both agree to it.”
Victor loves for her to read the stories from his father’s book, even though she’s sure he can recite them all by heart. But he nods, in agreement with his sister for once. “Very well, then.”
He returns the book to its spot on the shelf and sits on the floor near Beatrix’s feet.
“Long ago, in a kingdom at the end of the world, there lived a clever princess and her brother, the bravest knight in the land.” That makes Margaret smile. Victor rolls his eyes, but Beatrix can tell he is secretly pleased. “One day, the princess and the knight took a tour of their kingdom. They stayed out longer than intended, but both knew they needed to return to the safety of the palace before sunset. The knight was very brave, so he told the princess they should take a shortcut through the forest, even though it was dark and no one was certain what lived there. The princess agreed, for she trusted her brother and knew he could protect them. They rode into the forest together.”
Margaret stares up at her, wide-eyed. Victor leans in closer.
“They rode and rode and rode, but the forest wouldn’t let them go. No matter how far or how fast they went, the path never ended. It grew darker and colder, until the princess was sure night must have fallen. And then, standing on the edge of the river that ran through the forest, they saw a woman.”
Margaret clings to Beatrix’s arm. Victor’s eyes widen.
“The brave knight called out to her, sure she must be some poor, lost soul in need of rescue, trapped in the forest just as they were. But when she turned and they saw her face, the princess and the knight realized she was no woman—”
Margaret gasps.
“Was she horribly disfigured?” Victor asks. “Did she have warts?”
Beatrix gives him a stern look, and he quiets at once.
“She was the most beautiful creature the princess and the knight had ever laid eyes on. Red hair that danced like flames, and a dress that shone like starlight in the darkness. Her eyes were two different colors, one the color of a summer sunrise, the other the cool white glow of winter’s first full moon. And the princess and the knight knew she could only be a faerie of the woods.
“The brave knight asked the faerie to guide them from the forest, and she gave them the sweetest smile. But the clever princess, who was also very kind, knew it wasn’t genuine. The faerie told the knight and the princess she would help them, but they must ask her politely. Now, the princess knew you must never ask a favor of a faerie, for they do not grant favors, they only strike bargains. She knew faeries liked nothingmore than to take a desperate human’s wish and twist the words. She also knew the faerie’s magic had trapped them in that forest, and only the faerie’s magic could release them.”
“What did she do?” Margaret asks.
“Well, the princess was a very clever girl. She knew the faerie was cruel and proud. So, the princess thought long and hard about the proper way to ask the faerie to help them get out of the woods. She knew she had to choose her words with care. Finally, she thought of the right words, and she whispered them into her brother’s ear. And even he was astounded by his sister’s cleverness. Together, they approached the faerie, perched in the branches of an oak, grinning like a cat who had caught a mouse.”
A soft knock on the schoolroom door draws Beatrix’s attention from the two rapt faces in front of her. One of the young maids dips into a curtsy. “Pardon me, mistress. The children are to prepare for dinner. Guests will arrive shortly.”
“Thank you, Celia,” Beatrix says.
The maid bobs and leaves without a word.
“What did the princess ask the faerie?” Victor asks.
Beatrix leans closer, as if she has a secret. “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you and Margaret think about what the princess and the knight could have asked her? Write down all your ideas—neatly—and bring them to me at lessons tomorrow.”
Victor groans.
“You should have done your penmanship properly,” Margaret says matter-of-factly.
“Off you go to get ready for dinner.” Beatrix slides Margaret off her lap. “Don’t keep Celia waiting.”
“Mother says she’s supposed to wait,” Victor says. “She’s not allowed to hurry us along.”
Beatrix stoops to Victor’s level, until she is looking into wide green eyes she assumes must be the same as his father’s. They have nothing of their mother’s unyielding gaze in them. “That may be so, but being considerate toward others, even those of a lower station than you, will serve you both well.” She glances over to Margaret to ensure she has the little girl’s attention, too. “Celia is very busy today. Every day, for thatmatter. Don’t you think it would be kind of you to make her job easier by doing as she asks?”
Victor nods.
“Yes, mistress,” Margaret says.
“Good, now off you go, both of you.”
The children leave to prepare for their dinner party. Beatrix is sure their mother wouldn’t appreciate that lesson in manners, but she doesn’t particularly care what Mrs. Winfield thinks. If it were up to her, Mrs. Winfield would get a lesson of her own.
Beatrix smiles to herself as she turns down the narrow hallway to her bedroom. She wonders what answers the children will bring her tomorrow. In truth, she is stalling. She doesn’t know how to defeat a faerie with clever words. She’s not even sure it’s possible.
