Roses and Black Glass: a dark Cinderella tale (6 page)

He felt his
heart thump twice, very hard within his chest.  Was it possible?  Could it have
been Cindy?  The only girl he had ever missed?  The only one who’d ever plagued
his thoughts?  But, they said she had gone away, that she had married off!

He moved to
the room and stepped inside, looking over the small space with the slanted
ceiling from the roof of the house.  Leaks in it had been patched, but there
were still a few drips that had fallen in from the heavier rain.  There was a
lantern on a table beside an old bed. 

The young
woman was not there.

Christian
was confused.  Where had she gone?

He took
careful steps across the room, moving toward something he saw resting on the
table beside the lantern.  It was an old picture, and when he lifted it up, he
saw a familiar face. 
Cindy
.  Several years younger and with her father
alone, but he still knew her. 

He thought
about her face again, as he had seen it that one time - about her lips that
hardly smiled.  She must have still been dwelling in this house, no matter what
they had claimed.  Knowing that, he couldn’t go through with what he’d truly
come here for.  He’d had every intention of relieving himself within Isabella,
and yet he had lost all desire now. 

For a moment,
he felt like waiting here to see if the girl would come back, for he would
greatly enjoy seeing her again, but it felt wrong of him to do.  She obviously
wanted to be left alone, and that idea came on stronger by his remembrance that
the entire town thought she was no longer even in the state.

Christian
nodded to himself, setting the picture back down on the table.  He turned to
go, walking straight back out through the kitchen without disturbing Isabella. 
A shuffling sound in the hallway caught his attention. 

He turned his
head, not feeling frightened, but curious.  Had she come back after all?  He
decided to let her name pass his lips, though it only emitted as a faint
whisper.

“Cindy?” he
asked, seeing the breath of those words appear before him in the chill of the
room.

For a moment,
there were no more sounds, and then a soft voice came back to him as if coming
out of the air itself.

“
Christian?”

The young man
moved out into the hall, surprised to feel his heart flutter at the prospect of
seeing her, but when he reached the door of the room and stepped out, he saw
that there was no one there.  Christian’s mouth suddenly felt dry.  His fingers
felt numb. 

He went home.

4

Sitting by
herself in the fog, Cindy was on her knees in the mud at the spot where her
mother had been buried beneath a hazel tree behind the house.  The girl hadn’t
been able to sleep, constantly awakened by her dreams, and so she’d done the
only thing she’d known to do.  She’d gone to her mother.  Her father was too far
away now.

“I’ve been
dreaming about you again,” she said to the earth. “Yes, still the same as it
was before with the roses.  I still don’t know what it means.”

Amelia Madison
did not reply back to her daughter, but a chorus of frogs and crickets sang to her
in the gentle breeze of the night. 

“A strange
woman came to the house tonight in the storm.  She seemed to know me, but I
don’t recognize her at all.  If she knew me from when I was young, then I
suppose I simply wouldn’t remember, but she seems so
knowing
.  It’s as
if she’s here to fix things – though I can’t imagine how.  She’s only been
given two days lodging.  In my opinion, that’s just another mouth to feed for
two days.”

Cindy shook
her head, sniffling a bit through the chill of the air.

“I thought
about him again,” the girl admitted quietly with a sigh. “I’m wrong for it, I
know, and I’m sure it’s because he’s the only young man I’ve ever met - because
Isabella and Charlotte bring him up constantly.  At least, that’s what I keep
telling myself.”

The wind
picked up then, blowing strands of her hair from one shoulder to the other.  It
seemed to be getting stormy again.  Perhaps it was best to go back inside.

“
Cindy?”

The sound of
her whispered name caught her by surprise.  The wind brought the young man’s
voice to her ears, and she looked back behind her through the fog, expecting to
find someone there.  Only one person came to her mind as to whom the voice
might have belonged to, but she knew it was only wishful thinking.

“Christian?”
she whispered back anyway, listening to her voice drift away from her and back
toward the house.

There was no
one there.

