Cinders & Ash: A Cinderella Story (Passion-Filled Fairy Tales Book 3) (5 page)

That had been different and completely unexpected, the prince thought, as he sat in his own room at the castle. The girl was breathtakingly beautiful. It was the kind of beauty that struck you on sight, but you couldn’t quite put your finger on it until you’d been in its presence for a while. Her face was simple and kind, and remarkably desirable. In fact, her entrancing eyes were a crystalline blue that reminded him of a lake nearby. He could imagine himself spending hours staring at her.

And then, the beating she’d taken. The welts on her back, the pain they must have caused. Yet, she didn’t complain about it. She soldiered on because she needed to get away from the woman who had beaten her so.

He chewed the nail on his thumb and sighed. He wished he could’ve convinced Cinders to stay and take a job at the castle. Though, if she’d taken a job here, she would find out who he was. After she’d called herself Cinders, he’d wondered if she actually knew. Wondered if his cousin Chandler had put her up to it. But the look on her face and the way that she treated him made it plain she didn’t know who he was.

Still, once she said her name, it had made it simple for him to give her a name. His real name, or at least a part of it: Ash. His parents called him Ashton, his middle name, on a regular basis, and Gertrude often called him that. Most people called him simply John, or your Highness. Your Royal Highness, if they were new to the castle and thought they’d be seen more favorably by using the longer title. They were mistaken, though, as he was never swayed by such blatant attempts to curry favor.

There was a knock on his bedroom door. It was soft, but he’d definitely heard it. Very odd, given the late hour. “Come,” he called out.

A moment later the door opened and Gertrude strode in, still in her nightgown, pale and fretful. He stared at her a moment, curious as to what she could want. “Close the door,” he said.

She looked nervously at him, then closed the door to his chamber. “Your Highness,” she said.

She stood there, her eyes cast down at the floor, and he wondered why she behaved this way. She was always friendly with him. She had been his favorite, the woman whose care he’d adored most. She’d been his nursemaid until he was 12, when his father said he was too old for one. She went to serve his uncle, a Duke, for seven years, before returning to the castle just a week ago to help oversee the household staff. She’d always called him John or Master Ashton before.

“Gertrude,” he said kindly. “You seem upset.”

She nodded. “Yes,” she said, the word coming out quickly. “It’s just,” she looked up at him and smiled the way she used to, a pleasant, matronly smile of proud adoration. “It’s just that you were always such a kind boy, and I haven’t seen you in so long. I just wanted to remind you that even though you’ve spent the summer with your cousins, that you should remember who you are, what your heart tells you.”

And then it all came together in his mind. His cousins, Chandler and Leith, had different sensibilities. Yes, he’d learned a thing or two from them. The idea of getting peasant women for pleasurable dalliances, that had all come from his cousins. Chandler was wild and wanton and particularly enjoyed the company of a woman. Although Leith still dabbled, he was less involved in such things, now that he was scheduled to be married in just three months. Chandler, on the other hand, had no such restrictions and had perhaps grown even wilder. Ashton had even tried one or two of Chandler’s more lewd suggestions, involving ropes, whips and hot candle wax while lying with a women. While interesting, Ashton had avoided some of the darker things Chandler had suggested. Some of it seemed cruel, despite Chandler’s protestations that the women adored it. Ashton sighed as a wave of sadness hit him that Gertrude would think so little of him. “I didn’t put those welts on her,” he said.

She looked deep into his eyes and let out a relieved breath. “Of course you didn’t, Ashton,” she said. “You asked for me to bring the salve because she needed help.”

He nodded. “I did,” he said. “I appreciate you bringing it. And, I appreciate your discretion in this matter.” He straightened his shoulders, and in a firm tone that he hoped seemed commanding, said: “You’ll tell no one why I summoned you tonight.”

“Of course not,” she said, and it was he who felt relief that she had agreed so easily. She’d always been in charge of him when he was younger, so he’d had a pang of worry that she wouldn’t acquiesce to his directions now.

Gertrude curtsied as if she intended to leave him, but then as she rose to a full standing position again, she asked tentatively, “How did you happen to come upon such a hapless girl?”

He half smiled. She was still as nosey as ever, still as bold as ever. No other servant would have dared to ask him about the girl, or tried to set him on a truer path than his cousins. No one but Gertrude. “That’s my business,” he said.

“Of course, Highness,” she said.

“By the way, what is in that salve? It seemed to work wonders for her.”

“Oh, sire,” she said. “Do you remember what I told you was in it when you were a child and fell in those brambles?”

