Midnight Falls: A Thrilling Retelling of Cinderella (6 page)

Marguerite leaned in toward Gabriel and smiled, her white teeth shining with everything
but
embarrassment. “Pity you didn’t come to my chamber last night,” she whispered, “my bed is much too big for little ol’ me.” Gabriel leaned back, clearly not accustomed to loud women, least of all Marguerite. And the fact that she had a tiny but sharp blade in her hand did not lessen his unease.

“Oh stop it,” Marion spat, slapping Marguerite across her arm. “And what is it you intend to do with that razor?”

“His eyebrows need a trimming,” Marguerite answered, “and it might not be in his best interest to have you hitting my arm, Marion!”

Ella was still speechless. What had just happened in that last ten seconds? If Gabriel wasn’t already regretting his solicitation of Ella’s services, he most certainly had to be at that point. Had he changed his mind?

And why would she mind either way?

“Ella?” Marion beckoned loudly, clearly repeating herself though Ella had no recollection of her ever being beckoned.

“What?” Ella answered.

“Now that introductions have been made, I would like to know just why this man is in this house and why it is so vital that he look like some kind of prince.”

Gabriel lifted his hand and gently took Marguerite’s wrist, interrupting her grooming efforts. He stood and faced Ella and she was not sure what to make of his demeanor. He didn’t appear angry, but there was a hint of displeasure in his eyes.

“Ella,” he said as he made his way to the bed to retrieve his linen shirt, “don’t you think it is best to excuse your servants?” Marion snorted in disapproval.

“I am sorry, sir,” Ella said, firmly, “but if you expect me to do anything for you, I will need the full cooperation and support of my entire staff.”

Gabriel had donned his shirt and studied Ella out for a few seconds before turning his gaze back to Marion and Marguerite. “Very well,” he said, shortly, “but this is not a game or social expose to be put forth for amusement. “

“Out with it!” Marguerite spat, irritated at his innuendo that she could not keep a secret, even if she couldn’t. “You have a funny way of thanking someone that just spent the last hour turning you from a homeless vagabond into a right handsome gentleman. We have known Ella here since she was a little girl and we don’t need some mysterious nomad to remind us how to treat her. So just say what you need from the likes of us.”

Marion was not one who shied away from opportunities to express her own opinion, especially when it came to looking out for her Ella, but she merely nodded, seconding Marguerite’s sentiments. Gabriel was not thrown off by Marguerite’s words, but he knew better than to stagnate on preliminaries when it seemed clear that these two women would indeed be accompanying him and Ella on each leg of their journey.

“I mentioned much of this to Ms. Delaquix last night, but I will reiterate it for you now,” he said.

Gabriel told Marion and Marguerite the story about his brother and his fifteen years of waiting for the perfect opportunity to bring justice to his brother and exact revenge on the culprit: Captain Thurlow. Ella could not help but note the change in the air when Gabriel told the women about his brother. But the obvious nervousness that befell Marguerite and Marion upon the presence of Thurlow in Gabriel’s saga was as transparent to Ella as it was reassuring to Gabriel that these women had no intention of making light of anything that included the captain. It was apparent to Gabriel that both women despised Thurlow as much as Ella did.

“Captain Thurlow is well established in his title as both the high commander of Gwent’s army and King William’s personal bodyguard. The king believes that Thurlow saved his life and will defend the man to any allegations of treason by anyone, especially the supposedly dead fugitive that played a role in his own assassination attempt.” Gabriel moved toward Marion and Marguerite, satisfied they were paying due attention to his every word.

As was Ella, as he was revealing new information to her as well.

“To reveal my true identity would only result in my arrest and the carrying out of my original sentence: execution. As you can imagine, I have no interest in that chain of events.”

“Just kill the bastard,” Marguerite said, explicitly salient. “I’ll help you!”

“Believe me, madam,” Gabriel said, “if killing Thurlow would restore honor to my family name and my brother’s legacy, then it would have happened long ago.”

Marguerite looked at Marion, who had taken a seat in the iron chair, still staring intently at Gabriel. Ella had made her way toward her friends and stood behind Marion as Gabriel went on.

