Page 80 of Once Upon a Midnight Clear

“But, your highness—”

“I insist.” He held up a hand to halt any more objections. “We’ve already inconvenienced you enough.”

“It’s no inconvenience, I assure you. It’s an honor to have you and your lady under our roof.”

Another blush. If Ella didn’t stop blushing every time she was calledhis lady, her face was going to light on fire.

“Still, I’ll take the sofa.”

“If you insist, your highness. I’ll have my wife bring you blankets.”

“Thank you, Lars.” When he looked at her, the wild blue depths of his eyes spoke to her in a way that made her gut clench into a tight knot. “Good night, Ella.”

It was a simple phrase. One that didn’t mean anything other than what he said. But the way he looked at her, the way he spoke to her, made her mind think it meantmore.

“Good night, your highness.”

Though she had been using his given name, she didn’t want to seem too forward in front of their host. She followed Lars to the back of the cottage where there was a spare room with two double beds. An oil lamp burned brightly on the table in between them. The room décor was definitely that of two young girls.

“I hope you find this room comfortable.”

“Is this the girls’ room?” she asked.

“Yes, but, they’ll be sleeping with us tonight.”

“Oh, I couldn’t take their room.”

His face softened as he smiled. “I assure you they think it’s a grand thing to have the prince’s lady spend the night in their room.”

“But—” started to protest again.

“Sleep well, my lady.”

He gave her a nod of goodnight as he closed the door behind him.

Chapter 28

Anothersleeplessnightpassedher by. Ella spent most of it staring at the ceiling in the narrow bed, thinking about everything from Nicholas to what would happen to her when she returned home. How would her stepmother treat herthen? And her stepsisters? They were positively vile. It was fruitless to obsess over what had not occurred, and yet she had a difficult time shoving those thoughts away.

Even the bed she was in now was far more comfortable than the lumpy one back home. The blankets were thick and warm and cozy. At home, the blankets were thin and threadbare and didn’t do much to keep her warm from the cold winter nights. Here, the house was full of love and life and laughter. There, the house was full of animosity and orders and endless back-breaking chores.

It was almost as though the people of Rovenheim—Ingrid and Agnes, Nicholas and Noella, even Gustav—had become her family. They treated her with kindness and respect instead of loathing and contempt.

Her heart ached. A deep-seated ache that throbbed through her at the thought of leaving it all behind.

She rolled to her side, trying to ignore the crush of tears that wanted to erupt. Trying to pretend that everything was fine and once they repaired the Christmas Star, she would return home to the life she had before. A life of utter desolation and loneliness.

When the morning light slashed through the one window in the room, she shoved off the bedclothes and dressed. She was grateful for the thick stockings, the boots, the woolen gown and the cloak in which Alice had outfitted her. It would make riding back into the village in the thick snow bearable.

As she exited the room, she heard cheerful, chattering voices and paused a moment to take it in. Nicholas was talking to Ingrid and Freya and telling them a grand story about a fire-breathing dragon that once lived in the Grimbrande Mountains and had, eventually, taken the form of Malvina. That’s why she was so mean because, deep down, she was a dragon. They laughed, knowing he jested. Even Ella smiled at the story.

Then she heard Ava calling them in to breakfast. And the shuffling of feet as they headed into the kitchen. She smelled the fatty scent of fried bacon, a twang of sausage, and possibly oatcakes, and her stomach rumbled.

She headed into the kitchen, saw them gathering around the table. All of them. Nicholas on one side flanked by Freya and Ingrid. Ava on one end. Lars on the other. Ivar opposite the prince and the girls with an empty seat next to him.

For her.

It was all too much. Overcome with emotion, she dashed through the cottage, heading right for the front door, tears burning her eyes. Nicholas called her name but she refused to look his way as she pulled open the door and stepped into the bright, frigid morning. The cold wind stung her cheeks and froze the tears in her eyes. She whisked them away as she stared across the expanse of white lawn at the picket fence. In the distance, a dog barked.

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