Page 16 of Once Upon a Midnight Clear

He tipped his head to one side, leaning in, his lips a breath away from hers.

BONG.

The first clang of the clock startled her out of her reverie. She gasped and jerked away from him.

BONG.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I-I have to go.” She pulled off his gloves, shoving them at him in a panic. Then picked up the voluminous skirts.

Before she dashed away, he caught her arm, stopping her. “Why?”

BONG.

That was three strikes from the clock.

“I’m so sorry, Nicholas. Thank you for you a wonderful evening.”

She pulled her arm out of his grasp and dashed as fast as her shoes allowed. She ran up the pathway back toward the balcony steps.

“Wait, Ella!”

Footsteps behind her indicated he hurried after her. She clutched the material of her gown tighter in her hands as she ran harder. At the bottom of the steps, she hurried up.

BONG.

Four. Four strokes. What was it Noella said? She had to remove the shoes before the last stroke of midnight. But what happened if shedidn’t? At the top of the stairs, she dashed toward the open balcony door to the ballroom.

BONG.

Five. She had to hurry.

“Please, wait!” Nicholas called.

He was close behind her. She took a deep breath and dashed into the middle of the ballroom, weaving her way through the gyrating dancers and trying her hardest not to bump into any. She made direct eye contact with Lucinda, who immediately recognized her. Her eyes flew open in surprise and then narrowed. She said something to her dancing partner and pointed.

Ella had no time to pause. She pushed through the crowd, eyeing the stairs to go back up to the landing and exit the grand ballroom.

“Stop her! The woman in red! Stop!” someone shouted.

She stole a glance over her shoulder to see Nicholas entering the ballroom and imploring the others to help him stop her. Still clutching her gown in her fists, she made it to the bottom of the stairs and started up. Her legs throbbed with the exertion.

BONG.

Six and she was at the top of the stairs. She sprinted through the open door much to the surprise of the guards. They said nothing as she ran through the hallway, heading for the palace exit. Others were behind her. She heard their foot falls as they followed.

She kept her eye on the open door, her heart beating wildly. She was going to make it.

BONG.

Seven. She was out the door.

More stairs. But she couldn’t stop. She headed down them. As she made her way down, her right shoe slipped off again. She paused, turned and grabbed it, and saw a group heading for her. Gasping, she turned and ran down the rest of the stairs clutching the shoe in one hand and trying not to trip over her gown.

BONG.

Eight! She hurried across the lawn to the gates. It was almost impossible to run with one shoe, but she wasn’t going to take the other one off until she was clear of the gates.

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