Once Upon a Romance 01 - Before the Midnight Bells (11 page)

It was hopeless, though. When she stood up to take his shoulder width she found herself fascinated by the broad expanse of his back. Holding the end of her tape against one shoulder she turned her other hand palm
-
down and let it glide across to the other side, feeling the play of his muscles and the hard rise of his shoulder blades. Max shuddered beneath her hand, but otherwise gave no indication of noticing her. Ella was a bit piqued. She could barely breathe with him standing before her like this, and he just ignored her? He probably thought that staring her down while he disrobed had shown her up, but she was no meek and timid maid. At the ball they had challenged one another with food and words; this was just another form of the game.

She let her fingers drift softly down his arms as she took length measurements, and then came to stand in front of him. Again her arms circled around him to pass the tape behind his back, and then she drew it together, her knuckles skimming along his chest, until her hands came together above his heart. Even through the backs of her fingers she could feel it pounding, and Ella smiled. Perhaps he wasn’t as indifferent as he pretended.

Once more she released the tape, and then reached up to slide it around his neck. Her fingers drifted through the curls at the nape of his neck for just a moment, and came to rest above the hollow in his throat where his pulse thundered. As she leaned forward to read the tape she arched her hand up and out of the way, brushing his jaw in the process. She reached for her pen to record the number and felt a warm hand close over her own.

Max’s eyes were open, and the look in them caused her heart to race at least as fast as his. Ella froze. Her measurements were done, and now here she was, one hand being held firmly and the other… the other…

The other was holding a loop that stretched around Max’s neck.

She pulled. She couldn’t help it. Nothing existed except for those eyes, and the wildfire they had ignited in her chest. She had to bring them closer, had to fall into them, and then maybe she could breathe again.

Max felt the gentle tug around his neck. When he had opened his eyes to find her face so near his own, he had reacted without thinking, reaching out to capture her hand and draw her in. Now, with her soft but insistent pull on the tape, he realized that she had done the same. Neither of them was thinking, but in this moment he hardly cared. He leaned down, ready to take the kiss she was obviously willing to give, and the bells of the city began to ring.

Ella heard the bells chime, and the merest glimmer of a thought penetrated her brain. Oh yes, the bells tolled the hour, and the hour meant…

The hour meant she had work to do.

It was like a dash of cold water in the face. She had no time for stolen kisses in her back room. Quickly she backed away from Max. Sir Max. Lord Max. She didn’t know his precise title, but she knew that a man of his station would hardly be looking for anything legitimate from a seamstress. And she didn’t want anything from him, legitimate or otherwise! It didn’t matter that she enjoyed his company, and it didn’t matter that looking at him in his small clothes made her insides feel like jelly. What mattered was that dressing him could help her business, and her business was not only her dream, it was the way she was going to help her family.

Max stood there looking both heated
and
confused, a
nd Ella found the juxtaposition amusing
. Just that quickly she saw the humor of the situation once again, and so it was with a laugh in her voice that she asked him, as she headed through the curtain
:

“
So, shall we discuss specifics?”

Max was bewildered. A moment ago he had been about to kiss this woman, and now she was clearly running away, while at the same time laughing at him. It took him a second to realize that she had even asked him anything.

“
What?”

“
You know; materials, tailoring preferences, budget… that sort of thing. ”

“
You want to discuss budget?”

“
It
is
a practical consideration.” Her voice floated back to him from the front of the shop.

Max took stock of himself. Engaged to the princess, standing here in his small clothes, and desperately wishing that Ella would return and give him the kiss he had sought.

There was nothing practical about this at all.

Max could hear Ella’s laughter from the front of the shop as he hastily threw his clothes back on. If they were keeping score, and he was fairly sure they were, then she had won this round. He tried to tie his cravat properly three times, and on the fourth attempt gave it up for lost. How could a man properly tie a cravat when his hands were shaking with thwarted lust? It simply couldn’t be expected. He did manage to fasten his shoes properly, and then he tumbled into the front of the shop, nearly tripping over his own feet. Thankfully for his dignity, Ella was back at her stool, bowed over her work, and missed his less-than-graceful entrance. In fact, she seemed determined to ignore him completely, which, in light of what had almost just occurred, simply couldn’t be borne, so he sauntered casually over to her.

“
Well, what do you think?”

Her eyes flew to his face. Suddenly he realized that she might have been ignoring him so fiercely because she was hoping he wouldn’t notice the blush that was painting her entire face pink. Somehow that blush made him feel better. She had more self composure than any young lady was due, and she’d just denied him a kiss for no reason that he could determine, but her rosy cheeks kept her from completely having the upper hand.

“
About what?”

Max chuckled, he couldn’t help it. Given her nervous air she had clearly misunderstood his question.

