Cinderella (Faerie Tale Collection) (12 page)

Her hands froze and she tried to pull away again. “This was all to get me to trust you? To get me to open up to you?”

“At first, yes. I wanted to help you and I knew you would never speak to the prince the same way you spoke to John, and so I did continue with the falsehood. But, then—then…”

“What now? What now that you know my family’s mistreatment of me? Do you now mean to spread this around and speak ill of the Dashlund name? Do you mean to use your princely powers to displace us all and call out my stepmother and stepsisters?”

“No.”

“What will you do now that the great mystery is solved? Now you will go and solve more mysteries and pretend to be other people with other subjects and—”

He silenced her with a kiss. He would not release his hold upon her lips until he could feel her mind settling down. Until he could feel her reaction to him returned and the sanity slowly weave itself around her heart again. This woman. This fierce, brave woman had years without knowing who to trust. It was no wonder her world would slip when something as great as he was speaking to her of came to focus. She needed time to think. She needed time to ponder upon her own feelings and emotions for him.

But she needed to do so knowing that he was in love with her. Knowing that he would wait until the end of time for her to see him for the man he was and not the self-righteous prince she had always imagined he would be.

Oh, how he kissed her. How she melted and folded herself right within his arms.

When he was done he simply said, “Ella, I love you.”

He could feel the tears wetting his shirt, as her shoulders shook within his arms.

“Ella, we have much to discuss, much more to speak of. But I am willing to give you time—time to sort this all out and come to a conclusion on what you would like to do. My father has just died. I will be made king before the week is out. My dear, my world is nothing without you. I would ask you to kindly think of all I have spoken of today. All I have said to you and my reasons for doing so. And I would like to know—later, much later—if you are willing to be my friend still, if you are willing to continue this path with me and see where it will lead us.

“I am willing to move slowly—there is no rush. With my father’s death, there is much to be sorted within the castle over the next little while. I may not be here as often as I would like to be. I do not know when I can make it back to your arms—but know that I will be thinking of you every single second.” He released her and looked into her wet eyes. “I love you. Please think of that when you decide what it is you wish to do. I understand if you would like to never see me again, but I beg of you to reconsider and decide within your heart all you do feel for me.” She looked away.

“There is one more thing,” he said, “I would like you to decide how best to handle your family. If you wish everything to remain as it is, then I will allow it to be so. If you wish to have them brought to court and humiliated, then we can arrange that too. It is up to you what you wish to have done to them, or not done to them. I will leave it in your hands.”

She looked up then, her beautiful eyes glistening through the tears. “Thank you. I do not know what else to say, so thank you.”

“I will leave you now. Please decide what you will of my outcome—it is literally in your hands. I give it all to you. My heart, my life, my fate. And I will take this small smile you are giving me now as a sign of hope, as a sign of a brighter future than I could have imagined a week ago.” He took one hand and raised it to his lips. “Be safe, my angel. I will be back for my answer soon. You will hear from me, I promise you.”

Ella attempted to deepen her smile, his hazel eyes holding way too much seriousness than could be right for him at this moment. “John—Your Highness—”

“Anthony. I am forever,
your
Anthony.”

“An—Anthony, I am sorry to hear of your father. My condolences must be given before I think of anything else at this time—forgive me for not mentioning them earlier.”

“Thank you.”

“I know what a good man he was. And for my own part, I will miss my king terribly too.” She blinked at the sudden tears forming. “I know what you must be suffering at this time. And I am so very sorry. Is there anything—anything I can do for you or your mother?”

“Yes.” He nodded and brought her knuckles to his lips once more. “Promise me you will think over all I said—and promise me I will have a friend when this is all over.”

How torn he was! How lost and heartbroken. “I will always be here for you. And I promise to give my responses to this all very soon.”

“Does this give me leave to imagine I still have a partner for the ball? I cannot guarantee when it will be now, if my mother will choose to carry on as before, or postpone it. However, I would still love you for a partner, if you are agreeable?”

