The Wronged Princess - Book I (21 page)

“Do not be ridiculous
. 
Cill is already coming round
. 
Lift your hair so I can manage these tiny buttons.”

Cinderella
complied
.

“Manette should be here any moment to dress your hair
. 
‘Tis a s
hame you have no natural curl
. 
It
’
s as straight as a sword. But a lovely color, nonetheless
. 
I vow there are streak
s
of auburn throughout.”

“
Merci
.”

“Esmeralda, are you soon ready—” Pricilla’s head appeared around the corner
. 
“What on earth are you about, Essie
?
” she hissed.

“Is Manette finished with your hair, Cill
?
Send her in.” Essie’s ability in ignoring danger was impressive
. 
Cinderella marveled at her absolute composure.

“
Mamá
will perish of an apoplexy
. 
We shall be orphans…” Pricilla paused at this slip
. 
“One moment, I’ll retrieve her.
”
She
disappeared behind the door.

Esmeralda guided Cinderella to a chair before the vanity
. 
Hand to her shoulder,
she pressed her down, none too gently
. 
Cinderella
feared
Stepmamá
would murder
the three of them, even if Pricilla was an unwilling participant.

Cinderella swallowed past the
apple-sized
lump in her throat
, and
glanced up at her reflection in the
looking glass
. 
Her eyes
appeared
much
too large in
her face, mouth too wide,
the
fear evident
. 
A young maid appeared behind her.

“
Mademoiselle
?
Vos cheveux sont beaux
.”

“
Merci
.” Cinderella could hardly speak.

“See
?
Manette thinks your hair
is
beautiful too,” Essie said.

“
Comment devrions-nous la coiffer
?”

Cinderella had no answer on how to dress her hair
. 
But the matter
appeared unnecessary as Essie put a finger to her bottom lip contemplating the dilemma for her
. 
Pricilla poked her head round the door. “Tis,
Mamá
. 
She is coming.”

“Do something, Cill,” Essie
bit out
.

“Essie, don’t put yourself to trouble for me,” Cinderella said
,
horrified
. 
They were as good as dead.

“Children,
children
?
Are you ready
?
Do not dally so.
”
Stepmamá
sounded dangerously close
. 
Cinderella gripped the edge of the vanity, panic choking her
. 
Ready to bolt
. 
She glanced about the chamber for a suitable hiding place
.
The wardrobe
. 
N
on,
too impractical
. 
S
pace would be limited with
both
Essie and Pricilla’s
abundance of
gowns
. 
Beneath t
he bed
. 
She jumped up.

“Very nearly,
Mamá
,” Pricilla answered
,
slipping from the room. The door
latched
. 
“Is that what you presume to wear,
Mamá
?
The green frock is so much more becoming…” Pricilla’s voice faded from beyond where her efforts proved successful in
redirecting
Stepmamá
.

Essie’s fingers dug into her shoulder as she pushed
her
back onto the chair
. 
Cinderella forced her fingers to loosen from the vanity and
met Essie’s eyes in the glass.
Essie released a pent up breath that matched her own
. 
There was no mistaking the tremble of
Essie’s
fingers, however.

“
See
?
No problem.
”
Essie’s
confidence was astounding
,
but Cinderella heard the alarm she tried to mask
. 
“
But w
e must hurry,”
she
said
. 
She turned to Manette, “
Nous devons nous dépêcher
.”

“
Oui
,
mademoiselle,
” Manette responded, snatching the brush
off the table
. 

*****

Supper
remained the same formal affair with its full five customary courses as the evening wore on
. 
And the wine, thankfully, flowed freely
. 
Prince hid his surprise well, he thought, with the welcome addition of Cinderella in the fray of the family dining
. 
He wondered briefly at the sudden turn of events
. 
He had not thought
E
r
salia’s mamá
that generous in nature.

Prince
studied Cinderella’s attire from a peripheral view
. 
He could not deny his attraction for her understated beauty
. 
The soft lilac frock she wore suited her coloring, admirably. With her olive skin, dark hair, and eyes that tilted at the corners, she appeared quite the vision
. 
Her hair was more simply dressed compared to Egrecia and Pricilla’s ela
borate twists and draping curls.
It
suited her
, he decided
. 
He could swear a twinge of cinder touched her cheeks, but it only added charm to her overall appeal
. 

