Page 84 of Once Upon a Midnight Clear

With her stomach rumbling again, she headed to the grocer in the hopes Mr. Gibson would take pity on her and let her buy food and put it on their account. She had no idea if her wretched stepmother managed to pay the bill or not and guilt swarmed through her as she remembered her promise to the man she’d pay up by the end of the week.

That was before she’d disappeared to Rovenheim.

The bell tinkled as she entered the store, the basket on her arm. She approached the counter where Mr. Gibson was finishing up with a customer. As the woman took her purchase, she turned toward Ella. She recognized her as Mrs. FitzGerald who lived a few doors down from them. The woman’s eyes flew open with shock.

“Ella? Ella Tremaine?” she asked.

“Yes?”

“Where have you been?” Mrs. FitzGerald asked.

“Uh…” She wasn’t sure how to answer.

Mr. Gibson bustled around the end of the counter. He swept Ella into a fierce hug. “When we learned you disappeared, we all feared the worst.”

He pulled back, holding her at arm’s length and looking her over. “Are you well?”

“I’m fine. I was…out of town,” she said, stumbling over her words.

“Well, your stepmother sure had no information about that,” Mrs. FitzGerald said, sounding indignant. “She said you ran off. Didn’t seem at all concerned about your whereabouts.”

Ella cringed. That sounded like her stepmother.

“We all knew you didn’t, though,” Mr. Gibson said. “We feared she’d done something to you.”

Her brows grew together. “What do you mean?”

“I think what Mr. Gibson is trying to say is,” Mrs. FitzGerald added, “that no one trusts that Lillian Tremainorher wretched daughters.” She sniffed derision to punctuate exactly what she thought of the woman.

“She’d tried to hire another servant, but no one would work for her,” Mr. Gibson added. “We all know what sort of disposition the woman has. She’s…” he paused, cleared his throat, “difficult.”

And now that Ella was back, they had their servant back.

“And now she’s remarried and has been on holiday for the last two weeks,” Mrs. FitzGerald said.

“Remarried?” The word trickled out of her on a rough whisper.

“A rich fellow,” Mr. Gibson said. “Named Livingstone.”

Ella couldn’t quite contain the shock rolling through her as she took in all the news.

“Word is he intends to hire a few servants once they return,” Mr. Gibson said.

Mrs. FitzGerald snorted. “Ha. I doubt evenhecan get anyone to work forthat woman.Sorry to run, but I must be on my way. Ella, I’m glad to see you. If you need anything, please do come see me. I’m only a few doors down.”

Ella nodded as the woman waved farewell and exited the shop. Mr. Gibson put his hands on his hips, still giving her a good once over. He noticed her basket then.

“Apologies, Ella. You came in for groceries, not for the local gossip. What can I get you?”

Truthfully, Ella was glad for the local gossip. It gave her the information she needed when—and if—her stepmother and her new husband returned from their travels. It would also give her time to clean the house from top to bottom.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come in to pay the bill—” she started.

“Mr. Livingstone paid it in full,” he interrupted, waving away the thought as he headed back behind the counter.

So, Lillian Tremain—now Livingstone—managed to find herself a rich husband to pay all her debts. The ones she created using her father’s money, while still living in her father’s house. She tried her best to squelch the anger that rose in her, but it was difficult. She pressed her lips together in a thin line.

“I see.”

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