Red Wolfe (10 page)

He left and Ellena scurried after
him. “Trying to seduce you? Don’t flatter yourself,” she angrily laughed. They turned the corner and made their way to the dining hall.

The table was already set as they took their places. “If your purpose for this charade was not to
gain my attention than what is it?”

“
Why did you provide me dresses if you did not intend for me to wear them?” she fiercely replied.

“
I did no such thing.”

“Stop toying with me,” Ellena commanded as Gregor served them.

“My dear, I am always toying with you, but I am sad to say this time I speak the truth.”

“You didn’t provide all those clothes? Then who did?”

“If I may be so bold,” Gregor interrupted. “I supplied them.”

Ellena could only sit with her mouth agape. What an utter fool she must
have seemed!
Monsieu
r Wolfe vainly snickered as he picked up his glass of water. 

“I did not mean to cause a misunderstanding,”
the old man was very troubled

“Oh no, Gregor, it’s all right. I love the dresses so don’t be upset.”

Her honest statement soothed him and he set back to work. Ellena’s eyebrows furrowed as she tried to devise a plan to recover the situation. Clam soup was their first course, a delicious chowder that made her taste buds sing, but she couldn’t fully enjoy it as she racked her brain for an idea to once again turn the tide her way.

“Too mortified to speak anymore?” Lord Wolfe asked.

“You are well educated, aren’t you?”

“Indeed,” h
e took a bite of his delicately prepared fish. “I have been well taught on every subject. I believe I already told you.”

“Does that include your lineage?”

“Such an unusual question coming from you. May I ask why you are curious?” He was watching her with an unreadable expression as he reclined back against his chair.

“Just testing your superior knowledge. I bet I know something about your ancestry that you do not even know.”
Ellena knew he would never allow her to challenge him in such a manner.

“Pray, do tell.”

“It’s about a certain prince and a red hood.”

His eyes flashed with an emotion that Ellena could not quite recognize. Curiosity? Surprise? Or was it something else?

“An interesting story,” he replied.

“You know of it?”

“
Oui
, it is a story I know well, a foolish, naïve prince falling love with a beautiful woman. His innocent notions were quickly dashed when she was so very easily stolen by another.”

“Of course you would think he was foolish,” Ellena replied. “But I do not agree with you.”

“Of course you wouldn’t,” he grinned. “I did not care enough to ask before, but now that you have brought the subject up, where did you get that red hood?”

“I came across a peasant woman my first day in the village and she accidently left it behind with me. I’ve been trying to find her and return it. That’s what I was doing in the forest the first day we met.”

“I see.”

“What of your hood?” she asked. “How did you come across it?”

“What concern is that to you?”

“I’ve just never seen one
like it,” she said, taking a bite of bread.

“
I have always owned it,” he silkily replied. “I commissioned a famous tailor in Italy to make it for me and, as we both know, he could not refuse.”

Maybe he wasn’t related to the prince in the story
after all, Ellena thought.

“You will join me for a stroll in the gardens after dinner, no?”

“After dinner?” Ellena repeated.

“Gregor, go and fetch our coats.”

The old butler bowed and then left.

“I did not accept your invitation,” Ellena fiercely said.

“I know you won’t refuse,” he said. “Your curiosity won’t allow it.”

She could not deny it. His sudden offer was all too tempting to pass. The man was up to something and Ellena would find out wh
at sorted plan he was devising. Gregor returned with their red hoods thrown over his left arm. In his right hand he held a pair of green, ladies shoes. He helped Lord Wolfe into his cape and then turned his attention toward Ellena.

“For you, my lady.”

He kneeled to take her foot, removing the white slipper. “Don’t burden yourself,” Ellena tried to fight the shoe from his grip, but he was surprisingly strong for an older gentleman.

“Please, don’t deny this old man the pleasure of waiting on a beautiful woman,” he smiled.

“Very well,” she whispered. He slipped on the shoes.

“
Parfait
!” he cried. “I knew they would fit.”

Ellena squished her toes against the soft fabric as Gregor helped her with her hood. “They are quite lovely,” she
whispered, staring down her feet.

“
I
am ready,” Lord Wolfe loudly interrupted and Ellena grudgingly stalked over to him. He led the way as they walked towards the gardens.

He did not speak as they w
alked through the halls and it was an unnerving feeling. It was not like him to be so quiet. They passed the familiar tapers and torches, their red capes almost looking yellow as the candlelight hit them and as Ellena looked closer, she could see the golden stitches laced within the fabric.

She was so entranced by the twinkling stitches of his cape that when he suddenly came to a halt, Ellena collided into him.

“Stop getting so distracted,” he berated, ordering her to open the door.

“Do not scold me like a child,” Ellena said. “If you want to go in so badly, you open the door.”

“I’ll simply call for Gregor.” He was rearing up to bellow down the hall.

“Don’t!”

She stomped past him, mumbling obscenities that would make a grown man blush and pushed. Lord Wolfe’s smile only grew bigger.

The gardens were bathed in a soft glow, the colored leaves almost appearing silver from the moonlight. She looked up, clearly seeing the bright stars through the glass ceiling and she reached out her hand, pretending to hold them between her fingers.

