Page 30 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
“Enough with the love and marriage talk.Youcan have one without the other.”Clararolled her eyes. “Youare worse thanSissyis.Andthey would have learned to love each other.That’show marriage works.Sissyis a better choice for him than you.”Clarastepped through the gate.
Ella followed, not sure how she could take this information.Sissyhad said nothing whenWilliamstarted coming around.Ifshe had,Ellawould have stepped aside.
So why hadn’t she?
CHAPTER14
ELLA
Ella walked into the kitchen.Theday was just beginning, yet it felt like it was late in the evening.Morningmeal service was in full bloom when she entered the warm space.Ailithbarked orders as she dished up bowls of oatmeal and plates of bread and hard cheeses.
“Ella, there you are.Mrs.Clarkneeds another pot of tea.”Mrs.Athrust a teapot intoElla’shand.
“Where were you?”Sissywhispered.
“I needed some space.Didyou kissWilliam?”
Sissy’s eyes went round. “Yes, but… not recently.Ithappened a year ago at theMoonFestival.Itwas before?—”
“I don’t care.Ijust wish you would have told me.”Elladumped the tea into the strainer.
“That’s too much tea.”Sissystepped in to make the tea.
Ella watchedSissydump the tea out of the strainer.Herhands shook. “Doyou love him?”
“What?”Sissydropped the scooper, and it clanged on the stone floor.
Mrs.Alooked over. “Whateveryou two are planning, do it on your own time.Clara, where are those plates?Tablethree is waiting.”
Ella turned back toSissy. “Well?”
“Ella, it’s not what you think.”Sissylooked up, her brown eyes bright with tears. “WilliamandIare… well, we were?—”
“Ella!”Mrs.Acalled. “Takethis out to table three.”Lillianshoved a tray inElla’shands.
“We need to talk,”Ellasaid toSissyas she pushed open the door.IfSissylovedWilliam, thenEllacould leave withThanewithout any guilt.Williamwould forget about her, and he andSissycould be married.Shefelt better as she ducked around the table and chairs to table three.Shefroze when she saw who was at table three.Thaneand a beautiful blonde woman dressed in a dark green gown.Thewoman reached forThane’shand.AsEllagot closer, she heardThane’swords.
“… I don’t care what you say.Youshould not be here.Itold youIwould—”Thanepulled his hand away.
“You’d what?” the woman in green hissed. “Youdon’t belong here.Tellher the truth.Howmuch longer can you hide it from her?”
The woman who sat withThanewas perfect.Hermismatched eyes matched the green in her freshly pressed dress.Ellastopped at the table.Herclothes were wrinkled, and her hair was a mess.Onewish had come true last night. “Itseems you got what you wished for.”
“Ella, this is not…Imean…Fuck,”Thanecursed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Howis this happening?I’mnot even inManere.”
“It’s time you tell her the truth,Thane.”Thewoman looked atElla. “Heis not who you think he is.Helied to you.Infact, he is my br?—”
Ella didn’t hear the rest of the woman’s words.Shedidn’t need to; they were scratched acrossThane’sface.Thestars had been listening to one of them last night, andThanegot what she had wished for him. “I’mhappy you found what you were looking for.Iwish you both the best.”Shewent to set the tray down but missed the table.Hottea splashed on the woman’s expensive skirts and onMr.Tenebris’sperfectly polished shoes.Ellawalked from the dining hall, leaving chaos in her wake.
CHAPTER15
ELLA
Ella needed to leave.Sheneeded to be away fromThane.Awayfrom the inn and the noise, the sadness pressing down on her.Awayfrom this life.EllaignoredMrs.A, who called for her.Clara, who mocked her.Thechickens that scattered as her pace quickened.Shewanted to be away from it all.Soshe ran.
Ran past the inn into the large open field that years agoMrs.A’shusband had kept cattle in.Thegrass was just tall enough to hide her.Itssharp leaves tugged at the sleeves of her shirt, trying to pull her back.Shegot halfway through the field when she realized she had nowhere to go.Noone to dry her tears.
“Ella, wait,”Sissycalled, running after her.
