Romantically Enchanted: A Twisted Fairytale Collection

by Madeline Martin

  Lady Manchester set her tea cup down and curtsied. “Please forgive me,” the lady in question said. “What she says is true. It besieges me often and usually quite unexpectedly.” She smiled warmly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “It’s nice to meet you as well.” Annalise smiled at the woman. “And there’s no need to apologize. It’s your home, and you’re welcome to do as you wish inside its wall. Besides, if I’m ever lucky enough to have a child, I’d like people to respect my desires.”

  “Would you like tea?”

  From the remarks made about the tea earlier, it had to be awful. Annalise was caught between being rude and consuming cold tea. The cakes did look rather delicious. Her stomach grumbled on queue to that thought. “What kind of cakes are these?”

  “Oh,” Lady Manchester said gleefully. “These are lemon cakes. I’ve had terrible cravings for them, and cook has been kind enough to make them every day for me.”

  “Do you mind?” Annalise gestured toward them. She didn’t want to take the lady’s current favorite treat from her.

  “Help yourself,” she said and pressed a hand to her stomach. “I’m not feeling well. I think I’m going to go lie down for a bit.”

  Annalise picked up one of the cakes and took a bite of it. The lemon cake was sweet and tart—utterly delicious. She could see why Lady Manchester devoured them every day. They probably went well with tea too. She stared at the tea and considered pouring a cold cup and nixed the idea. She wasn’t that thirsty…

  “Go,” Estella insisted. “We’ll visit more later.”

  Lady Manchester nodded and exited the room, leaving Estella and Annalise alone. Estella turned to her and said. “Are you tired?”

  “I am a bit,” Annalise admitted. Now that she’d met with Estella, her nervousness had dissipated. She could finally relax and maybe take a small nap. It would help her recover from her journey.

  “Come,” Estella said. “I’ll show you to your room, and later we can discuss everything.”

  Annalise smiled at her stepsister. They walked out of the large room together. The hallway was still long, and the staircase as well. The trek to her assigned room was farther than she thought. They finally reached it, and Estella hugged her again. “It’s so good to see you. Thank you for coming to visit me.”

  “There’s no place I’d rather be.”

  Estella stepped back and left her alone. Annalise closed the door behind her and then laid down on the bed. She closed her eyes and found sleep before she realized she’d stopped thinking.

  CHAPTER 2

  RYAN SIMMS, the Marquess of Cinderbury, stared at Manchester Castle from atop his horse, Octavius. The stallion snorted, then whinnied as he shook his mane. The ride from London had taken longer than he’d anticipated. The main reason was because he didn’t want to overtax his mount, and he refused to leave him in anyone else’s care. So that meant stopping often to let Octavius rest. It was good he’d finally arrived so he could check on his cousin for himself. He felt responsible for her welfare and had hoped to step in sooner. Her stepfather was an evil man. He reminded Ryan of his stepmother, but even she hadn’t been as cruel as the Duke of Wolfton.

  His grandfather had refused to step in. The Duke of Ashthrone had believed Estella would be better off in the care of her stepfather. Ryan wasn’t sure if it was a duke’s club mentality or if his grandfather recognized a little like for like in regard to the Duke of Wolfton. Either way, he couldn’t appeal to his grandfather’s good nature because the rotten bastard had none. Oh, he’d saved Ryan from his stepmother’s clutches; however, it hadn’t been out of the kindness of his heart. Ashthrone had realized Ryan would be his heir, and he had wanted to make sure that he not only survived, but was trained properly by him.

  Every second he’d spent on the duke’s estate had been one of pure misery. It should have hardened Ryan’s heart even more. It had done the opposite though—it had given him purpose. Hope when there was none to be had, and when he had finally reached his majority, he left. Taking what little remained of his inheritance—what Lady Penelope couldn’t touch—and invested it. He’d been a mere eighteen summers when he’d taken that risk and hadn’t regretted it.