“If Thurlow dies now, he is a hero to everyone in Gwent. My brother, and myself, remain the villains. No. My only hope for true justice means that I must expose Thurlow as the murderous, opportunistic traitor that he is. That is where I need your assistance.”

Gabriel and Ella locked gazes.

“King William is an old man and though he still maintains most of his mental faculties, he is severely sick and bedridden,” Gabriel explained. “Gwent has, in the last year, been presided over by his wife, Queen Arabella. As far as I have observed, the Queen is equally amenable to Captain Thurlow. She has allowed Thurlow to take control of almost every aspect of the governing of Gwent, which, I believe, was due to William’s urging. As you already know, Arabella and William’s son Leopold will be returning this month from his military sojourn abroad and will, per tradition and expectation, marry a young woman from Gwent as soon as possible. Arabella will undoubtedly make a spectacle of this event. She will throw a ball and require every eligible maiden of appropriate station to attend. She will insist that her son choose a wife from the attendees. Leopold is independent but he does not like to upset his mother nor does he desire to do anything contrary to what his father believes is best for Gwent. He is anxious to prove his adaptability to the rigorous requirements of royal leadership. If history serves, Leopold will not go against his mother’s wishes, neither in choosing his betrothed from the maidens that attend the royal ball nor in his partiality toward the woman that Arabella favors. Leopold is the key to exposing Thurlow. He is the rightful heir to his father’s kingdom and, when William succumbs to his illness, will resume the role of King. Leopold holds no allegiances to Thurlow. He has not spent an abundance of time with the man and is so far removed from the social politics of his father, who sired Leopold when he was almost sixty years of age, that he will not ignore, for any reason, the threat that an assassin is in his midst; an assassin that once tried to kill his father and will undoubtedly try to do it again.”

“I’m confused,” Marion said. “What makes you think that if William or Arabella would dismiss you, Leopold won’t do so as well?”

“Because Leopold will not be learning of Thurlow’s treasonous history from me. He will be learning of it from Ella
.
”

“What do you mean?” Marion asked.

Ella felt her heart shutter. She closed her eyes, trying to transform her surroundings into a dream.

“Ella must attend the royal ball,” Gabriel replied. “She must use the attractiveness that seems to bewitch and captivate every living, breathing member of the male sex to find her way into Leopold’s graces. Leopold is not oblivious to such appeal; he has made quite a name for himself amongst the female servants of the castle staff. His mother has tolerated his promiscuousness in the past, but now that it is time for him to take a wife, will demand he choose his companion from noble blood. Leopold is not the type to jeopardize his throne by doing anything but what Arabella desires. If we do this right, he will see Ella as a more-than-worthy mate.”

“So you are contending,” Ella beseeched, breaking her silence, “that I must attend a royal ball and somehow entice the prince into favoring me for his wife? You are mad! For one, how can I control his preferences? There will be hundreds of women for him to choose from. Second, I have no desire whatsoever of attending a social gathering thrown for the sole purpose of designating two nameless identities to matrimonial cohabitation with no regard to love and respect. Third, what if Leopold
were
to choose me for his wife? Are you honestly suggesting that I go as far as to accept his proposal so that you can, through me, bring Captain Thurlow down? And what happens when it is done? Captain Thurlow is disgraced and I am left to either—at risk to my own life—refuse the prince my hand in marriage, or—at risk to everything I hold sacred—embark in a loveless marriage of which I had interest or desire.”

Ella took a deep breath. She’d said a mouthful, but it had been quite liberating for her. Gabriel examined Ella closely while she vented her skepticism. He found it almost humorous that Ella would question her ability to captivate the prince, even in choosing her over all others. She was, in fact, the most seductive type of woman. Gabriel was not blind to such attributes. After all, he’d watched her closely for some time and had seen that it was impossible for a man to look on her and not find some aspect of her face or body to worship. That was why he’d chosen her. He’d observed not only her utter disdain for the men who lusted after her for such but for her
own
physicality as well, with which she seemed neither proud nor satisfied. It only solidified her allure. For what was more strangely intoxicating than a siren who covered her own ears when she sang?