His grin was too adorable. She smiled and answered, “Yes.”

“Then I shall be there at half-past nine on whatever day it is held.” He bowed his head quickly. “Forgive me, but I am in a mind to leave you at once, before you change yours!” He chuckled as he walked over and fetched the reins of his horse, slipping one foot in the stirrup, he jumped smoothly atop the steed. “Good day to you, fair lady. I will speak with you soon.”

With that he was gone.

And Ella was left there in the orchard. How much difference a day makes! She walked to the trunk of the tree and slid down it. How in the world would she ever make sense of all that had come forth?

A prince? A prince? She had captured the heart of a prince.

Ella laughed—if it was not all so ludicrous and outrageous, she may have laughed more.

She supposed it would be best to give him her answer—and sort out her own feelings by the ball.

Her heart jolted and the butterflies jumbled within her again. To be with the prince at the ball. In front of all those people—nay, not the prince, he will be king! Oh great heavens, what muddle had she got herself into?

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

AFTER SOME TIME, ELLA made her way back to the house and up to her bedroom. It was so very much to accept and believe—so very much of her life had been completely dumped upside down and shaken, until everything she thought she knew was a jumbled mess upon the floor.

He loved her! Prince Anthony loved her.

And he had known it was her all along. He loved her for being, well, her. Not a silly girl of the court, but as a servant, a woman who spoke with him and talked with him. He understood her love and need of horses. He understood her fears and heart and her need to take time. He understood the deep love she felt for her father. He understood her. And cared for her.

How was it possible?

There was much she must sort out before the ball. Much she must decide within herself, but for now—now, it was best to get back into the kitchen and see what help she could be for them.

Slipping off the nicer of the two pairs of boots she had been wearing the past couple of days, she pulled on the older ones. No reason to work in the kitchen with her best on. As she was sliding her left foot into the boot, she was reminded of the key she had hidden in there the day before.

Pulling it out, she examined the pretty brass etchings and scrolling around it. This key looked so very familiar to her. It was something she had seen many times before—but it must have been years and years ago. What was it to? What lock in the house would fit it? It was certainly too fine to be considered something normal and used every day. This key was most definitely used on something personal and costly.

She could not think of a box that would require such a key. With a shrug, she placed it under her pillow and made her way down the stairs, determined to solve it later—much later when she could clear her mind of everything else and give the matter some thought.

***

ANTHONY MADE HIS WAY home just in time to greet his mother as she stepped out of her chambers after her short nap.

“Are you sure you are up for this so soon?” he asked as he leaned over and gave the queen a kiss on the cheek. “You are welcome to sleep longer—perhaps even face the announcement tomorrow morning if you would like.”

Her worn eyes searched his a moment as she grinned slightly. “And where have you been, my son? Did you rush to visit your Eleanoria, then?”

“I knew you would figure it out soon enough.”

“Ah.” She gave out a short, soft chuckle. “Even when consumed with grief, it is amazing what an overactive mind can sort through.”

“You have just now sorted it out?”

“I could not sleep. I laid there the whole hour sickened and frenzied by all that must go forth—trying to sort out the rest of our lives.” She reached up and patted him on the cheek. “I thought of you as king, and wondered how you will be able to face it all.” Walking slowly to the nearest chair lining the grand corridor, she sat down. “I was so fearful of all you will have to take on—and so worried for you.”

“Mother,” he crouched down beside her, “you should not worry yourself over these things, I will be fine.”

“And then I remembered her. The mystery girl you were off to see so very much. And I remembered the invitation you had me address to Eleanoria Woodston, Lord Dashlund’s daughter.” She smiled, her eyes caressing his features. “You have found her. I had nearly forgotten he had a daughter until now. Is she well?”

“Yes, I have stumbled upon her. She is well. She is very well.”

“I can see by your smile that she is very pretty too.”

Anthony rolled his eyes as his grin deepened.

“And she has captured your heart,” she whispered. “Good girl.”

“Yes. She has quite caught it up tight.”