  His stepmother had access to the fund’s estate in order to keep it running, but she didn’t do much upkeep on his property. His grandfather hired an estate manager, and that poor man dealt with Lady Penelope. He hadn’t checked on that part of his inheritance since he reached his majority. As long as his stepmother lived, he wouldn’t step foot near it or her. Smithers, the estate manager, set him quarterly reports, and even those he barely scanned. His stomach tightened into a knot whenever he thought about anything to do with his former home.

  By the time he’d inherited the title of Marquess of Cinderbury, he’d built a fortune in the shipping industry and was looking for more to invest in. He’d tried to fight for guardianship of his cousin, Estella, but had failed. Without the proper backing, he hadn’t stood a chance, and the Duke of Wolfton had more power than him at the time. He’d been a one and twenty then, and Estella no more than a girl of fifteen. Seven years later, he had money, prestige, and more power than even his grandfather. No one would get in his way, yet it meant nothing now that his cousin didn’t need him. She’d found a way out of her hell on her own and also had somehow found love. He owed it to her to at least pay a visit and offer his aid should she need it in the future.

  “Well, Octavius, I think it’s time to face Estella. I hope she doesn’t hate me for my failure to protect her.”

  He motioned the horse to a canter and closed the remaining distance to the castle. As he reached the entrance, he slowed down and then came to a stop. He patted Octavius’s head and then slid off the horse’s back. The door opened and an older gentleman stepped outside. “Can I help you?” he asked.

  “I’m here to see Lady Warwick,” Ryan replied. He lifted Octavius’s reins for the man to see. “I’ll need my mount stabled.”

  He almost laughed at the complete look of befuddlement that crossed the old man’s face. Did they not receive many visitors at Manchester Castle? He didn’t seem particularly welcoming…

  “I’ll send a footman out to take him for you,” he finally replied. “Give me but a moment.”

  He stepped back inside the castle, closing the door behind him. Ryan shook his head, baffled by his actions. At least he didn’t plan on staying long at the castle. No more than a night—two at most, and he’d be on his way to his own estate. He had things he had to do there and couldn’t afford to stay any longer than that. After several moments, the door opened again, but it wasn’t the old man that exited. A woman with midnight locks, high cheekbones, pink lush lips, and the most gorgeous face he’d ever seen. He didn’t know who she was, but he wanted to find out.

  She stopped, startled to see him, but recovered quickly. “Is it normal to wait outside with a horse at this castle?”

  “I wouldn’t know,” he replied. Where was that old man? “This is my first time visiting the castle.” And hopefully the last… He shouldn’t have any reason to visit again.

  The lady smiled, and it nearly took his breath away. He blinked several times and regained control of his senses. The last thing he wanted was to be struck stupid by a woman’s beauty. His father had done such a thing and married Lady Penelope. Beauty couldn’t be trusted. She took a few steps forward and stopped in front of Octavius. “He’s such a beautiful horse.” The lady began to stroke Octavius’s neck almost lovingly, and Ryan found himself jealous of his own horse. There was something seriously wrong with him.

  “He’s enjoying your attention shamelessly.” Ryan stared at her hand as she petted his horse. “You keep doing that and he’ll become spoiled.”

  “You don’t give him enough attention if my meager attempts will garner such results.” Her voice was almost melodic and enchanting. She glanced up and smiled at him again. It was like a punch to the heart, and he lifted his hand to rub the ache. “Perhaps y
ou should pet him more often.”

  “I’ll take that under advisement.”

  The door opened, snapping him out of his maudlin thoughts. It served as a reminder that he didn’t ever want to become so attached to a female. There was one lady he cared about, and it was his cousin Estella. A different man than before came out and walked over to them. “Hello, my lord,” he greeted. “My lady.”

  “Are you here to take my horse to the stable?”

  “I am, Lord Cinderbury,” he replied. “Your cousin is inside waiting for you. I was to tell you to find her in the sitting room.”

