Keep on Believing

by Marie Higgins

  SIXTEEN

  The only thing good about this evening was that she hadn’t seen Robert yet. Ella hoped that man would take the hint and get out of her life, but she doubted he would. Still, it had been an hour into the party, and she hadn’t seen him. Even though most everyone wore masks, it was easy enough to spot that man because of his wild hair.

  The servants had given her a hug and welcomed her back home, but Ella could read their expressions well. They wished she could be happy, and being here with that woman, didn’t make her happy. Nor would it ever.

  Some of her childhood friends were here, but Ella could tell they were hesitant to say anything about her prison sentence. Especially, with Rodmilla around.

  Indeed, life for her here was no life at all. It crushed her to think her stepmother had taken all of Ella’s great memories and burned them. But she mustn’t think about that. The heartache would kill her.

  Ella danced with men she remembered coming around to court her when her father was alive, but each new partner made her wish they were Chris. But maybe it was a good thing he wasn’t here. His betrayal was hard to accept. She needed to concentrate on hating one person at a time, and this evening, she focused on Rodmilla.

  However, the more she pondered on his betrayal, the more she realized she had also lied to him. Of course, her excuse was because she couldn’t trust anyone, but once she’d begun to trust Chris, she really should have told him the truth.

  Unfortunately, it was too late now.

  It didn’t take Ella long to figure out why her stepmother wanted a ball tonight. The evil woman was trying to impress Fernand Kingston. He was overjoyed knowing that Ella and Billy were safe, although he acted concerned that Billy wasn’t here with Ella. She had explained to him that he was under the weather and didn’t want to travel. Why she didn’t tell Fernand the truth, she didn’t know. But with Rodmilla glaring at her the whole time, it was no wonder Ella held her tongue. She was just too weak to fight that woman. Yet, she must fight her in order to win.

  “Excuse me, Miss Ella.”

  She snapped her attention away from the buffet table she’d been standing by, and to the butler. “Yes, Farley?”

  He held out a note. “I was asked to give this to you.”

  She didn’t like his expression, it hinted at something he disapproved of, but she took the note, anyway. “Who is it from?”

  “I don’t know, Miss.”

  “Thank you, Farley. I’ll read it right away.”

  The older man bowed before turning and leaving her side. Hesitantly, she opened up the parchment and read what was written inside.

  If you are interested in breaking free from Rodmilla’s hold, meet me in the grove of trees on the stroke of midnight. I will be able to assist you in getting away from her permanently.

  It was signed, your friend. She frowned. Friend? Did she have any friends here? If so, she hadn’t met them. None that she could trust, anyway. Yet even though she didn’t know who had written this, excitement still pounded through her. Dare she hope? But what worried her more was if she didn’t meet this man, would all of her hopes and dreams die?

  She was afraid that would happen.

  Decision in hand, she smiled her best and returned to the ballroom. At the stroke of midnight, she would meet this person in the grove out back.

  “YOUR PLAN WON’T WORK!” With every minute that passed, more frustration built inside Chris, until he was ready to scream. “Dan, I can’t go in there dressed like this.” He swept his hand over his clothes. “Whether I have a mask on or not. Have you seen their clothes? Don’t you think I’d stand out in there like a chicken surrounded by peacocks?”

  Daniel frowned. “But you must go in there. Or...perhaps we can get a note to her somehow.”

  Closing his eyes, Chris rubbed the throbbing pain in his forehead. “No. I think we have to wait until the party is over.” He opened his eyes and met his brother’s stare. “And then we’ll have to sneak into the house and to her room. That’s the only way.”

  “But I think—”

  “Shhh...” Chris held up his hand. “Do you hear that?”

  A strange huffing noise floated through the air, growing closer by the second. Chris searched through the shadows, trying to find the source of the sound. Finally, a shadow moved, and within seconds, Darby’s face was clear. The man hurried up the slope as fast as his crooked legs would carry him—which really wasn’t fast at all.

