Page 5

CHAPTER 5

ELLA

E lla set the last dirty plate in the washtub. Everything ached. Her back and feet from standing all day, and her head hurt from overthinking her dreams last night. Normally after her time with William , she could fall into a somewhat restful sleep. But last night…

Last night her dreams had been plagued with images of Thane , or at least that was the face she gave the man in her dreams. These dreams hadn’t been comforting. She dreamt of Thane on his knees before her, his lips bright with blood, saying words she could not hear. The feeling of death had surrounded them. She had woken up wanting to go to him to ensure he was alright.

She had been thankful to see him trudge up to his room this morning. He looked tired, but at least he was alive. She had tried to think of reasons to check on him. But there were none that didn’t make her seem a bit odd and desperate.

“Are you alright?” Clara’s voice cut through Ella’s thoughts.

“Yes, why?” Ella hadn’t meant to be so short.

“Because you keep huffing and mumbling to yourself.” Clara looked up from the dough she was kneading.

“It’s nothing.” Ella stacked the clean plates for tomorrow’s meal. It was only something if she made something out of it. Wow , Ella , that was profound.

“I heard you spoke to Mr . Tenebris .” Clara brushed the flour from her hands. “ What’s he like?”

“Taken,” Ella said over her shoulder. She needed to remember that also.

“You asked?”

“No. He told me he is looking for someone. And ,” she said, cutting Clara off, “he ordered a dress.”

“Who ordered a dress?” Sissy asked, coming in with a pile of dirty linens.

“Are you sure?” Clara rolled the dough into balls and placed them in a pan.

“Who?” Sissy asked again.

“What are you, an owl?” Clara looked over at Sissy . “ Who do you think? Mr . Tall - Dark -and- Pouty in room six.”

“Clara,” Sissy hissed, looking at the door. “ Be quiet. Someone will hear you. He could hear you.”

“And what? Mr . Tall - Dark -and- Pouty finds out I want to marry him?” Clara said a little louder, looking at the door.

“Oh, hush.” Sissy tossed a dirty napkin at Clara .

Ella listened to the two girls bicker over how loud Clara could be sometimes. Ella hauled the basket of sheets she and Sissy had washed and dumped them out onto the table. Her hands were still raw from adding too much lye to the wash water. Something she still had trouble with even after a year. “ Well , he can’t marry you if he is already married.”

“Did he say he was married?” Clara asked as she wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

“He said he was looking for someone he loved, so…” Ella sorted through the laundry.

“So there is still hope for me.” Clara winked.

“He’s looking for someone? Maybe it’s you,” Sissy piped up.

“It’s not me.” Ella pulled the sheets from the pile and started folding them.

“Why not? You’re lost,” Sissy wistfully said.

“Then why wouldn’t he simply say that he was looking for me?” The first few months in Riverton , Ella had hoped that someone would come looking for her. Every time a stranger walked through the door of the inn, Ella would make it a point to be seen, hoping they would recognize her or she would recognize them. When no one came, it hurt. It made her angry that no one seemed to care she was gone. But now, a year later, she told herself it was because all her family was dead. That was easier to deal with.

“What if he can’t?” Sissy clutched a lace table runner to her chest. “ Maybe he, too, has forgotten, and only love’s truest kiss will break the spell. Or …” Sissy put the runner down. “ What if he is a prince pretending to be a poor beggar, and you have to prove your love for him?”

Clara snorted. “ Except he arrived in a shiny carriage drawn by four black horses. Not to mention Lillian said he wore the finest silk and wool she had ever seen. He also paid for a month’s stay in advance in the most expensive room here. He is no poor beggar.”

“Well, if he is so rich, why would he choose the Blind Badger ? The Riverton Inn is far nicer, and it’s right on the river.” Sissy continued folding the runner.

“It’s also a whorehouse,” Clara reminded Sissy . “ Mr . Tenebris doesn’t seem like the cheap whore type. He wants a more sophisticated type of a woman. Like me.”

“Or maybe Ella ,” Sissy said. “ He was asking about you this morning.”

“He what?” Ella stopped folding the towels. “ Why ?”

“Oh, stop playing the modest maiden. We all know about you and William .” Clara rolled her eyes. “ And it’s not fair, you taking all the bachelors. First William and then Albert . Now Mr . Tenebris .”

Ella groaned. “ You can have Albert .”

Clara shook her head. “ I’ve considered it. He’s rich, you know. But then I remembered when he was thirteen, he developed this weepy eye that was always crusted shut.” Clara shivered. “ His weird mother would tell everyone to mark her words, her Albert would be rich one day, and then we’d all regret not snatching him up.” Clara paused. “ I guess she was right about the rich part. I have no regret not snatching him up.” Clara went back to her rolls.

“Does he still have a weepy eye?” Sissy asked.

