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They walked back in silence. She felt like his attitude toward her had completely shifted again. She tried to put it out of her mind, but she couldn’t help feeling his anger was directed at her and not at the beast that had attacked him.
She wanted to cry, but she knew that would just make him angrier, so she walked back to the castle saying nothing, hoping his temper would improve.
Cogsworth did not greet them at the door as he normally did; instead it was Lumiere.
“Where is Cogsworth? I need him to fetch the doctor!” the Prince barked.
Lumiere looked worried, but not just for his master. It seemed as if something else was going on, something he dreaded telling the Prince.
“Of course, my lord. I shall take care of it.”
As he was walking away to have one of the porters send a message for the doctor, the Prince said, “And send me Cogsworth!”
Lumiere stopped dead in his tracks and it took him quite a few moments before he turned around to respond.
“Well, sir, you see, we don’t know where Cogsworth is.”
“What on earth are you talking about, you don’t know where he is? He’s always here! Go and find him at once and tell him I need him! Never mind! I will ring for him myself.”
He went to the mantel to pull the cord that summoned Cogsworth.
“Excuse me, sir, but he’s not there. We’ve searched the entire estate and we cannot find him. We’re all very worried.”
The Prince was going out of his mind with anger.
“This is nonsense! Where on earth is the man? It’s not like him to shirk his duties!”
“I know, sir, that is why we are all so worried. Mrs. Potts is in a heap of tears downstairs! She’s had Chip looking everywhere for him. Everyone has been looking, sir. Do you recall the last time you saw him?”
He couldn’t.
“Come to think of it, I have not seen him all day.”
Tulip interjected, “This is very vexing, but I think we should call the doctor, don’t you? I’m worried about your arm, my love.”
Lumiere was rattled out of his panic for his friend Cogsworth and switched his focus to his master.
“Yes, sir, I’d better take care of that first thing, and then we will arrange another search for Cogsworth.”
The entire household was in a panic. Cogsworth was nowhere to be found, and now it seemed Mrs. Potts was also missing. “But, Nanny, it doesn’t make sense! You were just having tea with her. Where in the world would she have gone off to?”
Nanny’s eyes were red from crying.
“I don’t know! I went to fetch us some more hot water for the tea. That Mrs. Potts is always bustling about, and I just wanted her to sit for a spell. You know that woman can’t just sit down to enjoy a nice cup of tea without getting this or that for one person or another. But wouldn’t you know it, once I returned with the water, she was gone! And the strangest thing, sitting there on the table was a pretty little teapot as round as can be!”
Tulip was confused.
“Nanny, you were having tea. I don’t understand why a pot upon the table would be so strange.”
Nanny said, “Ah, but you see, I had the teapot we were using, didn’t I? To get the water. So why was there another just sitting on the table?”
“That is strange, I suppose.”
Nanny’s face crinkled up.
“It’s more than strange, girl! Something is happening in this house! Something sinister! I felt it the first time we arrived and now it’s getting stronger!”
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