The Wronged Princess - Book I (37 page)

“
Cinde
?
Cinde
.
”
Essie’s arms
suddenly
wrapped her shoulders
. 
She hadn’t heard her come in
. 
“Come, dear
. 
You are freezing so.
”

Cinderella let
Essie
guide her to the bed, let her tuck the covers about her. She felt the touch of a damp cloth on her face, tears being gently wiped away
. 
She was barely aware of Essie climbing in alongside her murmuring nonsensical words of comfort while chills of fear racked her body.

"Oh, Essie
. 
Why does she
hate
me so?" she whispered, still quivering beneath the covers
. 
“Why?” The question burst fo
rth before she finally succumbing
to a fitful slumber.

Chapter
32

“
Mamá
, what
were you
thinking
?
The queen could have you thrown in the gallows.”

“Oh, my dear, Pricilla.”

Pricilla would have been prone to laughter
were
the outcome not so alarming
. 

“That child shall be the death of me,” she spat
. 
“Of us
. 
All
of
my carefully laid plans.
”

Pricilla watched her mother fan her face with the
exaggerated
dramatics
of
the jesters hired for
a lavish
evening
designed for entertainment
. 
She led
Mamá
down the quiet corridor, still working to slow the pounding of her heart
.
It
threatened to land on the imported rugs they walked upon
. 
A bloody mess it would be, too.

Lord, if she had not awaken
ed
and…Why, it was almost as if she’d possessed some sort of insightful magical powers that had her checking
Mamá’s
bed
. 
When she’d discovered her missing—well, t
hat did not take magical powers
. 
It only took living with
Mamá
for the last eighteen years
. 
’T
was only a matter of moments before Pricilla was directing her through the door of her plush chamber. She led
Mamá
to the bed and lowered
herself
into a nearby chair
on wobbly legs unable to hold her up a second longer
.

Pricilla looked over at her mother illuminated by silver moonlight streaming through sheer linings
. 
She was a problem to be sure
. 
Something dire was sure to happen if they did not find some way to distract her
. 
But how on earth were she and Essie to manage diverting
Mamá’s
amusements elsewhere
?
And on the heels of the betrothal ball,
’t
would be a miracle someone did not end up dead or worse.

She should have never shoved that silver baton in Cinderella’s hands, she thought morosely
. 
Pricilla could have taken care of things quite nicely with that little stick
. 
She propped her chin on
a
fist
. 
Nothing or no one else came to mind
. 
They were on their own.

“That
despicable
child led me astray,”
Mamá
hissed.

“Shush,
Mamá
, someone will hear,” Pricilla whispered desperately
. 
She jumped up and adjusted the pillows.
Mamá
was working herself into a frenzy
. 
Pricilla
stayed
Mamá
with an
arm
as she attempted her
robust body
from
the bed
. It took
strenuous effort, appearing none the wiser
. 

"She is out to destroy me
. 
Moi.
”
She flounced her large frame on the bed dipping the soft mattress quite deep.

Pricilla flinched at the
vicious
ness
in
her
tone
. 
Had
Mamá
always been so monstrous
?
Pricilla pushed the question from mind, knowing answers to the
reflection glass of herself
would not glean a pretty picture.

“Mayhap, you have one of your megrims,
Mamá
. 
Where is your potion?
”
Pricilla used the moonbeam through the window for light searching the vanity
. 

An odd flicker tinged the atmosphere but it was gone in a flash
. 
A quick glance through the sheer drapes showed clear skies,
the
moon
full
. 
Strange.

Moving
to the bedside table
,
she spotted the potion and a small glass
. 
Funny, she thought she’d looked there
. 
It suddenly dawned on her what she must do
. 
With shaking fingers she uncorked the potion
. 
“
Mamá
?” Pricilla asked softly
. 

“
Oui
, dearest
. 
My potion
. 
I
-I
do seem to be
having one of my megrims.”

Pricilla
poured a measure into the glass
. 
Then,
lest she
stop herself, poured another,
then another… She
placed the glass to
Mamá
’s lips.