5

Within her
room, Isabella had fallen asleep.  No one came to awaken her that night.

1

Cindy lifted
her head from the flattened pillow.  There were no drapes across her windows in
order for her to see the first rays of light from the sun that told her it was
time to rise.  On this morning, she lifted her head to see that it was
daylight, yet it was on into the morning.  Nine o’clock, she guessed, which was
much later than her normal waking hour.

Shooting up
from the bed in shock for her lateness, she wondered why she had not awoken. 
She hated herself for fearing punishment, but she had acknowledged long ago
that she was beaten down by her new family.  She’d once forgotten to empty the
apple bin, where the fruit had rotted and produced a horrible stench.  Anna had
slapped her and pressed a hot poker to her thigh to make her remember her
lesson.  Cindy had tried to run away after that, but she’d been caught. 
Considered as a fleeing child by those who had caught her and did not know her,
they took her home where she had been locked in her room for two weeks.  She’d
been trained after that.  The girl had behaved herself.

But now she feared
what would happen to her since she was rising so late.  She’d
never
risen
late. 

Looking
towards the window, her eyes fell upon a large shadow in the way of the sun. 
There had been drapes across the window this morning, now drawn apart to let
the light in.  What?  Had someone not wanted her to awaken?

“Hello,
Cinderella,” came a voice from the side.  “My, what a heavy sleeper she is,
isn’t she, Charlotte?”

Turning her
flustered head, Cindy looked towards the door to see Isabella and Charlotte
both standing there with their hair pulled up neatly and their forms dressed in
cloaks.

“What are you
two doing?” she asked, wondering why on earth they were in her room.  Normally,
they took care to pretend it didn’t exist.

“Today is the
day,” Isabella said. “We are going out of town to pick up our dresses for the Charming
party.”

“Yes,” agreed
Charlotte, “and since you are getting such an
early
start, there will be
no minute for you to waste today.”

“Correct,”
Isabella confirmed.

Looking at
Isabella’s face, Cindy saw something different about the young woman.  She
seemed so much harsher than usual, as if something hadn’t gone quite right with
her.  Cindy didn’t know what it was.  She didn’t care.

“We are about
to leave,” Isabella said with an expressionless look, “but before we do, we
wanted to inform you of your duties.”

“I know my
duties,” Cindy assured them flatly.  What were they up to?

“There is a
large sack of beans in the kitchen,” said Isabella, ignoring the servant girl.

“Fifty
pounds,” Charlotte chimed in.

“You are to go
through the entire bag and sort the bad beans from the good.  We don’t want to
see any dirt, or pebbles, or anything of that sort either.  Plus your usual duties. 
When we get home, you are to help us dress for tonight.  Then you will go back
to what you didn’t finish,” explained Isabella.

“And we want
our shoes shined,” added Charlotte.

“Yes.  Also,
you will be responsible for the house guest.  If anything comes up missing,
you
will take the blame.”

Cindy thought
for a moment about all of this, scowling. Of course, she was not falling for
it.

“And all of
this is meaningless busy-work so that I will have time for nothing else today. 
Do you two think that I could honestly get out of the house to go to that
party?  Is that what you’re afraid of?”

The sisters
said nothing to this, but looked down at her with coldness.

“We must
insist that you not step foot outside this house,” said Isabella.

Cindy shook
her head.  She didn’t understand the ridiculousness of this.

“Isabella and
I were talking,” began Charlotte, “and we see that you might be a slight threat
to the goings on tonight.  Nothing can go wrong tonight, Cindy.  Everything
must be perfect.”

Cindy shook
her head in disbelief.  The jealousy of these two girls was astounding to her! 
It wasn’t as though she had said very many words to the object of their lust in
all her life!  She had only
once
spoken with him and that was three
years ago!  Their behavior was insane.

“You should
begin your duties,” said Isabella. “We will be back later and you will stop
your work to help us get dressed.”

“And make sure
all of our jewels are ready for the choosing when we return,” said Charlotte.
“We don’t want to waste any time.”