  Was he supposed to go wandering around a castle and hope he found the right room? No one was going to take him there. The staff was ridiculously rude and untrained. He’d never seen anything like them and wasn’t sure how he felt about the whole thing. The man took his horse and started to walk in what Ryan assumed was the direction of the stable. He frowned as he stared at the man directing his horse which way to go. Octavius would be fine, but everything had been so strange ever since he’d arrived.

  “Did he address you as Lord Cinderbury?” The lady asked. No, that wasn’t true either. Ryan had been painfully aware of her since the moment she’d stepped out of the castle, but he’d hoped she’d gone away and the sentient feeling inside of him was a mere illusion.

  He turned to her and replied, “He did, and I am.”

  “I see.” She nibbled on her bottom lip. His eyes were immediately drawn to the action. He was developing a serious problem where the lady was concerned. “So, you’re Estella’s cousin? I’m Lady Annalise Palmer, her stepsister.”

  Ah… He knew he shouldn’t trust her. A pretty face hid deceit well. She was related to the tyrant who’d abused Estella. The muscles in his jaw ticked as he fought for control. Ryan didn’t want to believe the worst in her; however, he couldn’t fully trust her either. “Ah—then why are you here? Wouldn’t your father disapprove of you spending any time in Estella’s company? Won’t that tarnish your pristine reputation?” He’d never had a chance to meet the man his aunt had chosen to marry. The only information he had about the duke or his family was by reputation, and none of it had been good.

  She jerked back as if he’d slapped her. Words could be weapons, and Ryan had learned that lesson rather well as a boy. His stepmother had thrown barbs at him more often than not. He’d grown accustomed to them when a young boy shouldn’t have. Some days he hated his father for being blinded by Lady Penelope’s beauty and leaving him alone in her care. Deep down, he knew his father hadn’t wanted to die, but grief and pain weren’t reasonable. He didn’t fully blame him; however, a small part of him always would. His father’s choices had left Ryan in hell. For that, he had a hard time forgiving him.

  “My father has his faults, and yes, I realize they are numerous, but he is still my father.”

  “And you love him?” He finished for her. Ryan wasn’t so delusional about his own family. There was one of them that deserved his devotion. “Or something like that?”

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” she replied, surprising him. “But there have been times I’ve tolerated him.”

  Ryan couldn’t stop the burst of laughter that came out of him. He was starting to like Lady Annalise, and that couldn’t be a good sign. There had to be something wrong with her. Beauty and intelligence was a hard mix to find. As long as she didn’t have a cruel heart he might find spending time in her company almost pleasing. “Truer words have never been spoken.” He grinned. “And I understand the sentiment. I often feel the same about my grandfather.”

  She frowned. “I’ve met your grandfather, and I have to agree. He does share some similar traits as my father. Do you suppose that is a duke thing?”

  “I hope not,” he responded. “Otherwise, I hate to see what I turn into when I inherit the title. That rotten old bastard all but disowned Estella. I don’t think he has ever even met her, and I know he barely mentions her. The only time I recall him bringing her up in conversation was to berate her father for failing to produce an heir. I don’t think he much liked the idea of making me next in line to inherit.”

  Ryan didn’t care for the title. He didn’t want to be a grand duke and be one of the rulers of society’s dictates. There were much better things he could do with his time. He liked working and making money. Power could be gained if in a variety of ways, and he’d done so over the years. If his grandfather lived to be a hundred, he’d be fine with that. The old bastard could keep his title. Ryan would be happy running his business and finding other things to invest his time in.

  “Some men are like that.” She gestured toward the door. “I assume you’re here to see Estella. Do you want me to show you to the sitting room?”

  “Please do,” he replied. “Are all the servants like that one.” He didn’t mention the old man who’d first greeted him. “I find it odd they let guests fend for themselves.”

  “It’s more relaxed at Manchester,” Estella agreed. “This is my second day here, and it has actually been rather refreshing. They might seem incompetent, but they’re rather efficient where it counts.”

  He hadn’t seen that. Ryan would have to take her word on it. Maybe if he spent any amount of time at the castle he’d appreciate whatever it was that the servants did. He found himself asking, “How long will you be visiting Estella?”

