The baron came over and spoke in a hushed voice. “Get her out of here,” he grumbled.
“Ella, go to your room at once,” commanded her stepmother.
“But I’m hungry and covered in mud.”
“You heard your mother. Now, go,” said the baron.
“She’s only my stepmother,” Ella grumbled, heading away.
“Aye, but I’m your father, and you’ll not talk back to me,” the baron called after her. “For that, you will go hungry tonight. Guard, lock her in her tower room.”
“Aye, my lord,” answered a guard, taking Ella by the elbow and dragging her to her small, lonely room in the tower.
Once there, the guard pushed her inside and closed and locked the door. Ella lit a tallow candle and carried it over to the open window. She looked outside, wondering why she felt like such an outcast. It was a lonely feeling being unwanted by the rest of her family. If only she could remember what she did that made them so angry with her to treat her this way.
Closing the shutter, she made her way to her worn pallet on the floor. Her thoughts were on the man she’d seen in town. Was he a stalker or did he somehow know her since he called her by name? His voice had scared her. Yet, when he’d called her Ella, it somehow comforted her at the same time. It was as if her soul recognized him, though her memory did not. If only she could remember things and people before her fall, perhaps her mind wouldn’t feel so foggy.
She stripped off her muddy gown and collapsed upon the pallet. Pulling the thin blanket over her, she felt cold, tired and hungry. Mayhap she could fall asleep and find comfort in her dreams instead.
“Take this missive to Lord Lucio de Bar,” said William, handing the rolled up parchment to his messenger. William had only returned to Castle Fremont this morning. He had been campaigning for the king and was gone for nearly three years. His younger brother, Terris, had ruled in his absence.
“Where might I find Lord Lucio de Bar?” asked his messenger.
“I don’t know. I have been gone long. My guess is to look at Babeny Castle.”
“Nay, that is his son, Hugh’s castle now.” Terris made himself comfortable on a chair, leaning back and stretching out his long legs atop the bed.
“What do you mean?” asked William, walking across the solar, swiping at his brother’s feet. “And keep your dirty boots off my bed.”
“Your bed?” Terris looked up and scowled.
“Did you think I was going to let you stay in my solar now that I’ve returned?” asked William. “You are welcome to stay on as my advisor, but you’ll move to a different room now that I am lord again.”
Terris grumbled but didn’t dare go up against his brother. Since William was the oldest son, he inherited this castle and lands from their late father. He had ruled as lord since he was eighteen years old. In five years’ time, he took the run-down castle and demesne and built it up to the highest standards. With their mother dead, as well, the brothers worked together to make Castle Fremont the best it could be.
“Nay, try Tavistock Castle instead,” said Terris, laying his sword across his lap and shining it with his sleeve.
“Tavistock Castle? You mean Chaserton Castle. Why would Lucio be there?” asked William.
“You’ve been gone long, Brother. Earl Chaserton is dead, and the word is that Lucio’s daughter, Rapunzel, just married a Dragon Lord. They reside there now. The name of the castle is no longer Chaserton.”
“Rapunzel? Hugh’s little sister is married?” William laughed, knowing how spoiled the girl was, being the youngest of the de Bar siblings. “I can’t imagine any man would ever be good enough for her.”
“Shall I go to Tavistock then, my lord?” asked the messenger.
“Aye, and hurry,” said William. “Ride all night and all day if you have to. But it is imperative this missive gets into the hands of Lord Lucio de Bar, do you understand?”
“Yes, my lord,” said the man with a bow, before heading out the door.
“What’s so important that you need to send a man out in the middle of the night?” Terris picked up his sword and looked at his reflection, then breathed on it and polished it some more.
“Lord William thinks he’s seen the girl he was once supposed to marry,” said Troy, pulling up a chair.
William shook his head at his squire. “Don’t even think of sitting when you’ve got my horse to rub down and my boots to clean.”
“Aye, my lord.” Troy was halfway in a sitting position, but straightened up and headed over to William to get his boots.
“The girl you were to marry?” asked Terris, putting his sword flat on his lap and looking up at the ceiling. “Ah, you are talking about Cinderella de Bar.” He laughed and shook his head.
“What’s so funny?” William plopped down on the bed and stretched out his legs. Troy tugged at one of his boots, trying to remove it.
“Brother, when you left, if I remember correctly, the girl wanted nothing to do with you.”
“That’s not true,” protested William. “Her father was going to betroth her to me.”
“Until Cinderella caught you in the barn with the milkmaid,” added Troy.
“I never did anything with the milkmaid,” William said in his defense.
“Really?” His brother stood up and slid his sword back into his scabbard. “Then why was the girl half-undressed?”
Both Troy and Terris stared at him, waiting for his answer.
“She was kissing me. I wasn’t kissing her. And the girl pulled off her clothes, no matter what anyone thinks.” William’s boot came loose with a pop and Troy ended up on his read end. William pulled off the other one and threw it to his squire. “Go on, get out of here before I lose my temper.”
“Aye, my lord.” Troy took the boots and left. William removed his weapon belt and lay back on the bed.