  But it wasn’t the man’s legs that had Chris concerned. It was the frightened expression on Darby’s pasty face and the way his eyes were wide...as if he’d seen a ghost.

  Chris hurried to his friend and clasped his arm. “What’s wrong?”

  “We have company.”

  Confused, Chris shook his head. “What do you mean? They know we’re here?”

  “Not exactly.”

  Daniel came toward them. “What exactly do you mean?”

  Darby swallowed hard before taking a deep breath and exhaling it slowly. “I saw...someone...in the glade.”

  “Did he see you?” Daniel asked.

  “No, thank goodness, but...” Darby took another deep breath. “I know who this man is.”

  Chris exchanged glances with Daniel before he focused back on his friend. “Who it is?”

  “He’s my...grandfather.” Darby licked his lips. “His name is Fomazz. He’s a wizard like me. Well, actually, he’s more experienced than I am.”

  “Darby,” Chris shook his head. “I thought you were orphaned.”

  A low chuckle came from the little man. “I was. But like you, it was only because my family cut me off. I had met my grandfather a few times, but when I wanted to become a wizard like him, my family cut me off. So when my parents died, I was truly orphaned.”

  Daniel placed his hand on Darby’s shoulder. “And he didn’t see you?”

  “No.”

  “Could you tell what he was doing?” Chris asked.

  Darby nodded. “He was creating a potion...or at least in the beginning stages of doing that.” His frown deepened. “But evil was all around him. It was so thick in the glade, I could cut it with a knife.”

  Daniel met Chris’s gaze. “He’s up to something, and I have a feeling it pertains to Ella.”

  “Yes, Dan, I couldn’t agree with you more.” Chris folded his arms. “But what can we do? I can’t go into the ball dressed like this because everyone will know I’m not supposed to be there.”

  “Wait!” Darby held up his hand as a grin slowly stretched across his face. “I know just the spell that will fix that.” He raised his hands and started jabbering again.

  Panic surged through Chris. “No, Darby. I’ll find a way—”

  Before he could finish his sentence, tingles spread all over his skin, and the air shifted. Inwardly, he groaned. He was in big trouble now!

  He squeezed his eyes closed, and waited for disaster to strike. It always did. But instead, his clothes shifted on him. He peeked under his eyelashes as a puff of smoke surrounded him. Once again, he heard the same odd wording from Darby—flibbity-flobbity-floo. Did that mean he was going to start flying like the stick had when his friend had uttered those words the last time?

  Instead of flying, Chris’s clothes shifted faster, and the feel of the cloth against his skin felt different. Even the shoes on his feet felt like nothing he’d ever worn before.

  When the fog around him settled and his brother could see him again, Dan’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Inwardly, Chris groaned. Was it that bad? He didn’t dare look. And yet, by Darby’s happy expression, Chris realized whatever spell his friend did, must have worked.

  Chris glanced down. No longer was he wearing the clothes he’d been in for the last few days. Instead, he wore a white and gold coat over a gold vest. Midnight blue colored the collar of his jacket, down the lapels of the front, decorated with gold, thin rope. He wore matching trousers and black knee boots. Good heavens, he looked like a prince!

  Ga
sping, he snapped his attention to Darby. “What did you do?”

  “Do you not like it, my friend? I think it suits you well...even though you have a few days’ growth of facial hair.” His smile widened.

  “You know,” Dan added, “you can definitely go inside now. Nobody will think you don’t belong.”

  Chris laughed and hugged Darby. “I can’t believe you did this.”

  “Me, either, but you’d better make good use of this costume, because I have no idea how long the spell will last.” He took a step back and motioned his hands. “Now get going and save your true love.”

  He didn’t waste any more time but hurried toward the estate. Even though he didn’t have a mask, he’d find one. If not...nobody would recognize him except Ella. And of course, Robert. Yet, Daniel assured Chris that Ella’s former beau wasn’t in attendance.

  When Chris strode through the doors, he felt like a prince, and so he walked like one. People turned to look at him, but it wasn’t because he was a measly schoolteacher with unfit clothes for this kind of party. Not this time. Even women gazed upon him as if they thought him handsome.

