by M. J. Haag
I said nothing, and she sighed.
“You need to think before you act. While I appreciate your attempt to please me, it had the opposite effect.”
“Sorry, Mama.”
“Come,” she said.
I followed her through the main doors of the house.
“Catherine! Heather!” Maeve yelled.
My eyes rounded, and I stared at Maeve in horror. What had she done? Were my friends alive? How? I saw them die with my own eyes.
Two women I didn’t know hurried from the dining room and curtsied to Maeve.
“Yes, mistress?” the older one said.
“This is my daughter, Eloise. Eloise, this is Heather, and that is Catherine.”
“The same names?” I said, unable to conceal my pain.
“I’m tired of learning new names. With the rate the maids leave this house, I thought it more expeditious to use the names we already know. At least until we know if this pair will last longer.”
I heard the threat there. I wanted to kill her. Slowly. Painfully. The need burned a well inside of me. It was good and deep, hidden from my expression, but still there despite any word I might utter.
“You said no more maids.”
“Honestly, Eloise. I don’t know why you are so against help. Catherine and Heather are lovely women.”
“We will do our best to see to your every need,” Heather said.
“We truly want to stay,” Catherine added.
I looked at them, closing myself off from the pain—past, present, and any that might find me in the future because of them.
“I’m so glad to hear that,” Maeve said. “Because Eloise has had a bit of a mishap on the road and needs to bathe quite desperately. The tub is in the kitchen. Please see to it.”
They both nodded and hurried off.
“Come, Eloise. There is more,” Maeve said, heading toward the sitting room.
I followed her at a subdued paced.
Inside the room, I found Porcia and Cecilia already waiting.
“Sit,” Maeve directed. She waited for me to comply then looked at Porcia. “Tell me everything.”
Porcia recounted my experience in town, sparing no detail, right down to the rock that hit my tailbone and the clump of horse shit that someone had managed to lob at my head with dreadful accuracy.
“Perhaps the wash in the trough was a good decision,” Maeve murmured with a glance at me.
Then Porcia shared the help I received.
“Did he recognize you?” Maeve asked.
“The entire time I walked, the spell worked its magic, making my ears ring and the world around me tip and tilt as I stumbled and vomited everywhere. Nothing made sense but finding my way home.”
“Do not think to withhold information from me, again,” she warned. “Did he recognize you?”
“If he did, I wouldn’t have noticed. I vomited on him the moment he asked if he could call a carriage for me.”
Maeve looked at Porcia.
“It’s true. And he never called her by name, nor she by his.”
Maeve remained quiet for a moment.
“The next time you defy me, I will have men hold you down and violate you in the most horrific ways so it haunts your dreams until your dying day. Yet, they will leave your precious virginity intact. Do you understand me?”
I swallowed hard and nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.
“Good.” She went to the desk and retrieved a bit of parchment that she held out to me. “While you were away, another invitation arrived. Written by the Prince himself.”
The invitation formally requested the Cartwright family’s presence at the next ball, which was to be masked, and promised the attendance of Drisdall’s most suitable unmarried men in good standing with the Crown. The end of the note stated, “I am looking forward to Eloise’s attendance.” It was signed Prince Greydon, House of Drisdall, in an almost illegible scrawl.
“You want me to attend the ball?” I asked.
Cecilia snorted, and Maeve smiled.
“Of course not. You’ve proven yourself incapable of making proper choices when left on your own. And you would be on your own at the ball, dancing with the Prince. No, as it’s a masked ball and you and Cecilia are so similar in appearance, Cecilia will present herself as you if she must. You will stay here, where you belong until you are needed. After the ball, Cecilia will tell you everything so that you may discuss it as if you were there.”
I glanced at Cecilia. She smiled at me. Was she even thinking Maeve’s plan through?
“The Prince has spoken to me. Surely he will recognize a difference in our voices, regardless of the mask you wear. And if you are to be me, how will you win the Prince’s affection as your own?”
“She doesn’t need to speak,” Maeve said, answering for her. “And she will win the Prince’s affection outside of the ballroom. Starting today, you will walk with your sister. Twice a day. If you happen upon Kaven, you will speak well of your sister’s many accomplishments. You will see to it that the Prince’s curiosity is piqued enough that we receive another dinner invitation. This time because of Cecilia.”
“Yes, Mama.”
“Good. Now, go bathe. I cannot tolerate another moment of the smell emanating from you.”
“Thank you for watching over me, Porcia,” I said with a nod before leaving the room.
Instead of going to the kitchen, I went to my room. The water would take a while to heat and the tub even longer to fill. Rather than sit in the kitchen and risk learning more about the new maids, I sequestered myself in my attic space. I roamed the furniture placements and thought over the last two days.
The result of the dinner with the Prince could have been worse. Rather than exposing that we’d already met, he could have taken one look at Cecilia and fallen in love. As it was, he spent the majority of his time focused on me. His attention was another layer of safety for me.