“
Ah… materials, tailoring, budget? That sort of thing?”

“
Oh, your costume!”

Her face was, if possible, even redder than before. Her thoughts had been easy to read on her face, and she knew it. Max felt mercy stirring. As lovely as the color was on her, he knew she must be cringing inside. Without thinking, he moved to distract her.

“
So then, shall we go to a tea house and discuss it?”

This could not be happening. It simply could not be happening. She was sitting here, face on fire, and this man, whom she barely knew, but had just seen practically naked, was asking her to tea.

“
I don’t think I have the time…”

Max saw her uncertainty, and knew that her instinct was to turn him down. He was sure, however, that he knew what card to play to get her to agree to tea.

“
I see, I see.” He used his most somber tone. “My manly glory has frightened you away, as it would any bashful maiden. Quite right, quite right.”

Ella’s head shot up, and her spine straightened immediately. She glared at Max, but the mischief lurking in his eyes betrayed his overly solemn demeanor and disarmed her temper. He thought he could regain the upper hand, did he? Well, she would show him.

“
Not at all,” Ella used the sweetly simpering tone she heard other ladies use so often, “I just wasn’t sure if I had time to step out before my next appointment—I have several other gentlemen coming by for measurements today.”

Max felt like he had been struck dumb. He knew she was jesting—he
knew
it—but somehow that didn’t keep him from imagining Ella measuring any number of men behind that curtain. Seeing them undress, touching them as she had him… he was speechless.
He wouldn’t allow it
. He would… he would…

He checked himself. He would what? He wasn’t her father, or brother, or husband; he wasn’t even her fiancé. He had no claim on her, just because they had spent an evening together and then flirted, no matter how intimately, in the back of her shop. She didn’t even know who he really was, and he certainly couldn’t tell her. He was supposed to be madly in love with Vivienne. There was no way he could upset the princess’s plans, crush his father, and anger the king by giving the impression that he was having a fling with a dressmaker. She was right, this was no time for them to be going to tea.

Ella was concerned—Max looked like he’d been hit in the head with a brick. She was about to ask if he was alright when he shook his head just a bit, and then gave her a polite, reserved smile, so different from the usual grin that adorned his face when he spoke to her.

“
I would hate to be the cause of a missed appointment; perhaps you are correct, and tea isn’t possible.”

Max gave a quick bow and began to move to the door. Ella was hurt and confused. Given all the good
-
humored teasing they had engaged in last night, she hardly thought a joke about measuring scores of men would cause such a shift. Why was Max suddenly acting distant? Still, the bells had reminded her once, and she wasn’t likely to forget again: this man was her client, and she had a job to do.

“
Before you go,” Ella matched his cheerfully professional tone, “if you have no preferences I can decide on materials and tailoring, but really, you must give me a budget.”

“
Hmmm… I don’t want to go overboard.” Max named a staggering sum. “Would that be enough?”

Ella practically choked. She could make him ten costumes for that price. Out of gold. “I think that would suit admirably. Can you make a fitting in two days time?”

“
A fitting.” Max imagined standing again in the back room, while Ella smoothed and pinned fabric to his body. The polite smile was wiped from his face, replaced by his more customary grin.

“
I wouldn’t miss it.”

***

After Max had gone, Ella felt swamped by unfamiliar emotions. Her whole body felt warm, her clothing seemed too tight, and when she thought over Max’s visit to the shop she felt… well, so many things she couldn’t even name them all. Mostly she was confused. She couldn’t understand her own reactions, let alone his. What was she doing putting herself into such a compromising position? Why would she ever agree to such a ridiculous idea? Because he smiled at her? That made no sense. Somehow when Max teased her, all her sensibilities flew right out the window.

Clearly she needed guidance, and for Ella that meant only one thing. Swiftly she packed up her work in her newly
-
returned sewing basket, turned off the gas lamps, and locked up the shop front. Then she set off towards Forest Row.

***

“
Ella, my dear!” the Dame seemed a bit alarmed at Ella’s flushed countenance. “What on earth has happened?”

Ella rushed into the gracious parlor, where her Godmother sat working on her latest tapestry. An intricate rose was taking shape under her hands, and next to her, in a pin cushion, was stuck a variety of needles threaded with hues of red, violet, and green. Heedless of her delicate work, Dame Merriweather rose and drew Ella over to the window seat. The heady perfume of honeysuckles wafted in the open casement, and filled Ella’s senses as she took a deep breath.

“
Godmother, I…” How to begin? How could she explain what had happened, or why it had flustered her so? The words wouldn’t come, and she stared at the Dame hopelessly.

“
I see,” Dame Merriweather’s eyes twinkled a bit, “you’ve met someone.”