“You should not reach for things that you cannot have,” Lord Wolfe suddenly said.

Ellena turned to look at him. She wasn’t sure if it was the dark shadows or silent eeriness, but just for that split second, he seemed horribly sad. She also wasn’t sure
if it was a trick of the light, but he also seemed to look slightly different. She couldn’t pin point the change, it was more like a subtle feeling. The air about him was less intense. Lanterns were glowing all along the pathway, making sure to light their way as the slowly walked.

“Are tulips your favorite flower?” Ellena asked.

“No,” he answered.

“Then why do you have so many?”

“It is the only flower that can withstand these harsh temperatures. Most others simply die.”

There it was again, that nagging feeling that something about him had changed. His eyes
or his mouth? The way he spoke? Whatever it was, Ellena could not find it. Her eyes were locked into a fierce stare when he stopped to look at her.

“About that prince and the red cape, had you heard that story before?”
he asked.

“It seems like a very interesting take on the classic
Little Red Riding Hood
.”

“I am not familiar with that tale. Why di
d you become so curious about this prince?”

“Well, I guess because
the story just suddenly ends. I never learned what happened to the prince. Did he win her back? Did he find someone else? I have to know.”

“What difference does it make to you?”

They came to a patch of wild blueberries and began to circle the path around.

“Do you know the ending? Is it said? If it is sad, do not tell me. I will simply rewrite his story so that it ends happily.”

“Would you? How would you plan it?”

“Well,” Ellena said
. “He would certainly find another to love, a lady more faithful and kind than the horrid woman who ran off. He would live happily ever after, but I would make sure his ex-lover was absolutely miserable, married to a selfish man who made her birth fifteen babies and beat his clothes!” Ellena laughed as Lord Wolfe amusingly smirked.

“Do you think that ill of the other prince?
Maybe it was not his fault that the woman came to him?”

“What do
you mean?”

“Perhaps that woman was so easily stolen because that hapless prince failed at guarding what was his?”

Ellena paused as she considered his comment. “I guess we’ll never know,” she finally whispered. “But I don’t believe it was the kind prince’s fault. I don’t think she really loved him. She wasn’t taken, she left and there was probably nothing he could have done to make her stay.”

She was surprised to find their conversation quite pleasurable
. For the first time since meeting him, she found herself thoroughly enjoying his company. He was still his witty, demanding self, but now he was laced with an air of gentleness. Ellena almost couldn’t believe it herself. The man was almost charming.

“You really wish to know more about the story?” Lord Wolfe asked. He had led her to the center of the gardens were a beautiful marble fountain lay full of water and covered in ivy.

“I do.”

“Then we shall make a deal,” he victoriously bellowed i
n a way that made Ellena laugh. “For each night that you stay here, I will reveal to you more of that story.”

Ellena thought for a moment. Surely it would not take too much time. These kinds of fairy tales were never horribly long and in light of his new, more tolerable demeanor, she agreed.

Gregor was waiting for them when they returned to the garden’s main door. “I hope your walk went well.” He bowed as he held the candle in his hand higher.

“It actually did,” Ellena said. Gregor held the door open as they passed inside. It was much warmer here.

“I have left some hot tea in both of your quarters,” Gregor announced as he helped Lord Wolfe with his hood.

“
Bonne nuit,”
Ellena said, bidding them both farewell and goodnight as she left in a rush. The way a certain man was looking at her made her feel uncomfortable and it was not necessarily a bad feeling either. She was almost running as her footsteps went at a less than leisurely pace. Her own common sense was betraying her. The young woman told herself she would never, in any way, be in any measure attracted to that man, but he had cheated, horribly cheated by being so amiable and delightful that night. The only comfort she had was surely it was an accident. Tomorrow he would be back to his old ruthless self, she hoped. If he was not, Ellena feared the worst.

The tea was steaming on a nearby table
when she finally returned to her sleeping chambers. Ellena, finding a delicate white night gown in one of the many drawers, changed and made her way to bed, snuggling deep into the blankets. One lone candle lit the room as she slowly sipped from her cup.

The pictures were gazing back at her as Ellena sent them a penetrating glare. The rational part of her brain was bombarding her with several logical explanations of why the pictures seemed to move.
Exhaustion?  Stress?  Was it possible that she had been dreaming, but then another part of her was not so sure. The illogical, unsound part of her brain (every writer has one) kept pestering her that perhaps it was something more. It was nothing but a nagging doubt, but sometimes that’s all it takes to dash all rational thinking aside.

She fell asleep in the soft glow of the flickering flame, completely unaware that
black shadows were moving across the room, barely out of reach of the burning light. The candle blew out and tender hands tucked her firmly into the thick covers as the teacup disappeared.

        Chapter Eight

Lilac was what finally woke Ellena from a very peaceful night’s sleep. The scent was everywhere. It was still early morning, the sunrise’s orange glow streaming through the stained glass. She stretched, savoring the irresistible warmth that enveloped her. It was almost a shame to move, she mused snuggling deeper into her pillow. A light tickle in her throat forced her up and she coughed, hoping to qualm the aggravating itch.