Without any
other words, the girls turned and left the room, closing the door behind them. 
Cindy simply sat there in anger and confusion.  She was thankful that after
tonight, it would finally be over.  Whoever Christian chose was up to him.  If
it was indeed one of her sisters, she had no idea what was to happen to her,
but she wasn’t worried.  She couldn't care less.  She might as well welcome
even death.

She sighed
deeply and looked over to Augustus who sat in his cage, getting older by the
day.  The rat looked at her knowingly.

“Sorting
through beans…” Cindy muttered disgustedly. “Of all the pathetic things they
could make me do.”

Augustus just
looked on at her.

“I know you’d
help me if you could,” she assured him and then pulled herself from the bed.

They had all
gone through so much trouble to keep her here today.  Perhaps she could be
lucky enough to find a way to disappoint them.

2

Cindy got
herself dressed and carried out some of her other chores before crouching on
the floor of the kitchen.  She emptied a small amount of beans in front of her
to sort through.  What she would do with them when she was done, she didn’t
know, but she wasn’t worried about that for the time being.  They would never
eat them if she cooked them all now.

I would
never have had to do this back when I was a real girl with a real father.

She had no
business at that party.  Why would her sisters even
think
that she could
go?  She had nothing to wear.  She had no fine jewelry to put on.  Her mind was
distraught.  It was not as though she even
wanted
to go.  How would it
be possible for her to waltz in as the most gorgeous girl there, divert
Christian’s attention and steal his heart with a glance?  She would surely not
even get two words with the man – if any at all.  It would be pointless to show
up even if she could. 

She vowed not
to think about it.

She scooped up
one of the darker beans and tossed it into the fireplace nearby.  Her
step-family had long since left and would possibly be back soon; she couldn’t
be sure.  Then she would have the honor of dressing them – lacing them into
their corsets and fluffing their petticoats as they swooned over themselves –
and the whole time they would ignore her.  She continued to wonder throughout
her day what Christian really thought of them, and if he really intended on
marrying either one.  He spent time with them, it was true, but were they
really in his favor?

Stop
thinking about him.

Cindy took a
deep breath to stop these thoughts that she was not supposed to have.  It did
not suit her to think about Christian now.  Though she ignored the possibility
of any feelings for him within herself, it still troubled her as to what his
fate might be.  Finally, she made the decision to dismiss all thoughts,
wondering greatly what she would do later to pass the creeping hours that her
sisters were away.  These beans would not keep her amusement long.

Hearing a
sound on the stair behind her, Cindy didn’t bother to turn.  It was no doubt,
the guest, Amanda –
That was her name, wasn’t it?
  If it was not, the
intruder could have whatever they wanted with her.  She cared not.

“There you are,
Cindy,” said Amanda, stepping into the kitchen as the hazy day lingered outside
the windows.

“Hello, Miss
Jefferson,” the girl said flatly without looking up.

The strange
woman with the black eyes approached and leaned against the edge of the table,
peering down at Cindy’s work.

“Beans,” she
stated in a laughing way, admiring the chore.

“They could
have picked something less obvious,” said Cindy, still not bothering to look
up.  “They hardly ever eat beans.”

Amanda laughed
lightly and walked closer to Cindy.  The girl on the floor wondered what this
woman had to say to her.  Apparently there was something, or else she wouldn’t
be lingering.

“Look at me,”
the woman instructed finally.

Cindy looked
up slowly, staring out with empty eyes.  Slowly, a smile crossed the woman's
face.

“You have the
look of your mother, Cindy,” she said.

Cindy
continued to stare back, becoming curious as to who this woman was and knowing
that she wanted to be asked.

“You call me
by name as though you know me,” said Cindy finally. “Do you actually know who I
am?”           

“I have seen
you,” said the woman. “Yet it has been years.  I’ve only last seen you when you
were very small.  I have come on the request of your father and mother.”

What sort of
game was this?  Why would this woman say such a thing?  The very thought made
her angry.