“Is she in love with you as well?”

“I think so. I hope so. But she does not know it yet.”

His mother nodded. “Good. It is good she learns to love you slowly—you royal men fall in love way too quickly in my opinion.”

“But father—”

“Was a fool to fall in love with me.” She grinned. “I could have turned out to be anyone at all. And yet, his soul was attached.”

He stood up. “When did you find you were in love with him?”

“Oh, goodness. I am sure it was a good two or three days after he did.” She laughed. “We were fools. We always have been.” She held her hand out and took a deep breath. “Help me up, my dear, I must face this and I am afraid I cannot do so alone. I miss him so very much.”

“I will be with you, Mother. I will be by your side, holding your arm the whole time.”

She took another deep breath as she clutched his hand and allowed him to pull her up. “I will even forgive you for smelling of horse, as well.”

Surprised, Anthony burst into laughter.

“Yes, my son, we will be fine. It may take us a bit, but we will be fine.”

“I believe so too.”

***

IT WAS A FEW days after the funeral for the king, and about a week before the prince’s coronation that Ella found herself wandering the orchard wishing he would come. The funeral had been a hard day—the village and several surrounding kingdoms had all come to pay their respects and many had left with swollen eyes and heavy hearts. Anthony had given an inspiring speech showing to the world the great love he had for his father and the kind ruler he was. It was certainly difficult for Ella to sit through, as it brought on so many memories of her own good father—but to see Anthony up there, in all of his princely glory, looking so foreign and strong and competent. It was peculiar.

It hurt too that she was not able to catch his eye once. And when the reverend got up to speak, to see Anthony break down in tears took every ounce of control she had not to rush all the way up to the podium and wrap her arms around him.

More than likely it was that moment she understood her true feelings for him. Knowing he was suffering and she could do nothing about it was torturous. Instead, she held her feelings deep within herself and wept for him when she came home.

Now she was wandering the orchard as she had done every day waiting for him. Hoping he would come. She sighed and looked around the trees. They would soon be losing their blossoms as the tiny buds of the apples would begin to appear. But still now, it was a wondrous fairyland of soft pink petals.

She missed him. How she missed him. How she wished she could laugh and tease and play with him. Yet things have changed. She kicked at a pebble beneath her foot. Even the queen had postponed the ball for another two months.

Two months! What in the world would Ella do for such a long time—especially if Anthony were never able to get away and see her? She sighed again. It was fruitless to wait out here. It was simply pointless to wish and dream for a man who was way too busy preparing to take over the kingdom to remember she was here and waiting for him.

As she came past the stables on her way up to the house, she was surprised to see Hansen motioning toward her to come over to him.

“Are you well?” she asked hoping his rheumatism was not acting up again.

“Yes, Miss.” He grinned, his wrinkles wreathing his face around the large smile.

She could not help herself, she grinned with him. “What is it?”

“I have something to show you, Miss. Something I have had hidden a mighty long time and have only just now come across it again while I was cleaning out the storeroom.”

Curious, she followed him inside the stables. “What is it?”

“’Tis something that you need to see—I would be showing that prince of yours as well, as it is important.”

“My prince?” She halted. “Hansen, how do you know who he is?”

“My goodness, child! You do not go around entertaining young men out in the orchard without me checking up on him first, do you now?”

She gasped out a chuckle. “Did you spy on us?”

“You bet your boots I did! If I needed to come out with my shovel and whack the boy, I would have done it too. Took me a minute to place him, but once I did, I saw very much that he was indeed the young prince.”

“Have you told anyone else?” They began to walk to the back of the stables again.

“No. What is your business, is your business, unless I need to make it my business, then I will. But he was not hurting you at all and I liked the idea of you having such a sweet beau, I left well enough alone.” He stopped at an old door and turned to her. “However, now what is in here is something you need to see. Something I promised your father never to show you until it was time. And I figure with the king dying and your prince going to be on the throne soon, then you needed to see this—and you needed to see it now.”