His mind recalled that day sharply, the pain of the fall and the thorns tearing into him was seared deeply into his memory. He looked at her and said, “You told me it was fairy magic.”

“I stand by that.” Without another word she turned, went to the door and opened it. Standing at the door and poised to knock was Heinrich, who exchanged a brief greeting with Gertrude as she left.

“Your Highness,” Heinrich said as he entered.

“Are you here about the girl as well?” Ashton asked, regretting his snappish tone almost as soon as the words had left his mouth.

Heinrich nodded. “Yes, I just wanted to apologize again for the mix-up. I know you said you were happy with her, but it is my job to ensure that the girls seem healthy and unblemished. I didn’t with this one. I just wanted to explain what happened.”

Ashton didn’t really even care to hear, but knew Heinrich felt he was in trouble, and that the man would only behave normally in their next interactions if he got a chance to explain. Ashton nodded for him to continue.

“She came recommended by another girl I’ve used for personal services, and so I trusted that she was in good health. When I saw her face, I knew you’d like her, that she was your type, but I apologize for not first checking her over.”

“I told you when I had you fetch Gertrude that it was fine. I am very happy with Cinders. In fact, she will be back a week from today.”

Heinrich’s eyes widened, and his lips parted just slightly. But then he nodded and said. “Did you want another girl in the interim? I’ll be sure everything is perfect with her this time.”

Ashton thought for a moment. Did he want another girl? If Heinrich had asked him before he met Cinders, he didn’t know what he would have answered. The truth was, he had grown tired of the prostitutes, who seemed hell bent on doing nothing but pretending to be whatever they imagined he wanted. Yet, none had really ever succeeded at being anything at all like what he really wanted. Perhaps that was because he wanted someone real, someone genuine, only he hadn’t realized that until this moment. That was probably why he had tired of this game, why he’d thought tonight may be his last hurrah, leaving these types of exploits to his cousins in the future. But not now. He didn’t want another girl. He wanted the girl he’d had tonight, only he hadn’t really had the chance to have her. But he would. He offered Heinrich a nonchalant head shake. “No, I don’t need anyone else, but thank you for offering. I’ll wait for Cinders”

Heinrich nodded, then said: “Is that her name, Cinders?”

Ashton chuckled. “That’s the name she told me. Said it was a nickname. I sort of like it. I told her to call me Ash.”

Heinrich didn’t say anything but stared hard at the Prince.

“It’s OK,” he said. “I’m pretty sure she thinks I made it up. Besides, so few people call me that, and she has no reason to believe I’m anything but a lowly relative to the royal family, right?”

Heinrich nodded. “Right. I used the same story as always, a visiting relative. Your cousins, Chandler and Leith, seek out maidens enough that the story doesn’t raise suspicions.”

Ash smiled. “See, don’t worry. It will all work out with Cinders. She’s fine. I’m very happy with your work, Heinrich. I’d tell you if I were upset.”

Heinrich sighed and forced a smile. “Thank you. If that will be all your Highness, I’ll head to bed now.”

Heinrich left quickly. Ashton put on his nightclothes and climbed into bed. Cinders and Ash, he thought. For some reason, he liked the sound of it very much. Never before had he created his own little world with another human being. There was something very seductive about it, and every inch of him yearned to see her again.

Ella’s plan had been to do her chores as gingerly as possible and then find an excuse to walk to town so she could see Faye. Turns out, she didn’t need an excuse. Faye showed up about midday while Ella was milking the cow, Hermione. Faye had come straight to the barn, which was her custom, if she came to the house at all. Lady Kenna hated “low, common folk” like Faye. In fact, the one time Faye had come to the door to ask after Ella, Lady Kenna had screamed a blue streak at her. So now she skulked around the barn until she spotted Ella inside the barn. Today, Ella was sat on a stool, hunched over and squeezing the cow’s teats.

“Are you a’right?” Faye asked, breathing heavily as if she’d run all the way there. Though given Faye’s girth and athleticism, that seemed unlikely. She’d probably run the distance from the road to the house, which was set back a ways to give the place privacy.

“I’m fine,” Ella said, squeezing milk into the bucket. The teats were soft and warm, and as she looked at the udder, Ella could tell the milk was almost gone. She’d be finished soon.

Faye walked over to Ella, standing beside her as she milked. “That’s all you go’n say? That you’s fine?”

Ella shook her head. Faye was always so direct. It was the opposite of high society politeness that Lady Kenna valued so much and tried to shove down her daughters’ throats. Maybe that’s what Ella loved about Faye, why they’d been such fast friends. She needed to see someone breaking the rules and getting away with it.

