The Grand Duke was ready to leave. He stood in the doorway of the house with one final question.

“You are the only ladies of the household…I hope…I presume?” he asked.

“There’s no one else, Your Grace,” replied Lady Tremaine confidently.

“Quite so,” he said. “Good day!” He put his hat on, turned away, and headed down the outside stairs.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a young lady’s voice. She was on the landing at the top of the inside staircase.

“Your Grace!” the girl called. It was Cinderella! “Please wait! May I try it on?”

Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drizella looked up at Cinderella in shock—their jaws had dropped and their eyes were wide. How had she ever managed to escape?

The Duke turned back around and smiled. He removed his hat and looked through his monocle. He saw a beautiful young girl running down the stairs. He happily walked back into the house.

“Pay no attention to her,” said Lady Tremaine. “It’s only Cinderella, our scullery maid,” said one sister. “It’s ridiculous, it’s impossible, she’s out of her mind!” yelled the other sister. “Yes, yes, just an imaginative child,” said Lady Tremaine. She walked toward the Duke with her back to the stairway. She tried to block Cinderella’s path and stop the Duke from getting any closer to her. But she couldn’t.

“Madam,” began the Duke. “My orders were every maiden.” He continued toward Cinderella, moving Lady Tremaine to the side. His smile was warm. Lady Tremaine’s eyes were cold with fear. The Grand Duke walked over to the bottom step and took Cinderella by the hand. “Come, my child,” he said, guiding her to a chair.

The Grand Duke then waved for his assistant, who excitedly stood in the doorway. He held the plush purple pillow with the glass slipper on top. He nodded and ran toward Cinderella happily.

Lady Tremaine had her eyes on Cinderella and the Duke, and then on the assistant and the glass slipper. She had to think fast. The wicked stepmother smiled deviously. Lightning quick, she stuck out her cane and tripped the assistant. He fell flat on his face, still holding the pillow with the slipper on it. When the pillow hit the ground, the glass slipper went flying into the air. It hit the floor right at the feet of Cinderella and the Duke—and shattered into a million pieces.

The Duke was devastated. He kneeled down, trying to pick up the shards. He had to put the pieces back together—he had to fix that glass slipper!

“Oh, no!” he yelled. He slid to the floor, banging his hands on his head. “Oh, no, this is terrible!” Then his mood changed. He became quite nervous. “The King! What will he say?”

Lady Tremaine smiled smugly. She was proud of herself. Cinderella would never have the chance to try on the glass slipper, and she would never find happiness. The Duke was still panicking. He sat on his knees and thought about the King’s reaction. “What will he do?” asked the Duke, grabbing his throat.

“Perhaps…this would help,” said Cinderella, reaching into her pocket.

“No, no, nothing can help now,” cried the Duke, still sifting through the broken glass. “Nothing!”

“But, you see, I have the other slipper!” said Cinderella. She held the glass slipper up in the air. Lady Tremaine gasped.

The Duke grinned from ear to ear. His fingers shook with excitement. He took the slipper from Cinderella and kissed it repeatedly. He held it up in the air and watched it sparkle.

Jaq, Gus, and the other mice and birds had seen everything from the landing of the staircase. They jumped with joy, dancing and cheering.

The Grand Duke delicately placed the glass slipper on Cinderella’s foot.

It didn’t just fit—it fit perfectly, and it sparkled more brightly than ever before.