Her quiet demeanor made him hungry for answers.
More so, when he would swear a portion of the bread she’d been nibbling on disappeared beneath the table
. 
He found himself biting the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning outright
. 
Mayhap she would venture to the gardens for another walk in the crisp morn
. 
There was something vaguely familiar about her, but he could not place its origin
. 

Mamán
muttered something
quickly
under her breath drawing his attention and the air seemed to come alive.

“What is that, my dear?”
Papá
said
. 
“Dimmer
, say you
?”

Two red spots appeared on
Mamán’s
cheeks, but disappeared quickly enough
as she cleared her throat delicately
. 
“
Non
,
my
dear,” she murmured.

Then
,
he
vow
ed
,
he detected a crafty glint about her eyes
. 
She, of course, handled the supper conversation with her customary aplomb, tactfulness, diplomacy and grace
,
no trace of
that
momentary blush
. 
An excitement radiated from her that had him wondering what more she could have up her
little magician-istic sleeve
. 
Ha
. 
’T
was
quite suspicious
. 

When she tapped her wine glass with a spoon, a feeling of dread stole over him
. 
The delicate tinkle obtained the occupants rapt attention
. 
His included, though he kept a wary eye
. 
After all, he’d known her the whole of his life.

“It has been determined the Royal Family should host a ball,” she announced. “I realize so soon on the cusp of the previous affair makes it questionable, but
’
tis our duty to introduce your bride-to-be.
”
Mamán
turned a captivating smile on Esperneldi, who swallowed visibly sending her eyes fluttering in cyclonic proportions
. 

Well, it certainly explained
Mamán
’s annoying excitement
. 
Prince will never be sure how he’d held back his groan
. 
A swift wind breezed through the dining chamber
. 
Sympathy rippled for his betrothed almost matching the amount he felt for himself
. 

He stole a look at her. She did not look happy
. 
That set him aback, and he glanced around registering responses from the others around the table
. 
An odd glimpse passed between Pricilla and Cinderella, though Cinderella looked as though she might fall ill
. 
While Hilda fought to constrain her joy
, h
er round robust face threatened to explode with the news
. 

To one who may not know
Mamán
so well, she appeared impassive
. 
He narrowed his eyes
. 
Appeared strangely—satisfied
. 
She was definitely up to no good
. 
Mayhap it was time to discern her plans
. 
In no possi
ble conjecture could he concede
marriage to Elphaba
. 
He shook his head…mayhap he could engage her assistance in the matter
. 
He risked a glance to her mother
. 
She beamed a smile on him so bright he felt the heat creeping up his neck
. 
Mayhap not.

He felt that peculiar tingle in the air again, and prayed for the umpteenth time he would not subject to keeling over from the…stress
. 
Though who could blame him
?
Non
. This matter had need t
o be dealt with posthaste
. 
Elst
, he could end up tied to the chit for all of eternity and then where would he be?

An indulgent smile passed from his father to his mother
. 
Papá
boomed, “
Oui, oui
. 
A splendid
notion
, my dear.
”
Prince had the distinct impression this was the first Papá had any inkling of the impromptu betrothal ball
. 
He’d bet his last gold piece on it
. 
It was an ungrateful thought.

The gentle smile
Mamán
bestowed on
Papá
tightened something in his chest
. 
Mamán
addressed the other members of the supper party
. 
“This short notice shall serve to set the events in motion. It was decided the benefit was best for all concerned
. 
I imagine a fortnight should provide sufficient time.
”

His suspicion metamorphosed to certainty when she turned an innocent gaze on him with an indulgent smile he’d not seen since a young child in short pants
. 
“It’s time Chalmers met your intended
. 
Do you not agree, darling?
”

Prince narrowed his eyes toward her as he mulled this over
. 
He could play this game, match wits with the master
. 
He was almost twenty, after all
. 
He shot Elderinda a grin so full of devilish amusement he thought
she
would
take flight
. 
His gaze swung back to his mother
. 
“Of course,
Mamán
,” he agreed
. 
He added a measure of eager enthusiasm, careful not to overdo it, however. Surprise flickered in her eyes
. 
He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingertips in satisfaction
.