“I’ll tell you more,” Ella said, squeezing the slowing stream from the cow. “Let me finish milking Hermione first.”

Faye went and petted the horse, Nigel, and the calf, George, while she waited for Ella to finish with the cow. Once Ella was done, she set the milk aside and led the cow back to her stall. She grabbed Faye and the two of them went and sat in a stack of hay near the barn wall. In whispers, in case they heard Lady Kenna or one of the girls approaching, Ella told Faye everything.

“He let you keep the money even though you ain’t done nothing?” Faye asked, her voice laced with astonishment.

“You’re as surprised as I was,” she admitted. “But I have to go back, so I’m not getting something for nothing. I’m a person of my word, so I’ll go back. Not going back would be stealing.”

Faye rested a plump hand on Ella’s shoulder. “Well, I’m glad it all worked out and he was so kind to you,” she said. “I rushed out as soon as the baker would let me this morning.” She shook her head as if the thoughts inside it frightened her. “I was just so worried.”

“Why?” Ella asked. “You were the one who arranged it all.”

“I know,” she admitted. “But this morning, I ran into this girl, J—. Well, never mind her name. You don’t know her, and well, she said she’d been with one of those visiting relatives a few nights back, and he’d been brutal with her.”

Ella’s eyes widened. “Brutal?”

“Yeah, made what Lady Kenna done to you look like a walk in the park,” Faye said. “I thought I’d made a huge mistake telling you to go there.”

“I can’t imagine Ash doing anything like that,” Ella said, biting her lip, pondering if she could’ve misjudged him.

“Well, might not’ve been him,” Faye said. “I heard the prince had been with his cousins earlier this summer and two of them is visiting. Dere’s two of ‘em, so maybe one is rotten to the core, and the other is good as gold. You just make sure you go back to Ash, not the other one.”

Ella nodded, and brought the fingernail of her thumb to her mouth. A royal cousin who was horrible and one who was kind. She wondered if it were possible that Ash was horrible, too, sometimes. He didn’t seem it, but he’d also had a woman with a miracle salve on hand. She wondered why that was. “Do you think I should go back?” Ella asked.

“You just said you had to, that he gave you the money already, and you’re a woman o’ your word,” she parroted back, in a voice that actually did sound like Ella’s.

Ella chuckled and her back hurt as the skin pulled with every giggle or guffaw. “Stop making me laugh,” she said. “It hurts when I laugh.”

Faye’s eyebrows squished together as she looked at Ella. “Wait,” she said. “Given how tore up your back was, what are you doing out here milking the cow anyway. You really should be trying to let it heal.”

Ella smiled and turned around, so her back was to Faye. “That salve worked wonders,” she said. “Open my dress up and look.” She felt Faye’s hands on the tie at the neck and then the cool breeze as Faye opened up the back of the dress.

Faye whistled. “Ella, it’s amazing. The skin’s sealed over a lot. It’s still a little raised, but it looks like it’s been healing for at least four or five days, not just overnight.”

Ella nodded. “I know. I’ll actually need your help putting on the salve today and tomorrow,” she said. “But it’s the best ever. Lady Kenna sent me out here because she’s mean, so I don’t think she’ll come out.”

Faye nodded and stood. Ella produced the salve jar, which she’d carried with her, thinking she’d be able to go to town to sell some milk. Faye kindly put on the salve, and then stood to leave soon after. “I need to get back, since you’re al’ight. I was s’posed to help the baker longer, and he might even put me out if I don’t hurry back as I promised.”

“Wait,” Ella said, standing, too. “Before you go, I need a huge favor from you.”

Faye looked perplexed. “What?”

Ella went to the cow stall, dug under the hay and pulled out the small satchel she’d been given when she met Ash. She opened the bag and showed Faye the money inside it.

Faye’s mouth sprung wide open, and she seemed, for once, to be at a loss for words.

“Can you take it and hide it for me?”

Faye shook her head, and spoke with dread in her tone, “What if I lost it?”

Ella rolled her eyes. “How? How would you lose it?”

“I don’t know, but it’s so much money,” Faye said. “You’d mu’der me if I lost it.”

“No, I’d believe you did your best, and move on,” Ella said. “But it would kill me if Lady Kenna found this too and took it. I’d have no explanation for how I came to it, and she’d think I’d stolen it from her somehow. No telling how badly she’d beat me if she found it. But, you, you can take it back to your place, put it somewhere safe.”

Faye looked down at the sack, mulling it over and finally gave a curt nod. Ella twisted the bag closed and handed it to Faye, hugging her. “Thank you so much.”

“Da ‘tings I do for you, Ella,” she said, then turned and walked out.