CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

ELLA HAD HEARD WHAT Anthony said—she thought about it many times over the next three weeks or so. He had been faithful in his declaration to visit her more often. It was not every day, but he did come three or four times a week to talk and laugh—and teach her to dance, of course.

Each time he came, her heart grew larger and she learned more about herself than she ever thought possible. She truly began to trust that he loved her, that he saw her, and she also began to see how much good she did for him as well. There were days when they would hold each other and share memories of their loved ones, and then there were days when he would spin her about and tease her and make her laugh for hours.

The blossoms eventually fell to the orchard floor and made way for the little buds that would sooner or later become apples. There was change happening all around them. When Anthony was crowned king, the village celebrated for three days. It became more impossible for him to sneak away, but he did so. Even if he could not stay long, he made a point to come as much as possible.

He was so very patient with her, so very wise as he spoke and brought out her fears and then laid them to rest. She was healing; they both were. But it was not until she was speaking with Lacey as she finished up the last fitting for the ball gown she was sewing that she truly understood what the prince had meant.

“Do you really believe Lord Gavenston will love me in this gown?” Lacey asked for the third time as she twirled before the looking glass, her pink dress spinning elegantly with her.

“Yes,” Ella answered again. “Any man who sees you in that gown will fall right at your feet.”

Lacey groaned and plopped down on a chair near the window. “More likely I will fall at his feet and cause everyone else in the room to fall with me.” She placed her elbow on the arm of the chair and held her head in her hand. “Everyone will run from me, and you know it is true.”

Ella needed to be sure that Jillian did not wreak any more havoc at the ball. “I have a good feeling about this event. I would not be too down on yourself.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I feel this ball will truly turn everything around for you.”

Lacey sat up. “Well, thank you, though I do not know what I will do if it goes wrong.”

“It will not.”

“Yes, but how can you guarantee that?”

“Because something tells me that it is not entirely your fault.”

“What do you mean?”

Ella grinned. “Just wait and see. Your assignment is to show up and be as beautiful and gracious as possible.”

“Are you still coming?”

“Yes, I was planning to. Though, I have spoken with your mother and asked that I arrive by myself.”

Lacey’s eyes went wide. “How did she receive that?”

Ella shrugged. “I did not wait around to find out. I merely stated that I would be attending the ball through my own means and that I would not need the use of her carriage.”

Lacey’s jaw dropped. “Do you have any idea what my mother would do to me if I said such things to her?”

“Was it wrong of me?”

“No, not at all. But it shows a certain independence she would not appreciate. My mother loves to run things—and the fact she is allowing you to attend the ball on your own without pestering you about how you are to get there shows that she is much more terrified of you and the outcome of this ball than she lets on.”

“Good.” Ella smiled. “She should be. I have a kind heart, but even I can only take so much.”

“Ella? What do you mean?”

What did she mean? She collected the sewing basket from off the floor and slowly began to place the items she needed inside. Was she truly willing to stand up and face her stepmother? Was she willing to become who she was meant to be? Could it actually be that simple, to just decide one day not to take it? “I do not know what has come over me. But I do know I am willing to begin thinking for myself, for the first time in a long time,” she answered.

The point had come for someone to put Jillian in her place as well or she would only continue to grow and fester and become even worse than her mother.

That was the awareness that sank in the most. They were in the wrong.

It was not Ella, nor even Lacey. Jillian and Lady Dashlund had done wrong. They had harmed more than just Ella for the sake of their own greed and pride, and it must stop. Without saying goodbye, Ella walked out of Lacey’s room and slipped into her old blue bedroom next door. She stood there for several moments, taking in the glorious furnishings and beloved ornaments. It took a while before she truly began to see all that Anthony had been saying to her.

She deserved this room just as much as they deserved theirs. No, more so, for this room was rightfully hers. Eleanoria Rose Woodston was allowed happiness. She was allowed freedom and joy and she was allowed to believe in a future. They could not take that from her—they would not take it from her ever again.

It was most definitely time for the madness to stop.