  His cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

  He nodded to them in greeting, but didn’t stop. He wouldn’t stop until he found his princess. Ella.

  When he spotted her, she had just finished a dance and the gentleman was walking her back to the sidelines. The man said something to her, and she offered a weak smile. Chris could tell the other man’s presence annoyed her. He’d seen that look on her face before. But now it was aimed at someone else.

  Not very often did he have the chance to act gallant, but he would now.

  Smoothing his hands down his fancy coat, he walked toward her. The crowd parted, as if on cue. Finally, Ella raised her gaze from off her escort, and rested her lovely eyes on Chris. He waited for recognition to register on her face, but for a few unnerving seconds, it didn’t. Then she gasped and her eyes widened. She slapped hand to her mouth.

  When he reached her and the other man, Chris bowed slightly, keeping his eyes on her the whole time. “If I’m not mistaken, Miss Ella,” he said as he held out his hand, “I think this is our dance.”

  It took a few seconds for her to pull herself together. He worried that her reaction would draw attention. But soon, she straightened and slipped her hand into his.

  “Indeed, it is, Sir.” She turned to the other man. “If you’ll excuse me.”

  The other man bowed before turning and leaving.

  Chris stayed quiet until he had led her onto the dance floor. As he took her in the dance hold, he leaned in and whispered, “I haven’t danced for many years, so forgive me if I mess up and step on your toes.”

  She nodded, but didn’t say anything.

  Once the music began, he slowly swept her around the floor. So far, he hadn’t stepped on her feet, which was encouraging. But then she hadn’t said anything, either, and he didn’t like the silence.

  “I can’t tell,” he began in a low voice, “if you’re happy to see me, or upset that I’m here.”

  She sighed and lifted her chin slightly. “Both, if you must know.”

  “Ah, both. Well, that definitely eases my nerves...I think.” He grinned. “It’s a good thing you cleared that up for me.”

  The muscles around her mouth twitched. He could tell she was holding back her smile.

  “Do you mind telling me,” he said, keeping his voice low, “why you’re upset to see me? I thought you’d be overjoyed that I came to rescue you.”

  “But Mr. Morgan, you haven’t rescued me. I’m still here in this house, being held against my will.”

  “Ah, my darling Ella, the night is young. There’s still so much that can happen.”

  The longer she stared at him, the more her expression drooped into sadness and her eyes watered.

  “I’m still trying to get over your betrayal, Mr. Morgan.”

  Words that he hadn’t expected her to say started him and made him stumble, but he quickly righted himself before he could step on her feet. “Pardon me? My betrayal? What betrayal are you referring to?”

  Both of her eyebrows lifted. “Are there more than one?”

  He shook his head. “I sure hope not, but I’m hoping you can enlighten me on the one you’re referring to.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m talking about the lie you told me...about being orphaned. I thought we had a connection between us because we’d both lost our parents, but while I was being held up from the first idiot who kidnapped me, I discovered that you have a father.” She tilted her head to the side. “Is there anything else I need to know?”

  His heart wrenched with despondency. He shouldn’t have lied to her, but then when he thought about his brother and father, they were dead to him. Hopefully, he’d be able to explain it like that.

  “I was orphaned, Ella. My father and brother were dead to me when they turned to a life of crime. My mother took me and we left them, so when she finally met her maker, I had become an orphan. It wasn’t until that day when you were almost attacked by those three hoodlums, when I realized my father and brother might be around. Yet, it didn’t matter because in my heart, they were dead. My father is still dead to me.”

  “What about your brother?”

  Chris chuckled lightly. “Believe it or not, he was the one who helped us find you. Your stepmother had hired my brother to track you down and bring you back here, but when he realized that I had feelings for you, my brother decided against kidnapping you.”

  “Oh, so now I know who the first person was that Rodmilla hired. She’d mentioned hiring a tracker, but that’s all she said.”