Maeve believed the Prince’s interest in me nothing more than a passing curiosity brought about because of Kaven’s lofty esteem. I wasn’t so sure. I’d noted the way Kaven frowned at the way the Prince touched me. Why frown if it was completely proper? Kaven must have sensed something I had not. He was, after all, very close to the Prince. Which also created a layer of protection for Kaven. His potential usefulness in swaying the Prince’s opinion of Cecilia would keep Kaven reasonably safe for a time, no matter my behavior. And that explained why I’d walked the streets of Towdown naked instead of Kaven bearing the brunt of Maeve’s wrath at my omission of the Prince’s presence.
It was a dangerous game I played but no more dangerous than the one Maeve played.
The latest invitation to the ball worried me. The Prince was expecting me. I had no doubt that Cecilia and Maeve had a convincing plan for how Cecilia would portray me, or they wouldn’t attempt such a thing. And by using the Prince’s interest in me, it would put Cecilia that much closer to me.
A thought dawned, and I wanted to groan.
Cecilia would be close enough to crack the amulet. With it cracked, Cecilia wouldn’t need to speak to win over the Prince’s heart. It wouldn’t matter who the Prince thought he was dancing with.
In agitation, I continued to pace around the room. How could I possibly stop them? If today had taught me anything, it was that I would never be able to leave the estate with Maeve’s spell binding me to this place.
I found myself standing near the chimney and looked up at the spot where I’d hidden the mask the tree had given me. It had given me what I would need to attend the ball before I’d even known it would be a masked ball. If the tree could do that, surely it could also provide a cure to the spell holding me here. Why else give me the mask if not to attend?
“Miss Eloise,” a voice called. “Your bath is ready.”
“Coming.”
Chapter Seven
I tipped my head up to the sun and let the light warm my face. Around me, the birds and other creatures were silent.
“I’m tired of sitting here,” Cecilia said. “Let’s walk toward the Retreat.”
“You know I can’t.”
“What I know is that Mama gave you a task, and you’re not doing it.”
“I am doing it. Kaven finds me. I don’t find him.”
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard.”
I shrugged my shoulders and looked out over Towdown. With Cecilia constantly in tow, I hadn’t returned to the clearing and Mother’s grave. At least, not for any extended period of time. Instead, I went everywhere else on the estate, even going so far as to walk the pig in the woods along the ridge. She hadn’t liked that because of the pig and the distance from the Retreat. The memory of her annoyance then made it harder not to smile as she glared at me now.
“I’m returning to the house. The last four days have been a fruitless waste of my time.” She stood and stormed off.
Our time together hadn’t been entirely fruitless, though. Not for me, anyway. In the last few days, I’d enjoyed more time outside in the trees I loved than I had in previous weeks. And, I was entirely grateful that Kaven hadn’t once happened upon us.
As the bird song slowly emerged and grew in volume, I stood and hurriedly shook out my skirts to follow after Cecilia. I knew the sound would draw Kaven to me, and I didn’t want that to happen.
“Good afternoon, Miss Eloise,” Catherine said with forced cheer as I entered the kitchen.
“Is it?” I answered coldly.
Cecilia narrowed her eyes at me from her place at the table as I removed my cloak and left the trio in the kitchen.
I hated that I treated the maids so coldly, but I believed my friendship and fondness for the true Catherine and Heather had been what led to their inevitable demise. After all, their deaths had been yet another means of punishing me. It was safer to act coldly toward the new maids than to form any bond. I wouldn’t give Maeve more reason to hurt those who served us.
Heading for the stairs, I returned to my room as I did every afternoon, now. The day after my walk through town, I’d learned that Maeve had spun a lovely tale about me to the new help. One where I was an errant, misbehaved child, who cared little about how my actions might hurt myself or others. My cold behavior only gave more credence to her explanation and made Maeve’s nightly routine of locking me in my room more befitting.
I minded neither the lock nor the lie. Both kept Catherine and Heather safer.
I roamed my room, walking amongst the memories of my past, as I waited for the knock on my door to signal that one of my sisters was bringing up a tray. Afterward, I would eat alone and listen for the carriage to leave. The nightly pilgrimage my unwanted family took to join the festivities of the lower class outside the castle was a routine they had been following for the last four days.
When the knock came, I was already sitting at my table.
“Good evening, sister,” Cecilia said.
I rolled my eyes before I turned to face her.
“Good evening, sister. It’s nice spending so much time with you and then having you wait on me like a commoner.”
Her eyes narrowed on me, and she dropped the tray the few inches to the table, letting the juice from the beans splash on the wooden surface.
“Whatever is the matter, sister?” I asked with sugary sweetness.
“I will never be common.”
“Oh? Tell me again how the common folk view you.”
She leaned toward me.
“When I am queen, I will see you flayed and hung. Your body will rot at the end of a rope and no one will care because everyone you love is dead.”
“But I love you, sister. And Porcia. And Mama. We’re a family. Family doesn’t hurt one another.”
She bared her teeth at me.
“You know nothing about family.”
I leaned back in my chair.
“Teasing aside, how are things progressing in Towdown? Do you think you’re getting any closer to winning the Prince’s favor since we’re having no luck here?”