  “Not long,” she replied as they walked toward the door. He opened it and gestured for her to go ahead of him. Lady Annalise did, and he followed behind. She turned to him. “My father doesn’t have a lot of patience. I’m lucky he allowed a short visit.”

  “It must be difficult living with such a harsh man and strict rules.”

  “You get used to it.” She didn’t look at him and kept her gaze forward. “The castle is large, but it’s not difficult to navigate. Estella and Hannah—Lady Manchester—can be found in the sitting room this time of day. Though it’s hard to say what they’ll actually be doing in there.”

  “Pardon?”

  “Don’t be surprised if you discover them partaking in unladylike activities.” Her tone had a touch of humor in it. “They aren’t normal ladies.”

  They walked down a long hallway, and then she led him into a room. A very large room that didn’t resemble a sitting room at all… Ryan hadn’t been at Manchester Castle long, but he’d come to a couple of conclusions: the castle and its occupants constantly surprised him, and his cousin could take care of herself—she was bloody dangerous with a foil.

  CHAPTER 3

  THE HAPPINESS that filled Manchester castle resembled nothing at Annalise’s home. To witness pure joy and have to leave it—she hated the thought, yet she fully realized that, in less than a day, she’d be leaving it behind. She had never envied her stepsister in the past. Now though… She longed for what Estella had. The love she shared with her husband was pure. Even Lord and Lady Manchester had something special between them.

  “What has you so maudlin?” Estella asked.

  “Nothing,” Annalise said. “At least, it’s not something that can be changed. Father would never allow me to stay any longer than I have.” She pasted a smile on her face in the hope that it would alleviate Estella’s concern. “How long do you and Lord Warwick intend to stay at Manchester Castle? Does he not have an estate of his own?” That should be enough to distract her stepsister. She didn’t wish to discuss how awful her father could be.

  “He does,” Estella replied, and then chuckled lightly. “We will depart not long after you. Garrick—Lord Manchester was kind enough to give us a place to stay for a while. I have enjoyed it, and Hannah is a new friend I’d never thought to have.”

  “I’m glad you’ve found a friend.” Another item to add to the growing list of things she envied Estella for having. If she dwelled on it too long she might start to resent her stepsister. “I’m happy for you.”

  “You’ll find someone to love one day,” Estella said. “Your father won’t always be around to prevent you from finding happine
ss.”

  He’d be around long enough… Her father had a way of always thwarting any courtship from starting. She had no real chance of finding love. It was as if he had some way of sensing when a male took interest in her. The duke was determined to pick her husband for her, and Annalise refused every lord he’d put in front of her. They were all of her father’s ilk, and she would not tie herself to another man similar to him for the rest of her days.

  “That is true,” she agreed. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll ever find love. Some people are destined to be alone. I may be one of them.”

  “My dear Annalise,” Estella said and then smiled at her. “Have a little faith and dare to dream. Maybe you’ll have a fairy godmother like I did.”

  It was her turn to laugh. “I don’t have a true love I’m being kept apart from.” In some ways, she wished she did. She’d never fallen in love or even understood what it was like to have someone love her in return. Estella had always loved Donovan. Annalise had no one, and she probably never would. At least as long as her father lived… “Love isn’t for everyone. I’ll be all right—I promise.”

  “Well, as long as you promise.” Estella rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so cynical. Sometimes dreams do come true. If you won’t have faith, it’ll be up to me to have a little for you.”

  She didn’t want to argue with Estella. Her time was already dwindling, and soon she’d be in a carriage heading home. Annalise wanted her final hours to be ones of joy not sadness. If it made her stepsister happy to have faith, Annalise would one day find love, well, then she’d let her. It was no secret she needed all the help she could find. With a father hell-bent on making her miserable, she would not alienate her one true friend. Estella had always been better at socializing then Annalise. Most of society believed her pretentious and unkind. Truthfully, she found it difficult to talk to people and came off that way. She’d love to have more friends, but had no idea how to build those types of relationships. “If a miracle happens and I find true love, I’ll know who to thank.”