Page 36 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
“You do?”Hisface lit up with relief, washing away the bitter taste.
“Yes.”Shesmiled up at him.Herheart raced when he cupped her face.Godsabove, he was going to kiss her.Andshe would let him.She’dlet herself believe it was her he was kissing, not the girl whose name she couldn’t remember.Hewouldn’t remember it, and she would put it where her memories should be.
Thane lifted his head. “IthinkI’mgoing to be sick.”
Ella jumped back asThanestumbled away and clung to a tree.Shelooked up at the stars, cursing them and whoever made whiskey.Sheheard him stumble back.Helooked pale, and his eyes were bright silver.
“I don’t feel good.”
“I suppose not.Thatwill happen when you drink that much.Let’sget you to bed.”Sheput her arm around his narrow waist and led him into the inn.Thanewas not an easy man to maneuver through a dark room.Hekicked over a chair. “Shh.”Thelast thing she needed wasMrs.Awaking up.
“Sorry.Butwho puts a chair and table here?”
“It’s a dining room,”Ellahissed.
“Oh.Areyou sure you’re not…”Thanehiccupped. “Godsbelow, why is the room spinning?”
“Because you drank all the whiskey.”Ellagrunted underThane’sweight as she led him to the stairs.Shelaughed when he missed the first step twice.Atthis rate, it would be morning before he got to bed.Theymade it halfway up the stairs beforeThaneneeded a minute to talk himself out of puking again.
“Ella?”Ailithhissed from the bottom of the stairs. “Whatin all the gods’ names are you doing?”
“Mr.Tenebrisdrank too much.Icouldn’t leave him passed out on the porch.”
“I suppose not.Butbe quiet.Anddon’t you dare let him talk you into staying the night.Ido not run that type of establishment.”
Ella rolled her eyes.LikeThanewould be able to do anything other than drool on her. “Don’tworry,Mrs.A.Let’sgo,Mr.Tenebris.”Ellatook another step.Theymade it up the stairs,Thanebouncing off the walls in the hallway.Shegot him into the room and to his bed.Thanefell face-first, groaning.Ellaslipped his shoes off and covered him with a blanket.Helooked so different lying in the bed.Hisfeatures seemed softer, innocent almost.
A faded memory pushed against her thoughts.Itwas like an unfinished painting.Thebackdrop existed: a bed and a star-filled room.Yetthe bed's occupant remained unpainted.Butsomehow, she knew it to beThane.
Ella pressed her hands to her brow.Nowshe knew she was drunk.Shehadn’t knownThanebefore these past three weeks.Hemumbled in his sleep, something about the girl.Whateverwas happening was just her mind trying to fill in the holes with whatever it could.Thanewasn’t hers to have memories about.Heloved a girl whose nameEllacouldn’t remember.
And she was such a lucky girl.
CHAPTER18
ELLA
The day had finally come.TheMoonFestival.Thewhole village ofRivertonvibrated with excitement.ClaraandSissyhad barely made it through the day.Theirexcitement bubbled over into their work.Claraspilled more tea than normal, andSissyburned the morning rolls.Ellahadn’t caught their excitement.Tonight,Williamwould askMrs.Afor her hand in marriage.Therewould be no more running from her future.
William was eager for them to start their new life.Hethought they should marry as soon as possible.Theycould live at the mill until the inn closed.Therewas a small servants’ quarters they could fix up and move into.Oncethe inn closed,Ellawould help getMrs.Apacked and take the trip with her toMorro.Williamwould follow soon after.
Ella heardAilithandLillianmoving around downstairs.Ifshe didn’t get dressed soon, she’d miss the carriageDarbyordered for them.Lillianhad given one of her old dresses forEllato wear.Itwas a simple pale pink gown with flowers embroidered on the hem.Notreally the right color for an autumn festival, nor did it fit.Butsuch was the story ofElla’slife.Alife of borrowed pieces that didn’t fit together.
“Ella?”Lillianknocked. “Areyou dressed?”
Ella shook away the sadness that sucked the excitement out of the night. “Notyet, butI’llbe ready soon.”
Lillian opened the door and peeked her head in. “Good, because we have your birthday gift.Closeyour eyes.”
Since she didn’t know her true birthday,Ailithhad decided it would be theMoonFestival.Ellacould hearMrs.AandLillianwhispering and giggling as they entered her room.Thesound of fabric filled the space.
“Okay, open them.”Lillianclapped.
Ella opened her eyes to find a beautiful gown waiting for her.Itwas her black ball gown.Theone she had been born into this world in.Butsomeone had taken the time to change it.Tinyblack beads had been sewn into the shape of stars.Onthe skirt, silver beads in the same shapes covered the now pressed and hemmed skirt.
“Happy birthday.”AilithkissedEllaon the cheek.
“You shouldn’t have.”Ellablinked away the tears.