“You can’t possibly have seen Cinderella because she would never be in town – especially at night. De Bar wouldn’t allow it,” Terris told him.
“That’s what’s got me so perplexed.” William folded his hands on his stomach and stared up at the ceiling in thought. “She looked so lost and frightened. And she was dressed like a peasant. I helped her up from the ground, and she was covered in mud.”
“Cinderella in the mud? Now I know you’re addled, Brother.”
“Nay, it was Ella, I’m sure of it. I saw her face in the moonlight. There was no mistaking her violet eyes and smooth skin of an angel. I wanted to reach out and pull her to me and run my hands through her long, silken locks. Her bones seemed frail, and she was thinner than I remember. But it was my Ella, I assure you. I could never forget the shape of her lips . . . or the taste.”
“You’ve been away too long and you’re randy, William. Find yourself a whore before every peasant girl starts looking like Ella to you.” Terris left the room, chuckling.
“Ella,” said William, suddenly remembering the horseshoe. He jumped off the bed and picked up his travel bag, pulling out the horseshoe and holding it in the air. “You’re going to help me find her,” he said, plunking it down on the table. He wondered how many blacksmiths he’d have to approach before he found what he was looking for. It didn’t matter. He’d go to the ends of the earth and back just to have Ella in his arms once again.
Chapter 3
“Cinderella, wake up.”
Ella turned over on the pallet, opening one sleepy eye. Above her stood the stepsisters’ handmaid, Maria. She was an older woman who had never been married and had no children of her own. Maria had a kind smile and a good heart.
“Maria? What are you doing here?” Cinderella pushed up to a sitting position, shivering since there was no hearth in the room. She clutched the worn, woolen blanket to her chest. While Maria was a handmaid to her stepsisters, Ella was not allowed the same privileges as Greta and Beatrice. For reasons she couldn’t remember, her family treated her like a servant.
“I came to warn you.”
“Warn me? About
what?” Ella rubbed her eyes and yawned.
“The stablemaster told me you returned from town last night with one of the horse’s hooves unshod.”
“Oh. The horse must have thrown a shoe last night when my stalker spooked it.”
“Stalker? What happened?”
“It was odd, Maria. The man followed me around town. Then he called me . . . Ella.” Just thinking of the way the man said her name sent a wave of excitement through her. It was an odd reaction to have toward someone who was nothing but a stalker. “He seemed familiar, though I don’t remember him at all.” She got off the pallet, planning on getting dressed until she realized her gown was still caked with mud. “I won’t be able to wear this unless I clean it first.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ve brought you one of Beatrice’s old gowns.” Maria shoved it into Ella’s hands. It felt like silk. Ella went to the window and opened the shutter. The sun’s first rays were just peeking out from the horizon, giving her enough light to see. A robin chirped happily from atop the turret. She paused and smiled at the bird, wondering why the sound made her feel so happy. “You must dress quickly and sneak the horse back to town. Have the blacksmith shoe it, and return here before your father or stepmother finds out what happened.”
“I can’t wear this,” said Ella, running her fingers over the fine silk. “Beatrice would have my head.” She put the gown on the bed and went to a trunk by the wall that held a few of her things. Opening the lid, she dug through the contents, pulling out a plain, brown gown meant for a peasant. “This will work until I can clean my gown.”
“Lady Cinderella, you really should start dressing like a noble instead of a peasant if you want any man to ever notice you.” Maria sighed and helped Ella don the drab-looking gown.
“I’m not allowed to wear fine gowns. My stepmother says there is no need since I am the youngest and Greta and Beatrice have to find a man first.”
“She’s just afraid your beauty will take the eye of any potential suitor and that Greta and Beatrice won’t be noticed.” She pulled Ella’s gown into place.
“Do you think so?” This puzzled Ella. “After all, Greta and Beatrice are not ugly.”
“Not on the outside, perhaps,” Maria told her. “But it is what’s in here that matters.” She thumped her hand against her chest. “Your sisters, forgive me for saying, are very homely inside.”
Ella giggled, knowing it was true.
“You need to hurry, Ella. If you don’t, your secret will be discovered, and you will be punished once again.”
“Maria, tell me something. Why do my father, stepmother, and stepsisters seem to hate me? Did I do something to make them feel that way toward me? Oh, I wish I could remember.”
Maria stood up and put her hand to her chin in thought. Then she placed her hands on her ample hips and shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said. “I can’t seem to remember. I think, lately, my mind is getting muddled.”
“I hope you didn’t slip and fall on a wet floor as well. Not being able to remember is driving me mad.” She walked over to the wall and pulled her cloak from a hook and donned it. “What was I like as a child, Maria? After all, you were a handmaid to this family for a long time.”
“Aye, I was. And your stepsisters were a handful from the time they emerged from their mother’s womb. However, I don’t believe I knew you as a child. Only from the time that your father married Lady Agnes.”
“How old was I when this happened?” Ella asked anxiously. “Mayhap if you tell me what you know, it will help me regain my memories. What happened to my birth mother?”
Maria shook her head. There was a look of desperation on her face as if she were thinking hard. “Oh, my lady, I am so sorry. But I can’t seem to remember a thing about when your father married Lady Trevane or anything about your birth mother. I must be getting old and senile. Perhaps you should ask your father.” The woman looked as if she were about to cry.