Mamá
drank hungrily.

“Sleep,
M
amá
. 
Soon y
ou’ll feel much better,” Pricilla said, softly
. 
She pressed
M
amá
against
the pillows
, brushed a lock of hair from her forehead
. 

“
Merci
, darling.
”
Mamá
leaned back and patted her cheek
. 
“I have always favored you
, y
ou know
,
ma chére
?
”
S
he whispered
,
a smile on her lips
. 
Her
eyes drif
ted
shut
.

“
Je suis desolé
,
Mamá
,” Pricilla choked out
. 
Her voice sounded rough and raspy to her own ears
. 
“The betrothal ball is on the morrow
. 
You need your sleep, you know.
”
Pricilla grasped
M
amá’s
hand and lowered herself
on the mattress
, shocked
and
dry-eyed
, appalled by her actions
. 
Mamá
would not be giv
ing
anyone trouble much longer
. 

Pricilla
sat there for a long while.

Chapter
33

They were almost out of time.

The evening of the betrothal ball had finally descended despite Essie's determination to
keep
it
at bay
. 
Cinderella
was surprised, but
felt her pain
. 
Her
feelings grew worse when she
considered
her
own
deception
. 
Correction: 
deceptions
. 
Not only was she Prince's "mysterious princess" but she had done the unthinkable in setting her lips against his
. 
Without his consent
.
Oh, the humiliation
. 
She drew her fingers against her mouth as the memory surged through her
. S
haking fingers
moved
to her temples
. How was she to survive
the
culpability of such egregious action
?
How could she e
ver face Essie again? Or Prince
?

T
he seamstress stood off to one side waiting to administer a final fitting for their gowns.

“Where is
Stepmamá
?” Cinderella asked with a nervous quiet
. 
“I
’ve
yet to see
her
t
h
is
day.”

“Neither have I,” Essie snapped
. 
“I hope you are not complaining of the fact.
”
She turned to the timid Manette and flung her hands out to her perfectly coiffed hair
. 
"Do something with this…this unmanageable mane."

Cinderella eyed both sisters wa
rily
. 
’Twould seem
she was not the only one on edge
. 
This was an Essie of old
,
barking at the shy girl
. She
fumbled forward spilling the contents from her hands onto the floor.

"Now, see what you have done, you little
imbécile
.
”
Essie's eyes had every lit taper flickering with fury.

"That's enough, Essie," Cinderella said
. 
Her voice was soft, but strong, bringing Essie's head up quickly
. 
Cinderella dipped forward to help the poor girl gather the scattered pins.

"
Pardonnez-moi, s'il vous plaît,
Manette
." Tears filled Essie's eyes wiping away the edge of Cinderella's pique. She bent down to help as well.

Pricilla's unusual
docile
manner
during the
entire
exchange drew Cinderella's attention
. 
She watched
the maid
don a dress of soft powder blue silk trimmed in scallops of embroidered silver
over her head
. 
Tiny bows edged the trim that gave a compelling effect, turning her gray eyes rich with color
. 
It was her jittery fingers brushing over the soft silk that finally sunk in.

"What is it, Pricilla?" Cinderella knew she’d heard the soft tone, but did not acknowledge the question right away.

"No…nothing."

’T
was nothing, all right
. 
Cinderella rose and went to her, clasped her hand and squeezed
. 
Pricilla's eyes lifted to meet Cinderella's in the mirror
. 
Nothing could have prepared Cinderella for the sight that met her, the stormy depths that reached out of her silver-gray eyes.

"Whatever troubles you
,
do not worry so."

"Cill?" Essie appeared on her other side, took
up her
hand, and waited.

Cinderella had to admit the sight of the three of them standing before the mirror was naught other than momentous
. 
Somber, though the tone.

"I killed her."

A chill of dread ripp
l
ed up Cinderella's spine
. 
Striking like a coiled snake.

"Killed who, Cill?"
Essie asked. Concern did not color Essie’s pitch.

"No
!
Don't say it," Cinderella hissed.