She studied me for a moment, likely trying to gauge my sincerity. It was a game I’d been playing with her since Maeve forbade her from striking out against me. I provoked her to the point she wanted to cause me physical harm, then I spoke nicely to her as if I cared.
“Of course, I’m closer. Despite your lack of help. It’s not only the people who are taking note of me but the palace guards as well. I’m sure word is spreading.”
I felt certain it was, too, and that worried me.
“Sit,” I said, nudging out a chair with my foot. “I miss conversation while eating.”
“I cannot. Mama is waiting below. We’re to go to town again tonight.”
I glanced at her dress, a deeply-hued frock.
“You should change into something lighter. Although it won’t highlight your beauty, it will help you stand out more against the dull colors the commoners use.”
“I want to blend with them, though.”
I gave an indolent shrug.
“You’ve already worked to make them accept you as their own. Now, you need to stand out in the eyes of the Prince should he be walking the parapets. Which I believe he will tonight. Why else would Kaven be absent so long if not for an extended stay at the castle with the Prince.”
Cecilia smoothed her hands over her dress.
“If you’re wrong…”
“I’m not wrong about the people viewing you differently. If you’ve truly won their acceptance, the color or style of your dress won’t matter so long as you continue to treat them as you have. However, I can make no promises about the Prince’s appearance tonight. That is only speculation.”
She reluctantly thanked me for my advice before leaving me alone. I smiled and quickly ate my food.
From the small window on the other side of the attic, I watched the wagon pull away from the house. Walking the length of the attic, I listened to Catherine and Heather move about below. When they finished turning down the beds for the night and returned to the first level, I retrieved the master key that Cecilia had been too blind to notice when she first ruined my attic sanctuary.
As soon as the house quieted, I carried my tray to the foot of the stairs, where I typically left it, and let myself out. Sneaking from the house wasn’t hard. I’d wandered the rooms a few times the previous night just to test Catherine and Heather’s awareness. The trick would be returning before Maeve and my stepsisters, for they would most certainly note me coming in through the front door.
Once outside, I breathed in deeply of the night air and made for the tree. I desperately needed Mother’s help to understand how I was supposed to leave the estate to attend the ball with the mask it had given me. Cecilia was indeed winning over too many people with her efforts. Even Catherine and Heather liked her.
The weak moonlight guided my passage along the path. Even though I struggled to see, the creatures around me had no issue recognizing me. The moment I sat on the bench, they started making noise enough to wake the dead. I hoped Kaven was far from here and unlikely to hear—
“Eloise?”
My heart leapt, and I struggled to contain the joy I felt at his presence.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“I couldn’t stay away. It’s been driving me mad that Cecilia has been a constant presence at your side for the last four days. I’ve wanted to speak with you.”
“And she wanted to speak with you.”
“Me? Why?” he asked, crossing the clearing.
“Because she has seen how you can influence the Prince’s opinion. She wants to impress him.”
“I see.”
“I doubt you do. What were you thinking?” I asked as he sat beside me.
“At what point?”
“When you stated your interest in me to my stepmother. And, what are your intentions even? You haven’t yet told me.”
He chuckled softly and took one of my hands.
“I was thinking that I’m tired
of trying to be patient. I want to marry you.”
I snorted.
“You barely know me.”
He laughed.
“That’s a problem that marriage will quickly fix.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but he took the opportunity to kiss me fiercely. I melted against the onslaught, able to do little else. My head swam, and my hands settled on his chest. When he pulled away, he grinned down at me.
“I’ve never felt, for anyone, what I feel for you. When we’re together, I’m alive. You challenge me to be better than I am. And I want to be. Because of you. Yes, I want to marry you, Eloise. Yes, I’m willing to wait. But I don’t want to. If you feel we don’t know each other well enough, it only means we need to spend more time together. I will call on you again tomorrow.”
His words penetrated the fog in my mind.
“No.” I pushed against his chest, winning some space. “Your first attempt didn’t progress very well. Why do you think the second would be any different?”
He frowned slightly, his frustration showing.
“Tell me what to do, then. How do I win your hand?”
“You don’t,” I said, pulling away from him. “I’m not supposed to be seeing you. I snuck from the house while my family is in town. If Mama finds out I spent time alone with you in the woods…”
His expression hardened.
“What? What will she do?”
“She will rush her plans for me. I do not want to be like the Prince, forced to marry a stranger within a month’s time.”
He considered me silently for a long moment.
“That is exactly why I need to persuade her that I am a good match for you.”
“You can’t.”
“Why not?”
I looked up into his beautiful blue eyes and saw his determination and stubbornness. Both would get him killed. I knew then that I needed to let him go. But how?
His expression softened.
“Don’t,” he said softly.
“Don’t what?”
“Find a reason to push me away.”
My brows rose in surprise.
“I can read you better than you realize, Eloise. When you feel threatened, you don’t run; you fight back. Why does marrying me scare you? I know my employ isn’t it. You’ve made your stance on Drisdall’s social system very clear. You see everyone as equals. If I am your equal, why do you want to run at the thought of marrying me? Is it my visage? Many a maid has told me I’m handsome.”