Ella was waiting for an answer. Gabriel would not leave her wanting. He had no intention of misleading Ella or placating her by being vague or even subtle in his expectations.

“Yes,” he stated plainly, “that is precisely what I want you to do.”

Chapter Five

Gabriel rather enjoyed the sensation of hushing three opinionated women with so simple an utterance. Though he did not flaunt his satisfaction, he intended to savor for as long as he could the image of Ella and her two housemaids in stagnant alarm, mouths gaping in shock. It seemed the only natural thing to do when outnumbered in a small room with three vociferous and insatiably curious females: bask in silence.

“I am sorry, but did you just say ‘yes?’” Ella asked, dumbfounded that Gabriel had indeed
not
been joking in his proposal.

“I did,” Gabriel responded, “but allow me, please, to continue. There is much explanation still required and I believe if you let me to finish, many of your questions will be answered.”

“I don’t really see how any explanation will validate your intentions of whoring out a virtuous, loving young woman like Ella!” Marguerite declared, bluntly. Marion gasped and slapped her palm to her lips in disbelief. Awkwardness followed quickly.

“Marguerite!” Marion shouted, upset only by Marguerite’s choice of words, not her intent.

Gabriel realized his error when he assumed Ella’s housemaids were capable of imbibing his meticulous, albeit unorthodox, plan without jumping to conclusions about his intentions or the welfare of their mistress. He could not afford to be so indiscriminate in his campaign, even if it did ostracize him from women whom Ella seemed to respect quite vehemently. Gabriel turned and tried to read Ella’s body language. He could not risk losing her now. Not when he’d waited fifteen years for the woman, the timing, and the circumstances to fall in line as they had. He made his way across the room toward her. She eyed him suspiciously and Gabriel could still feel the untrusting stare of Marion and Marguerite etching disapproval in his back.

“Ella,” he said, his voice low and directed only to her, “please forgive me for any discomfort or frustration I have caused you. But everything I am telling you is of the most sensitive and volatile nature. With no disrespect to your friends, may I please continue speaking with you in private?”

Ella observed Gabriel meticulously; his physical proximity to her projected an unexpected intimacy. He spoke eloquently for a man who seemed uninterested in formality, at least in regards to personal boundaries. It was as if he were only saying what needed to be said just to placate her, all the while driven by a darker character: a sinister puppet master to his cold, calculating shell. Ella was as intrigued by the man, as she had been every second since he ambushed her in her private dormitory. Though she stalled for several moments before responding to his request, she had no intention of refusing him. She was already trapped in his stare…his gravity.

“Marion, Marguerite,” Ella said sweetly, bypassing her concession to Gabriel’s request and turning right toward her two dear friends, “could you kindly allow me to speak with our guest in private?” Both Marion and Marguerite’s eyes grew wide.

“Ella!” Marion exclaimed, prepared to profess her disapproval. Instead she remained silent. It would do no good. It would only saddle an inexperienced but stubborn young woman with self-doubt when affirmation might make a bad situation somewhat better. Ella would do with her life what she desired. Marion could not stop her; she could only offer her own wisdom. And as far as Marion was concerned, she’d already bestowed more than enough for one morning.

“Come Marguerite,” Marion said, taking her friend’s hand and standing, “let us go and help Frome prepare breakfast.” Marguerite, eyes still reeling, stood without protest and exited the chamber with Marion.

When the two women closed the chamber door behind them, Gabriel and Ella were still fixed on one another. Ella sensed some kind of puzzling presence between them. It was like a living, breathing
understanding
. She didn’t know what to make of it. She felt an urging to run away from this man and bury the memory of their short time together amongst the ashes of everything that frightened her.

But she stayed.

“Ella,” Gabriel said, “there is much more to tell you.”

“I gathered there would be,” Ella said, “but Gabriel, I will not allow you to carry on one second thinking I will marry a man—“

“Just listen to me,” Gabriel interrupted, startling Ella. “Please let me finish laying out my plan to you. Your questions, which I know are many, will be answered. Believe me. But you must listen carefully to me. Do you understand?”