“My parents
are dead,” Cindy said without emotion, looking back to the beans.

“Yes,” said
Amanda.  “That is not the point now.  I have come from far away to honor your
father’s request.  Some years ago, your father asked me to aid him, and become
the godmother to his child.”

The girl was
very surprised to hear this.  She could not help but disregard the beans
completely.

“And that is
why you’re here?  Will you try to take me away?” Cindy asked in disbelief.  She
felt hopeful for a moment, but then all that faded.  She found reality again.
“I think that will be quite impossible.”

“That is not
why I’m here,” the woman told her, “but you don’t believe that it is possible
for you to leave this place?”

“Nothing is
possible for a mere servant with no family or money of her own,” Cindy muttered,
tossing a few more rotten beans into the fire.

Amanda looked
on in curiosity, ignoring the girl’s pessimistic attitude.  After scanning the
room, she got the perfect idea.

“Would you
have me help you sort the beans, Cindy?” she asked.

Cindy looked
up in disbelief.  Why would this woman want to do that?  She shook her head.           

“You are the
guest, ma’am.  I couldn’t ask that of you.”

“Don’t be
silly!” Amanda insisted. “It will be no trouble at all!  We will have you done
in no time.”

Cindy let her
eyes trail back down to the beans scattered across the floor.  She had not even
worked through half of a pound.  The woman’s help would not amount to much on
this job.

Amanda took
off her cloak and laid it across the back of a chair.

“Spread all
the beans across the floor,” she instructed. “Spread them past the table.”

“You have some
strange bean-spreading-technique that I have no idea about?” Cindy asked
skeptically.

“I would
simply ask that you trust me,” Amanda said.

Cindy didn’t
understand how this would make anything except a mess, but nonetheless tipped
over the bag and let a few of the beans roll across the floor of their own
will.  After she had watched the mess settle itself, she turned back to the
woman, who was watching closely.  She nodded with a short smile.

“That’s
correct,” Amanda said. “Keep going.  Empty the bag.”

With a roll of
her dark eyes, Cindy continued.  “I hope you know what you’re asking for,” she
muttered.

The girl
continued on and spread the beans as the woman had said, working the brown mass
past the table and underneath it as well.  The floor had recently been swept,
but dust and dirt gathered quickly in this house.  Cindy greatly hoped that
this was not the only part to the woman’s plan.

“Would you
kindly open the window now, dear?” asked Amanda. “I’d like some fresh air.”

Cindy could
not believe her ears.  “But the air is hazy.  Rain will come soon.  Are you
certain?”

“I’ve made a
request.  Is this how you treat all your guests?” Amanda asked laughingly.

Cindy nodded
in defeat and carefully got up to approach the window.

“We get so few
guests into this house,” said the girl, unlatching the window.

“Why is that?”
asked Amanda, rolling up her long sleeves.

The girl
turned back slowly. 

“And you say
you knew my father – and my mother?” Cindy asked skeptically with narrowed
eyes.

The woman
laughed again, the sound like light bells.  “It has been years since I’ve been
here,” she said. “Tell me why you have no guests.”

Slowly, Cindy
let down her defenses and began to speak as she pushed open the shutters of the
large window.

“Father became
a mortician when I was five.  That’s why no one would come to the house.”

“I see,” said
Amanda, taking in the knowledge that she may have already known. “What then?”

“Five years
later, my mother died, and he was left with me,” Cindy continued. “It was only
he and I for a year – the best year of my life without my mother – then he
became lonely.  He thought I needed a mother, so he married Anna.”

“A noble, yet
foolish decision, I see.”

“Yes,” said
Cindy stopping a moment in thought before speaking. “You knew my mother as
well?”

Amanda nodded.
“Yes.  She was a lovely woman. Your father married her and soon after they
moved away and came here.  Before you were born, he asked me to be your
godmother.”

“I see,” said
Cindy, casting her eyes down a moment.  They fell across the floor spread with
beans. “I suppose we should get started.”