Ella laughed. “ No , but he has a copper tub in his large home in Morro that also has three children who need a mother in it.”

“I bet they have weepy eyes too. Can you imagine? ‘ Mommy , wipe my eyes. Mommy , my eye is stuck shut. Mommy , where are you?’” Clara mocked, closing her eyes as she groped around the table.

Ella tried not to laugh. A weepy eye was nothing to tease a child about. But Albert was an adult. An adult whose chest glowed with the dark deeds he had done.

“What are you three laughing about?” Lillian asked, walking into the kitchen.

“Weepy- Eye Albert ,” Sissy said.

“Oh, that’s right. He had that eye problem. Heard a spider bit him when he was six,” Lillian added. “ Maybe Ella can ask him when he takes her to the Moon Festival .” Lillian held out the envelope to Ella . “ His mother, Helga , just dropped off Albert’s formal request.”

Clara laughed.

“I don’t want that.” Ella recoiled as if Lillian were handing her a snake. “ Plus I already have a date for the festival. William asked me.”

“If you’re taking William , it looks like I’ll have to take Mr . Tenebris ,” Clara teased.

“You stay away from him,” Lillian warned, setting the invite on the table next to Ella . They all looked at it as if it were some creature they had never seen.

“What are you going to do?” Clara asked.

“Tell him no,” Sissy said, going back to folding the laundry.

“Don’t let Mother hear that.” Lillian looked over the rolls Clara had been working on. “ She believes that Albert is the perfect husband for Ella . He is rich and he already has children, one being a son, so you wouldn’t have to have any. Clara , make sure these are all the same size or they will burn.”

“I’m not marrying Albert .” Ella stood and walked over to the teapot. “ If I marry, I will marry someone who loves me.”

“Gods below, tell me you’re not that na?ve.” Clara stopped what she was doing and looked at Ella . “ You are.”

“Clara,” Sissy scolded.

“Clara’s right. Love and marriage don’t go hand in hand,” Lillian said.

Ella was surprised to hear this from Lillian , who was about to be married. That’s why people get married, because of love. Or because the inn was closing.

There were lots of things Ella didn’t remember about her old life. Where she came from, who her parents were, if she had any siblings. But the one thing she was certain of was she loved someone. A love so deep it left its mark on her bones. And when she thought of it, a deep sense of loss consumed her.

She listened to Lillian talk about the other things that were more important than love. Like respect, a safe place to raise her children. It made Ella sad. Love was the reason for life.

The reason to get up in the morning. To dream. To wish. It was the reason Ella hadn’t given up. She knew it was out there. She had seen it in the way Mrs . A looked at Lillian . She even saw it in Thane’s eyes when he spoke of the one he lost. And Ella wanted that type of love.

“Lillian?” Mrs . A called as she barged into the kitchen. “ There are guests waiting to check in. Clara , Mr . Crawford’s bedding needs to be changed. Sissy , there are still dishes on the table. And Ella , Mr . Tenebris has asked to speak to you. You can bring him his evening meal.” Mrs . A started gathering the things for Thane’s meal.

“Why do I have to deal with Mr . Crawford ?” Clara grumbled. “ Why can’t she change the sheets and I bring Mr . Tenebris his meal?”

“Because he didn’t ask to see you. Lillian , the guests,” Mrs . A . snapped. “ Why did all the gods and saints decide I should be saddled with four girls who leave all the work to me, an old lady?”

Lillian walked over to her mother. “ Because the gods decided that you hadn’t been punished enough.” She kissed her mother on the cheek.

“Oh, hush. Go see to the guests. Clara ,” Mrs . A snapped.

“It’s not fair.” Clara tore two sheets from the pile of clean ones. “ I should be seeing to the needs of Thane . I know what men like him need.”

“Clara,” Sissy warned. “ Don’t speak like that or people will start whispering about you.”

“Sissy is right, Clara . My mother doesn’t employ women of ill repute.” Lillian smiled. “ Besides , you’re not a long-lost princess like Ella ,” Lillian teased on her way out the door.

“Neither is she. And there is only one woman of ill repute in this room, and it’s not me,” Clara called over her shoulder.

Sissy’s hand flew to her chest. “ It was one kiss, Clara . And I told you in secret.”

“I don’t think she’s talking about you, Sis .” Ella winked at Sissy .

“Oh. Oh !” Sissy’s eyes went wide with understanding.

“Damn you four.” Mrs . A turned, holding a tray. “ Sissy , go finish clearing the table, and Ella , take this up to Mr . Tenebris . And don’t do anything of ill repute while you’re with him.”

Ella smiled, taking the tray. “ Not in this fine establishment.”

“Go.” Mrs . A shook her head, complaining about her staff.

Ella wondered what odd dreams would come of her seeing Thane again.

Hopefully not one where death visited.