“Nay, Maria, you are not addled, nor are you so old that you can’t remember. It seems even my father hasn’t been able to answer my questions, or mayhap he just doesn’t want to. I guess I have lived in the shadow of Greta and Beatrice for so long that no one I talk to seems even to know me lately.”
There was a noise in the hallway, and Maria put her hands to her chest. “I must go,” she said in a whisper. “If they catch me in here, we will both be in trouble.”
“Thank you,” said Ella putting a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I will take the horse to town and, hopefully, find the shoe and have the blacksmith tend to the chore. He has always been kind to me, so mayhap he won’t charge me since I have no money.”
“Here,” said Maria, pushing something into her hand. “Use this.”
Ella looked down at the coin in her palm. It was unusual for a servant to have any money at all. “I can’t take your money. It’s not right.” She tried to give it back, but Maria shook her head and headed for the door.
“You take that money and don’t worry about returning it, my lady.”
“Then at least let me repay the favor somehow.”
“You can repay me by finding yourself a nobleman to marry and getting out of this prison. Don’t let them treat you this way. You deserve so much better.”
“But they’re my family,” said Ella. “They are all I have.”
“Then find a new family, because this one is no good for you.”
Ella looked down at the coin in her hand. This was probably all Maria had, and she couldn’t take it from her.
“Maria!” She ran after the woman and pressed the coin back into her hand. “I cannot take this, but thank you for being my friend.”
Before William even had a chance to think about looking for Ella, it was already well past noon. Everyone was happy to see he’d returned. He had to take the time to greet his knights, the nobles, and even his servants. After looking over the tally sheets, checking the supplies in the undercroft, and tending to his demesne, he realized it had taken a good part of the day.
He rode his horse along the road with his squire on one side and his brother on the other.
“You seem to have kept the castle and estate in good order while I’ve been gone,” William told his brother. “I must say I am impressed.”
“Thank you,” said Terris, nodding and greeting the serfs in the field as he rode past.
“I thought you would have run it into the ground the way our father did before I inherited his holdings.”
“Thank you again – I think.” Terris looked at him sideways without turning his head.
“Good day, my lords,” said a noblewoman in a passing carriage. “Driver, please stop for a minute.”
The driver stopped. William headed over to the carriage. Inside was a woman with two younger ladies that were most likely her daughters. “Good day, my lady. What is it that takes your concern?”
“I am Lady Trevane, and these are my daughters, Greta and Beatrice,” said the woman.
“Trevane?” asked William, not remembering the name.
“Good brother, this is the Baron of Inglewood’s wife and daughters,” Terris explained.
“Inglewood,” he repeated, glancing over to his squire. God’s eyes, he hoped they hadn’t already found out the tax money was missing and somehow tracked it to him. “I’ve just returned from campaigning overseas, but when I left, I don’t believe the baron was even married.”
“He wasn’t,” said Terris. “Lady Trevane married the baron right after you left.”
“That’s right,” said the woman. “My daughters are from my first marriage.”
“Well, nice to meet you,” said William. “Now, if you’ll excuse me I’ll be on my way.”
“Oh, are you off to deliver the invitations to the ball?” asked the woman. Her daughters giggled from inside the carriage.
William shook his head. “I’m afraid you have some wrong information, my lady. I am not planning on such an event.”
Terris cleared
his throat. “That is because I’m the one who has held the ball for the last three years now, Brother.”
“Aye,” said Lady Trevane. “Every year, Lord Terris holds a ball, looking for a lady to marry. Are you married, Lord William?” she asked with hope in her voice.
“Nay,” he said, turning and riding away.
“This year, my brother will be looking for a wife,” said Terris, causing William to stop and turn around. He opened his mouth but had no chance to speak because that was all Lady Trevane needed to hear to set her off.
“Oh, I have two daughters both of marrying age. So now, you will both be able to marry. And my husband will promise a large dowry for each of them,” she assured them.
“Mayhap not that large,” William mumbled under his breath, thinking about the money he’d stolen from the baron yesterday and returned to the poor townsfolk.
“Will you be delivering the invitations soon?” asked one of the girls from inside the cart. William couldn’t see them well, but it didn’t matter because he wasn’t interested in marrying either of them. He only wanted Ella.
“Aye, we will,” Terris assured the women. “And I’m sure my brother will be dancing with every eligible maiden at the ball, so be sure to look your best, girls.”
Giggling was heard from inside the carriage as William rode away and didn’t turn back.
“William, that was rude of you,” scolded Terris, riding fast to catch up with him.
“Aye, my lord,” agreed Troy. “You should have at least taken a good look at the girls. They weren’t that ugly. After all, one of them might be your wife someday.”
“Never,” William snorted, taking his steed to a full run to start his search for the only girl he wanted to marry – Ella.
Chapter 4
With all the distractions along the road, by the time William got to town, it was nearly nightfall. Terris and Troy had come with him, curious to see if the horseshoe would lead him to Ella.
A Perfect Fit: Page 2