Page 88 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
“I’ll make you a deal.”Shesmiled at how she sounded a bit likeDeath. “I’llgo say goodbye toWilliam.ButIdon’t want you here whenIsay my goodbyes toMrs.AandLillian.It’llbe too hard on you.Mebeing here.”Auroraskirted around the lie.
“Okay.”Sissyreached forAurora’shand, touching it lightly. “Iwill tell my children’s children about you.”
Aurora stood. “Whenyou do, please give me a happy ending.”Auroralooked one more time at the inn and the peace that surrounded it before turning back toSissy. “Livea good life.”
“I will.Goodbye,Ella.”Sissyturned back to the garden
“Goodbye.”Aurorastepped back through the gate and to the next goodbye.
The last would be the hardest.
CHAPTER43
AURORA
The carriage stopped outside the mill.Mr.Garveycame out of the wooden building, drying his hands on a rag. “Ifyer lookin’ forWill, he left.Saidyou’d know where to find him.”Mr.Garveylooked at the carriage. “That’sa mighty fine carriage,Ms.Ella.”
Aurora could feelMr.Garvey’sanger and resentment. “Yes, it is.Iam leaving town,Mr.Garvey.Iwanted to wish you and your wife a happy life.”Itwas a small wish but one they deserved.
Mr.Garveyshook his head. “Henever had a chance, did he?Youwere just looking for a ticket out of here, weren’t ya?”
Aurora fought the tears. “Iwasn’t made for this town or your son.Iwould have broken his heart.”
Mr.Garveyturned and walked back into the low building. “Toolate.”
“To the river, please,”Auroracalled to the driver.
Even ifThanehad never come looking for her, at some point the pull of who she was would have torn at the seams of her andWilliam’smarriage.Hewould have wanted to settle into a life that would have strangled her.Hewould’ve aged, and she would’ve been forever youthful.Thenone night while he slept, she would’ve slipped into the darkness, never to be seen again.
“Please, wait,”Auroracalled to the driver.Asshe walked down the muddy path, she thought about what she would say toWilliam.Whatwould make her version of the truth more palatable for him?Thebranches reached out to her, plucking at her skirts and hair as if trying to stop her.
She hesitated at the end of the path, uncertain if this servedWilliam'sbest interests or if she only aimed to ease her conscience.Therewasn’t really anything she could say to him that would lessen the blow of what was about to happen.Butshe feared if she didn’t give him some closure, his anger would fester and eat him from the inside out.
William sat by the river. “Iwondered if you would come.”
Aurora rubbed her arms.Thehurt in his voice was raw.Thiswould be harder than she thought.BecauseEllahad loved him, or at least the best she knew how to at that moment in her life. “Iwouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”
“So it’s true.You’releaving with the very richMr.Tenebris.”
Anger radiated off of him.Therewas something else.Regret. “I’msorry, but there are things you don’t know about me?—”
“And he does?”Williamstood, tossing a rock in the river.
This was not going as she hoped.Forsome stupid reason, she had hoped he would understand. “Yes.Idon’t expect you to understand but?—”
“But what?Youdidn’t want to be the wife of a miller?God’steeth,Ella.Ithought you were different.IfIhad known you were so shallow,Iwould?—”
“You would’ve what?” she yelled at him. “Iwarned you one dayImay wake up and remember whoIam.Whatdid you think would happen when that day came?ThatIwould let go of my past for a future that doesn’t belong to me?”
William shook his head, skipping another stone. “Youwant me to believe that the very richMr.Tenebrisis from your past?Idid some checking into him.Doyou know whatIfound?”
Aurora pinched the bridge of her nose.Mortalswere exhausting.Williamwould find nothing.Butit didn’t matter. “No, what did you find?”
“Aurora,”Thanecalled.
“Thane?”Aurorawas struck by his fear. “What’swrong?”
“We have to leave now.”Thanelooked over her shoulder, pullingAuroraaway fromWilliam.
