Page 9 of Ella’s Desire

“Aye, I saw him.” Ella flipped onto her back. “Or rather, I fell into his arms.”

“That sounds romantic,” Cat said.

Leila nodded her head in agreement. “You are partial to that sort of thing.”

Ella scoffed. “Perhaps if he hadn’t made me fall, it would have been romantic. Catching me was the least he could do.” Shame heated her cheeks. “I wasn’t very kind to him afterward. I imagine he’ll have his own hesitations in marrying me as well.”

“He didn’t seem like the type to intentionally cause a woman to fall from a tree.” Cat rolled onto her back too and stared up at the wooden underside of their canopy. “He was quite concerned when he found Leila and I alone in the garden.” Cat nudged Ella’s foot with her own. “I thought he was handsome.”

Ella almost scoffed again, but then stopped herself. He was handsome. She would grudgingly admit it to herself but refused to say as much aloud.

He had light brown hair and deep green eyes. His lower lip was fuller than the top and it softened the hard lines of his angular face. His body had been firm when he caught her, and then he’d continued to hold her as if her weight was insignificant.

But handsome was not love.

“Cat can marry him.” Leila sat on the bed and stroked Ella’s hair where it lay splayed against the coverlet. “But I don’t want either of you to go away. Soon I’ll be the only one left.”

“I don’t wish to wed either.” Cat wrinkled her nose. “It seems terribly bothersome. Leila, you and I can grow old together in this castle.” She sat up abruptly as though something had just occurred to her. “What if you made him not wish to wed you, Ella?”

“I’m sure he already feels that way.” Ella sighed. Surely, it hadn’t been enough to dissuade his intent to wed her, and she hated how thoughts back on her behavior made her stomach twist with guilt. She had just been…surprised…and overwhelmed.

“What if he refuses to marry you?” Cat grinned. “You cannot be faulted for agreeing to the marriage and having him not going through with the union.”

Ella and Leila looked at each other and both turned to Cat at once. “That’s brilliant,” Ella said. “Though I cannot do it by being rude. I already feel awful about how I treated him in the orchard.”

“You’d better think quickly then.” Leila nudged Ella with her elbow. “Because now it’s nearly time for supper.”

“Quick, help me put my hair up.” Ella scooped up her locks. “Once he sees how large my ears are, he will not think me very attractive.”

Her thick, wavy curls rebelled against her attempts to gather it all. She’d always hated her ears and took desperate attempts to hide them. While she would never be as beautiful as Anice, she did ordinarily try to look her best.

Not tonight.

Leila rushed to her aid, twisting the mass. Cat got a ribbon and secured the locks with a giggle. “I don’t think we’ve ever seen your ears.”

The two younger sisters stepped back to regard Ella with wide smiles. Leila’s wilted somewhat. “Your ears aren’t all that big.”

Ella frowned slightly and touched her ears. They felt huge and exposed. “Are you certain?”

“We could dress you in one of my old gowns.” Cat rushed over to her clothing trunk. “They are too small, and the ill fit will be unflattering.”

“I suppose,” Ella agreed. “Though we’ll need more than just my appearance.” And she refused to do anything that might shame their father. Like dipping her fingers into the salt bowl instead of using the tip of her knife. After all, she was a clever girl, she could surely find a way to dissuade Calville’s attentions without being crude.

Cat set to work on Ella’s gown, removing her kirtle and replacing it with one of Cat’s. The fit was tight across the shoulders and chest. It was horrendously uncomfortable, if Ella was being honest, and restricted her movements. However, when Cat held up the small mirror and Ella saw how the front strained at her waist and breasts, she was forced to agree the gown was indeed terribly unflattering.

The three sisters held hands on their way down to the great hall. Ella had nearly brought Moppet with her, but feared doing so might be disastrous, to the point of humiliating her family. Papa was still at Truce Day and Anice had returned to her own manor. Marin and Bran had remained at Werrick Castle and were already at the table, along with the steward, William. Calville was the last to arrive with three dogs in tow.

Ella lifted a brow. “You brought your hunting dogs to Werrick?”

He grinned. “Aye, it’s rumored there is great hunting to be had in these lands.”

The castle priest, Bernard, blessed the meal and bowls of water were brought out to each of them at the family table. Ella and Calville dipped their hands in the water and servants wiped them clean.

Trenchers of meat and stewed vegetables were brought out along with baskets of bread. While they were indeed a noble family, they did not go through the pomp of several courses. Not on the border where airs were not required to the same effect as one might expect in the rest of England. No doubt Marin was dying inside at the lack of time to prepare a more respectable dinner for their guest.

“Do you not think it’s cruel?” Ella asked.

The earl gave her his full attention despite the trencher of food placed between them. “I beg your pardon, my lady?”