  Her gaze left his to wander around the room. It crushed him that she would still hold that little lie against him, even after he’d confessed. Then the hurt turned into anger.

  “Since we are confessing right now, I believe it’s your turn.”

  Her gaze snapped back and met his. “My turn?”

  “Yes. If you remember correctly, you haven’t been honest with me, either. I learned that your father has been dead for over two years, and yet you led me to believe he was alive and well, and traveling for his business.” He arched an eyebrow. “What do you have to say about your betrayal?”

  Her jaw tightened, and once again, her eyes became watery. “If you heard about my father, I’m certain you have heard other things about my life as well.”

  He nodded.

  She tightened her hold on his hand. “So then you should know that answer already. I was in hiding. I didn’t want my evil stepmother to find me. I also couldn’t trust anyone. That’s why I lied.”

  He stroked his thumb across her knuckles. Gradually, her grip loosened.

  “Yes, I do know. But Ella, I forgive you, because I understand why. If I was in your situation, I would have done the same thing.”

  Confusion crossed her features. “Then why did you even ask?”

  “Because I was trying to make a point.” Sighing, he smiled. “I was trying to make you see that even though you lied to me, I still forgave you. Why can you not return the same favor to me?” He squeezed her hand. “Ella, I care for you very deeply.” He lowered his voice. “I even think...I love you.”

  In silence he waited for her to say something, but as the seconds ticked by and she didn’t reply, he feared she didn’t return his feelings.

  Perhaps he shouldn’t have tried to rescue her after all.

  SEVENTEEN

  Ella fought against the tears threatening to reveal her anguish. She breathed deeply, trying to regain control of her emotions. It was hard. There were too many emotions coming at her all at once.

  “You know, when I first met you,” he said with a catch in his voice, “you had nearly run me over with your horse when I was walking on the street. You accused me of being at fault, which I suppose I was, in a way since I had just left from getting my heart stomped on by another wealthy woman right after proposing, and so I figured all wealthy women were the same.”
He shook his head. “Even when I met you in my school room that day and you tried to bribe me with money, I thought women like yourself didn’t have a heart. But then,” he tightened his arm around her waist and drew her closer, “I got to know you, and realized you did have a heart. I liked how you cared about your brother and looked after him, and I especially liked how you were softening up to me, even though I was poor. You made me feel special. I wasn’t used to that.”

  That was him she’d almost run over? For certain, he did have cause to hate her. Why hadn’t he told her he’d just left a woman’s house after she rejected him? No wonder... Indeed, he had cause to hate rich women, and yet, he still was patient and learned to love her—something that she had always wanted.

  But now it was too late. She had to reject him to keep him safe. A sacrifice she was willing to make.

  Chris actually loved her, and he hadn’t loved her for her money. Just the opposite, in fact. So why wasn’t she shouting from the rooftops with excitement? Everything stemmed down to one person. Rodmilla!

  “Chris, I’m sorry...for not knowing you were the man I almost run over. It was wrong of me to be riding the way I had. I was as much to blame, and I beg your forgiveness.”

  He nodded, but remained silent.

  She moved her attention to the couples around them. Although her heart was full with the emotions she wanted to express, she couldn’t say anything. She wanted to tell him how happy it made her that he came here...and that he loved her. Unfortunately, deep down inside, she knew Rodmilla would always win. If that woman didn’t want Ella to fall in love, Ella wouldn’t fall in love. If Rodmilla didn’t want Ella to have a happy life—it wouldn’t happen.

  The truth was, Ella was also in love with Chris, but until she could get her evil stepmother out of her life, their love would never flourish. In order to make things go her way, she must meet the person who sent her the missive. Midnight couldn’t get here soon enough.

  Ella had not failed to notice Rodmilla’s interest in Chris. She noted the way that woman’s eyes watched their every move. For certain, Chris was not safe as long as he thought he was her rescuer. She couldn’t have him in danger. Rodmilla’s interest only reaffirmed the actions Ella was about to take to see Chris out of harm’s way, even if her actions hurt him, even if her words were lies, too.