Page 69 of Slippers and Thorns
She laughed. “Are you kidding? I haven’t eaten in twelve years; I’m starving!”
“I’ll send a messenger to Himmelsburg as soon as the weather allows. Axel will be beside himself to know you’re all right!” He paused and considered. “I wonder if he already knows, though. After all, now that you’re awake, I can remember things about your curse that I couldn’t before.”
“Oh, I don’t want Axel here. I’d rather just have you.” Mike smiled at that. Helena wrinkled her nose. “Is he really married?”
“For about five years now.”
“Do they have spinning wheels in Flussendorf now? I can’t believe Father outlawed them here and in the nearby villages in some wild attempt to protect me. It’s not like raising me out here did any good in the end, after all.”
Their voices trailed off down the stairs as Ella lowered herself to a dusty chair, forgotten. Mike—no, Michael—was still in love with Helena. It was clear from the way he looked at her and from the fact that he had eyes for no one but her.
There was probably something she should be doing right now, but she had yet to hear about the proper princess procedure for handling one’s husband’s dead girlfriend’s return from the dead.
Was she even considered the mistress at the castle in this case, or, since it was a Ralnoran castle – and apparently Helena’s home for much of her life – did that make Helena the mistress now that she was awake?
More light began pouring in through the windows as the thorny vines surrounding the tower receded. They must have been forged from magic, and apparently the magic, being ended with Helena’s awakening, no longer felt the need for the barrier.
Rising from her seat, Ella crossed to one of the windows and stared sightlessly into the swirling snow. Now what? How did she compete with a princess that Michael had loved for years before he even knew that the servant Arabella existed?
She stayed there until the light began to dim. Footsteps on the stairs made her turn eagerly, hoping that Michael had finally noticed her absence and come seeking her. Not that she’d been waiting for that – she simply hadn’t made up her mind what to do. But it would certainly be encouraging to know he’d missed her.
Instead, it was Charlie’s concerned face that appeared in the doorway. Ella had never been so disappointed to see him.
“Your Highness?” he said tentatively. “Are you okay?”
“What are you doing up here, Charlie?” she wearily replied. “You don’t spend much time in the castle.”
He shrugged uneasily. “Jackie sent me. She hadn’t seen you most of the day and with…current events…was worried.”
So the servants knew. “How did you know to look here?” she asked dully.
“I didn’t,” he grimaced. “I had already looked everywhere else inside the castle. I noticed the open door where there used to be a mass of plant life and decided it was worth checking out. Especially since…” He trailed off.
Ella wondered if he’d feared the old princess had been left asleep in place of the new princess. Just as the new princess had taken the place of the old princess on Michael’s arm.
“I suppose I’m late for supper, aren’t I?” Not that she cared. She wasn’t hungry.
Charlie cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I believe the prince and…your guest decided to eat early due to the irregularities of her circumstances.”
And Michael didn’t even try to inform her. Ella hung her head. She could hope the novelty would wear off. Considering how long he had been carrying a torch, though, that seemed unlikely.
“In that case, I suppose I shall simply retire to the library for a little while, since I find I lack an appetite this evening.” She tried her best to smile as if unbothered. “I know there is little danger to be met with in the castle, but would you escort me there, Charlie?”
He shifted his booted feet and looked away, resting a hand on the hilt of the sword that he always wore, even when traipsing about an isolated castle. Even when off duty, actually; she wasn’t sure that she’d ever seen him without it. It was so much a part of him, she felt certain she would notice if it was missing, just as if he were to walk up sans an arm.
“I will accompany you,” he finally answered, still not looking at her. “However, I do not feel it would be wise for me to escort you, even with the present circumstances.”
She couldn’t argue with that. Given Michael’s jealousy in the past, he might become rather irate if he saw her on Charlie’s arm. A brief bitter thought flitted through her mind that he deserved it, since Helena was no doubt hanging off ofhisarm, but she dismissed it. It had not helped their relationship when he began favoring Lady Charlotte because he thought Ella was pining for her guard; it would no doubt be at least as damaging for Ella to appear to be favoring her guard in retaliation for Michael fawning over Helena.
Assuming Michael was at all interested in their relationship at this point.
No, she was getting ahead of herself. He was allowed to be overtaken for an afternoon by his amazement that Helena was alive. It was understandable that he desired to make up for the last twelve years. Nothing he had said or done signified that he no longer wanted Ella. He was just caught up in the moment, that was all.
He would forget about both Ella and Helena as soon as he was back in Hartford, anyway.
“Yes, of course. Thank you, Charlie; I would appreciate the company.”
With a nod, Charlie stepped aside to allow her to precede him out of the room. She swept out with as much dignity as she could, still trying to maintain the facade that everything was fine. It was obvious from Charlie’s demeanor, though, that he, and possibly a fair number of the servants, knew that trouble was brewing.
